SPOKANE, Wash. — Hundreds of volunteers fanned out along the Spokane River on World Cleanup Day, working together to remove trash and debris that threatens the region’s most vital natural resource.
The Riverkeeper and the Lands Council organized the annual cleanup event, which drew 150 volunteers within the first 30 minutes. By midday, the collective effort had already filled an entire truckload with collected garbage.
Anne Tenold, development manager with Spokane Riverkeeper, stressed the urgency of protecting the river during the event.
“The river is the life blood of our community, and its our source of water. If we don’t protect the river, everybody fails. Everybody loses. So, we need to take pride in it and we need to take care of it,” Tenold said.
The cleanup carries significant environmental implications. Garbage that ends up in the river releases toxic materials that harm fish and bird populations. When these species struggle, the entire ecosystem becomes disrupted, triggering a chain reaction that degrades water quality and destroys wildlife habitats.
This year’s event featured a notable innovation: a new recycling bag designed entirely from reused materials. The bags were crafted from repurposed PET food bags and banners left over from Spokane’s Expo ’74, demonstrating the event’s commitment to sustainability.
Volunteers came from various backgrounds and motivations. Some, like Bri Kastning, have made river cleanups a regular commitment. Kastning participated in her fourth river cleanup of the year.
“Its the least we can do right? We only have one earth so taking care of it, protecting it…its something close to our hearts and something that we like to do,” Kastning said.
Cambria Sheridan, who recently relocated to Spokane, participated to build connections with her new community.
“It helps me get connected to my community. I do cleanups wherever I move to so, this is the second city I’ve done that in and it just like…it helps me feel like I belong somewhere and that I also do my part to contribute to the place I live,” Sheridan said.
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