In the Heart of Charlotte
On Sunday, May 21, 2017, 40 WeLoveU volunteers from North Carolina joined forces to clean Nations Ford Road. Excited to serve their community, the group planned to spend their day cleaning along the busy intersection that cuts through the heart of Charlotte.
This local volunteer service falls under WeLoveU’s Clean WORLD Movement. It’s a global initiative to raise awareness about the importance of environmental protection in the face of climate change.
In 500 regions across 50 countries, thousands of volunteers organize local and state-wide cleanups to cope with climate change. It’s a recurrent topic reported in today’s news. In addition, it’s recognized by government agencies including the United Nations as a pressing issue. WeLoveU performs various community service projects to raise awareness for a sustainable and healthy environment.
Ready to Clean!
To prepare for the cleanup, volunteers ate breakfast together and prepared carpool arrangements. Upon arriving, they grabbed their tools including trash pickers, gloves, and trash bags, ready to work. While cleaning, they found trash like glass bottles, old television sets, and tires.
A volunteer said, “We just started [cleaning] and it is already making such a big difference out here. Sometimes it’s hard for one person to do a big task alone, but it’s always easier when many people unite.” One neighbor said, “Yes! Finally, someone is cleaning up our streets!”
Moments later, volunteers began carrying larger items together like mattresses and televisions. Motorists driving by honked their horns as a “thank you” for cleaning the area. Pedestrians, too, walking by said thank you and cheered them on.
The enthusiasm exhibited by the volunteers stems from their realization about climate change. It does not just affect one area on the map, but all countries around the world. The Clean WORLD Movement is bigger than what they imagined while cleaning a small area, compared to the rest of the world. Every part counts while coping with climate change.
“We really appreciate your hard work and efforts. I hope that we can continue to work together in the future.”
Jerry Green, Charlotte Code Enforcement Officer
At the end of the cleanup, the volunteers tossed the trash into a ten-yard long dumpster, filling it to the rim. The area became visibly cleaner to neighbors, who did a double-take at the revitalized field. The volunteers look forward to serving their community in the future by promoting a cleaner environment—one project at a time.