Rivers Alive is a statewide river cleanup event broken down into a number of different localities throughout Georgia. This past Saturday was the Athens cleanup, and those who volunteered did not disappoint.

Saturday morning at Sandy Creek Nature Center, participants were greeted with a free t-shirt, breakfast sandwiches, and easy tunes by UGA's very own radio station, WUOG 90.5 FM. Those gathered for the good cause chit-chatted over coffee and biscuits while children played in the (finally) crisp morning air--it was quite the peaceful scene. Following a few shoutouts to sponsors and kayak raffle, people dispersed and headed to their assigned sites.

Breaking up into several groups and cleaning designated areas along local rivers like the North Oconee, as well as smaller, less popular streams such as Carr and McNutt Creeks, volunteers were able to collect an impressive amount of trash, a significant amount of which will be recycled. According to Athens Clarke County's website, 4.5 tons of trash were collected, with an additional 1,060 pounds of recyclable material. Just think what a difference it would make if everyone were to donate a little bit of their time to a cause like Rivers Alive every now and then.

Thomas Crabb, a freshman at the University of Georgia, joined me to discuss his experience at Rivers Alive 2019.

"I volunteered at Rivers Alive because it was an easy way to get involved in keeping our planet clean," Crabb said. He goes on to add that, "we all understand the damage us humans are doing to the planet so it's important to me to take action whenever I can," a sentiment likely shared by everyone in attendance that day.

What role do you play in the sustenance of our planet? Thanks to events like Rivers Alive, it can be quite easy to lend a helping hand and donate a small portion of your time and energy to a wholesome, productive cause like the betterment and beautification of local ecosystems. Here's to an awesome Rivers Alive and looking forward to next year!