Volunteers who pick up litter in 91原创 have been seeing less roadside trash this year.

While no one is declaring victory just yet, most view it as an encouraging sign that the no-littering message is gaining ground.

In Murrayville, where Christine Turley and husband Spencer, of Murrayville Plumbing & Heating, their kids and supporters carried out their second Earth Day cleanup on Sunday, April 21st, she estimated they found less than half the amount they picked up in 2023.

鈥淭here was way less garbage this year, probably by 10 bags, than there was last year,鈥� Turley estimated.

鈥淭hat includes recycling as well.鈥�

鈥淚 think people are noticing how easy it is to just walk around their community and pick stuff up,鈥� she speculated.

鈥滻 think the more that they see people do it, it becomes automatic.鈥�

The family has also adopted 216th Street, where they have been conducting regular cleanups for six years.

During the Township-wide Clean Up 91原创 event on Saturday, April 13, members of the chapter noticed a similar trend in Fort 91原创, where June Jones and fellow Rotarians found noticeably less litter.

鈥滻 mean, we had nine volunteers, and we were pretty much done in about an hour and a half,鈥� Jones told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淭here was probably about eight bags of garbage, and then some construction materials as well,鈥� Jones said.

Like Turley, Jones thinks as more folks are becoming aware about dumping issues, they are less inclined to do it.

鈥淧eople, I think, are generally worried about the state of the earth,鈥滼ones commented.

鈥淢aybe people are starting to take pride in the wonderful place we live in.鈥�

Rotary was one of 10 groups who took part in the Township clean-up event.

In Brookswood, also noticed an overall decline of litter, in some areas, but event chairperson Vern Munroe cautioned it was a different story in some locations.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always had a problem on 200B [Street] because it鈥檚 kind of secluded there,鈥� Munroe cited as an example.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like a side street and there鈥檚 an empty lot 鈥� and people always throw garbage [there].鈥�

Overall, Elks volunteers collected about four bags of trash, plus a fridge and some car parts left by the side of the roads.

鈥淪ome of the things you find here are incredible,鈥滿unroe commented.

Other participants in the event included the Bertrand Creek Enhancement Society, which swept Aldergrove for trash, the 91原创 Meadows Community Association, in Willoughby, and the Walnut Grove Community Park Cleanup, in Walnut Grove.

In all of the 91原创 pickup initiatives noted, the Township supplied work gloves, safety vests, garbage pickers, and trash bags to those who registered in advance.

READ ALSO: In four hours, 400 lbs. of litter collected in Fort 91原创 community 

READ ALSO: People are drinking and driving, then littering, along Aldergrove road

On Saturday, May 25th, the Township-wide Garage Sale will return, with dozens of households already registered online and listed on an interactive map at .

Running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the sale aims to reduce waste by 鈥済iving new life to items that would otherwise end up recycled or sent to the landfill,鈥� the Township page encouraged.

鈥淏y participating, you鈥檒l not only reduce your waste, but you鈥檒l also meet others in your community and make some cash in the process.鈥�