SALT LAKE CITY — On September 14, Friends of Great Salt Lake will host a cleanup on the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake.
From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., volunteers will meet at Great Salt Lake State Park in Magna and work to remove trash. The event’s goal is to restore wildlife habitats and improve water quality.
According to Katie Newburn, the education and outreach director for Friends of Great Salt Lake, the organization has been organizing the annual event for the past 10 years.
“Each year, our partners and volunteers remove thousands of pounds of trash from these really critical habitat areas,” said Newburn.
The event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, which is an initiative of the Ocean Conservancy. Around the weekend of the event, beaches around the world will be cleaned, according to Newburn.
The goal of the event is to remove as much trash as possible. Newburn said that Atlas Disposal donates a 30-yard dumpster. Every year, it gets filled up.
“That’s usually between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds,” said Newburn. “We want to full up that dumpster [and] make the biggest impact that we can.”
Those interested in volunteering can register via Eventbrite.
Trash negatively impacts ecosystems
“Some of the biggest … categories of trash that we collect are single-use plastic items,” said Newburn. “So plastic bags, plastic bottles and cups, styrofoam.”
Trash and debris are detrimental to the ecosystem. Specifically, Newburn said that it impairs the function of the habitat for birds that use the area.
“By removing trash from those areas, it improves not only the water quality by preventing further decomposition of microplastics … but it also improves the grazing [and] feeding functionality for the … whole food chain,” said Newburn.
Making a tangible impact
According to Newburn, the event enables volunteers to make a tangible impact on the Great Salt Lake.
Additionally, it encourages participants to have a deeper connection with the restoration and protection of the Great Salt Lake.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help inspire appreciation in our community members and [a] commitment to water conservation and all other types of adaptations … that we need to make as a community,” said Newburn.
