With the rise of industrialization and modern technology, trash has become one of the most persistent threats to the natural world. These days, it’s not unusual to spot plastic waste scattered across the ground or floating in rivers. While many leave the cleanup to the government, some folks choose to step up and do their part. On April 5, 2025, volunteers from Austin Creative Reuse and Keep Austin Beautiful rolled up their sleeves to tackle the mess in Texas waterways. By the end of the day, they had collected 17 bags of trash and 11 bags of recyclables from creeks around the area.
Austin Creative Reuse is a nonprofit focused on conservation and building a more sustainable community. To support that mission, they regularly partner with other groups and take part in local Texas events. Most recently, they joined the effort for Keep Austin Beautiful Day, a citywide cleanup where volunteers come together each year to clear trash from parks, creeks, and other natural spaces around Austin.
The Austin volunteer team was made up of more than a dozen people who scoured local waterways to collect floating trash. “There are a bunch of opportunities to do cleanups as we near Keep Austin Beautiful day (4/12) and Earth Day (4/22) so look out for opportunities to help out,” a volunteer wrote on Reddit.
Taking care of the environment is always a good thing, especially with how much trash and plastic continues to be dumped irresponsibly across the planet. As one Redditor put it: “That’s wonderful, and thank you. Bigger fines and jail time for littering. I live next to a freeway. Disgusting and disrespectful, they do it in my community all the time. I caught one and stopped him. These cheap bastards don’t care that they are trashing a community. I asked him for his address so I could dump my trash in front of his home.”
Many Redditors thanked the Austin volunteers for their hard work cleaning up this part of Texas. While the impact might seem small, it’s still a step in the right direction. “Thank you!!!!! Austinites very much appreciate this humble act y’all executed. Thank you from my ancestors from Austin also. I know they would be happy,” one user commented.
Others shared suggestions for how to pick up more trash in everyday life. After all, you don’t need to wait for a special event to be more mindful of litter. As one Redditor put it, “We all should take a trash bag with us if we go for a neighborhood walk or a trail walk. It’s a gratifying feeling that you are giving back to a city that has brought joy to our lives.”
