TULSA, Okla. — The Great Tulsa Clean Up is back this year, and city leaders are calling it their biggest turnout yet.
Jacob Hagen, the city's stormwater quality manager, said litter is more than just an eyesore.
"Litter has a way to grow different strains of bacteria, which can be harmful to humans. And it is also ingested, you know, and harmful to wildlife," Hagen said.
That's where volunteers across the city come in.
The men's fitness group, F3 Tulsa, is tackling the park at Riverside and 96th. Robbie Ulrich is focused on the greenspace and waterways.
"We are just doing the river here. I'm kind of cleaning the parks, too, but making sure our rivers are clean and making sure our parks are clean, too," Ulrich said.
And it's not just the grown-ups doing their part.
Even the tiniest of helpers have a message for anyone thinking of littering.
"I'd say, how about, can you put it in a trash can? Or put it in a bag, and throw it away at home," a child volunteer said.
- Related story >>> The Great Tulsa Cleanup kicks off April 1
"We have to do our part where we are not throwing trash out the windows and picking up the trash that might blow into the rivers and streams. So we do what we can," said Brian Goodrich, a volunteer at the Great Tulsa Clean Up and member of F3. "Your small town, Tulsa, or whatever as a community, part of that is keeping it clean, just like your own home, your own car,"
Volunteers like Goodrich have big shoes to fill, according to Hagen. Last year, over 700 people collected 800 bags of litter across Tulsa. This year, they'll take on 30 locations through the end of April.
To sign up for the Great Tulsa Cleanup, click here.
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