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Ohio River Sweep
June 21, 2008
It was a thankfully cool morning on the banks of
the
Ohio River
. One hundred years ago
there was probably very little evidence of human habitation anywhere
near this shore but today the debris of “civilization” lay strewn
about the sand some nearly imbedded, others merely lying aimlessly
about. Seven stalwart
volunteers showed up for the Clean Sweep of the
Ohio River
on June 21. We picked up
lots of softballs, fragmented car dashboards, children’s toys and
furniture, buckets, lots of bits of Styrofoam, tires, and rims (do they
float in?). Along with
collecting other flotsam, Dave Meyer dug up buckets and tires, Jim
Wilgenbusch and Ted Scheall excavated a bicycle, Michelle Anderson and I
concentrated on the lighter stuff: bottles (glass and plastic), balls of
all sorts, foam and hunks of broken plastic stuff.
Bob Schlegel did a lot of heavy carrying and Don Himburg dug but,
most importantly, supplied the truck to carry this all back to the
dumpster. The thought
occurred to me that one upside of the upcoming fossil fuel crisis will
be, perhaps, the end of plastic and tires?
I suppose technology is already working on the alternatives.
Oxbow, Inc. very much appreciates the contribution of B.J. Ault of the
Dearborn County Solid Waste Management District in arranging for the
Rumpke dumpster and the pick-up of the tires collected in our clean ups.
Their long-term partnership with Oxbow, Inc. contributes
importantly in keeping this area a fit place for people and wildlife.
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