Working To Keep The Detroit River Clean

Several bags of trash have been collected from the Sculpture Garden along Windsor's waterfront.

A group of over 20 University of Windsor students took part in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. It's part of an ongoing initiative from the World Wildlife Fund.

Most of the trash that gets dropped in the park will eventually end up in the Detroit River.

Tanya Basok is the Environmental Sustainability Advocate at the university and says the cleanup is necessary.

"The reason why we're doing is because there's a lot of garbage here and when you look at it it doesn't look like there is much, but when you actually start collecting it there are bags and bags of garbage.  Styrofoam, cups, and containers and cigarette butts, lots of cigarette butts," says Basok.

Tamara Latinovic is originally from Windsor but now works for the WWF in Toronto.

"This park is part of Windsor, right? It's our, it's what we're known for," says Latinovic. So keeping it clean and showing initiative is so important for these students because that's something they'll take with them"

She says the WWF has a certification program called Living Planet Leader where students can earn qualifications that they can add to their resume.

4th year psychology student Renee Rocheleau feels it's important to participate.

"If we're not doing our part then no-one will, right? So hopefully people will see it and it's a pro-social behaviour so people will hopefully be curious and want to know more about it and become involved themselves," says Rocheleau.

University of Windsor students Anmol and Renee Rocheleau helping clean Windsor's Sculpture Garden, October 26, 2018 (by AM800's Peter Langille)