P.E.I. got a sprucing up as volunteers participated in the annual P.E.I. Women’s Institute roadside cleanup over the weekend. The initiative, which dates back to 1973, saw individuals scouring fields, tree lines, and streets to tackle litter. Many teams used the iconic yellow Women’s Institute bags or their own clear bags to collect items like coffee cups, glass shards, and cigarette butts.
Virginia McGowan, from the Rotary Club of Charlottetown, emphasized the goal of creating a cleaner and healthier island for everyone to enjoy. McGowan urged people to be mindful of their trash disposal habits, highlighting that discarded items like cigarette butts and coffee cups harm the environment as they do not simply disappear but degrade over time.
The Rotary Club of Charlottetown, which has been involved in numerous community cleanups, gathered a truckload of trash last year. Despite the ongoing challenge of litter, this year’s cleanup along Lower Malpeque Road and Sleepy Hollow Road showed signs of improvement, with the group collecting 10-15 bags of garbage.
UPEI’s Rotaract Club also joined the cleanup efforts. President Renee Darville noted the importance of thoroughness in litter collection, emphasizing the potential harm to wildlife from seemingly insignificant pieces of glass or cigarette butts. Darville stressed the need for vigilance as even small debris can pose risks to local fauna.