4th of July Parade Clean Up - nearly 20,000 lbs of trash!

Getting ready to set off on our second annual post-parade cleanup, a few of the volunteers stop for photo at STaR Water parking lot. Others joined the cleanup along the way making the event a total success! All in all we figure their were about 25 volunteers more than doubling last year's numbers.

Founding member Cinta Kaipat organizing with other volunteers as we all waited for the parade to get moving.

Abe "Utu" Malae and Capt Robert Lorenz from the CUC set out as we begin to move.

Several volunteers set out down the beach path. Keeping garbage out of our lagoon goes a long way towards preventing future marine debris.

And we are off! Everyone is excited to see how many total pounds of trash will be collected along the parade route.



MINA's Kathy Yuknavage is the project manager for a marine debris prevention project. Under her direction, MINA has placed nine recycling and mixed waste bins at a number of Saipan beaches and parks over the last several months. A grant from NOAA provides funding for this project.

Long time supporter and former Beautify CNMI! award winner Ken Kramer joined in the clean up.

Heidi Yelin and Bryan Jones collecting trash from parade watchers and campers.

Laurie Peterka donated her truck and time to help out again this year passing out over 200 garbage bags, many gloves and hauling a number of bags back to the waste bin at STaR Water.

DEQ staff helped distribute supplies and interacted with parade watchers asking them to help dispose of their trash properly.

DEQ's Max Simian drove one of the two trucks pulling trash collection trailers and helped take full bags of trash from campers.

Both trash trailers were full by the time we finished!

Slowly making our way along the parade route. It was hot, but occassionally we found respite under the trees while still picking up trash.





As we got closer to the end of the parade route, we found more volunteers working well ahead of the trash trailers and supply trucks!





So, how much is 20,000 lbs of trash? It's kind of hard to imagine, but this full bin gives you an idea! The height of the bin is about 5-feet tall and the length is about the same as a big Ford truck.

Joe Kaipat, event organizer, is most pleased with the accomplishment of the day! Trash is now in a bin and headed for proper disposal instead of littering our beaches --- thanks to all the Saipan parade go'ers who did their part to keep our beaches clean and our island beautiful! You did an awesome job and you have contributed to keeping our island healthy...good job!

Special thanks to STaR Water for letting us use their parking lot as our launch point and their neighbors for letting us park a 20,000 lbs disposal bin in their lot. A big thanks too goes out to Artman for donating 200 garbage bags and to Saipan Ice & Water for their donation of water and ice for volunteers!