ATHENS–   Today is the 45th annual Earth Day! And thanks to Athens Stormwater Management our drinking water is a little cleaner. Grady Newsource reporter Cara Lynn Clarkson found out how picking up a few cans has a big impact on our environment.

The heavy rains in Georgia over the past couple of weeks have washed many cans and other pieces of trash downstream. Athens Stormwater Management usually cleans up Trail Creek Park with the help of volunteers. They were disappointed yesterday to find that there was not much for them to pick up. That means the trash on the side of the stream is now in the stream.

https://youtu.be/O6QmeXAO-WQ

When you throw trash out of your car, you may think it ends up on the side of the road where it decomposes. Stormwater specialist Kathryn Shepard explains all of the negative consequences that one action can actually cause.

Grady Newsource Reporter Cara Lynn Clarkson went with the volunteers to see how they are cleaning up the environment. Athens Stormwater works to keep the water that runs into our streams clean from pollution. Stormwater Education Programmer Ania Truszczynki explains why litter gets in the way of that goal.

https://youtu.be/pgYy72fn7Us