Green Up Day 2011: Success

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(Host) This year’s Green Up Day has been declared a success.

Melinda Vieux of Green Up Vermont says between 15,000 and 20,000 volunteers fanned out across the state on Saturday to pick up trash along roadsides and in public spaces.  

It will take some time to tally how much litter was collected. But Vieux says that interest in the annual event has remained steady.

The 41st annual event actually kicked off on Friday, when Governor Peter Shumlin and Lt. Governor Phil Scott were joined by state employees to clean up along the interstate, in what has become its own tradition.

(Vieux) "It’s come to be a pattern where the governor gives the favor to employees, if they want to choose to go out and clean up for half a day along the interstate – both to get out and get litter picked up, and also to draw awareness."

(Host) This year, 46,000 trash bags were distributed to local coordinators across the state. Vieux says it’s impossible to know if every single bag was filled. But she says it is clear that community spirit continued to show through on Saturday.

(Vieux) "It’s become a culture in Vermont. That people come out and clean up and they do care about their roadsides and public places."

(Host) The first Green Up Day was initiated in 1970 under Governor Deane Davis.

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