PROGRAMS
Getting Dirty to Get Clean
Littering is a cyclical issue affecting our sidewalks and streams. When trash is visible, people feel more comfortable littering causing the issue to worsen.
Watersheds of South Pittsburgh believes in direct action by getting outside and cleaning up our streets and streams. Learn more about how litter affects our environment by joining us at our next event!
Litter on our sidewalks and alongside our roads is unsightly and unsanitary.
Organic materials rot, becoming breeding grounds for bacteria while attracting pests and leaching nutrients into
Inorganic materials degrade with exposure to the sun and elements, leaching harmful chemicals and microplastics into the environment.
When it rains, litter from sidewalks and roads is eventually washed into our sewer system. Clogged storm drains and pipes cause stormwater to flood our streets and homes.
Check out the Economic Flooding Study to learn more about how the Saw Mill Run Valley is impacted by stormwater.
Litter also poses a risk to wildlife within the watershed.
Animals may become entangled, increasing their risk of suffocation or drowning. Plastics can be mistaken for food, leading to starvation or damaged intestinal tracts. Vegetation can become smothered by accumulating litter, reducing available food and shelter for wildlife.
What can you do?
Join Watersheds of South Pittsburgh at one of our litter clean-up events!
We regularly host neighborhood “Pop-Up Pick-Ups,” hour long events targeting a small area with the goal of picking up as much litter as possible! Just pop by to pick up some litter and make our watershed a better place to be.
Interested in getting closer with our streams? Come to a stream clean-up for the opportunity to hop into a pair of waders and haul out a load of litter!
If you live within the City of Pittsburgh, you can even organize a litter pick-up of your own through the city’s anti-litter webpage!
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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Please bring your own drinking water! Watersheds of South Pittsburgh will provide all other necessary supplies for clean-up events.
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Watersheds of South Pittsburgh is able to provide a limited number of waders for use at a stream clean-up, typically without issue. Bringing your own waders ensures a comfortable fit, but is not necessary.
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Dress appropriately for the weather. Closed toe shoes and long-sleeve pants are strongly suggested.
If attending a stream clean-up, we recommend wearing pants with belt loops to attach the waders to.
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We generally only cancel events during extreme/inclement weather such as a thunderstorm, or when there unsafe conditions at the site.
We will make an announcement to our Facebook Page the morning of the event if a cancellation occurs.