BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Earth day is Wednesday April 22nd, and it's the 50th Anniversary of the day devoted to keeping the environment free of trash.
Matthew Leach had a goal of picking up 99 bags of trash in 90 days. He blew that goal out of the water and picked up more than 100 in a little over 14 days.
It's therapeutic to go out and pick up some trash," Leach said. "And good for social distancing, nobody comes up to you when you are picking up trash."
The Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper usually has their spring shoreline sweep at the end of the month. This event mobilizes more than 2,000 volunteers to clean 50 sites across Western New York.
With this event pushed back to the fall due to the Coronavirus, BN Waterkeeper is encouraging people to have their own "Solo Sweep."
To make sure you're picking up trash safely, here are some guidelines.
-Wear gloves and a mask
-Social Distance
-Stay in Public places
-Avoid sharp objects
-Recycle trash you pick up and dispose of it.
The City of Buffalo is also celebrating by having a virtual Earth Week with some challenges.
Leach is a Landscape Architect and says he will continue to pick up trash in his spare time. He brings lots of hand sanitizer, trash bags, and buckets to help him sort it all out.
"It's easy to do, it doesn't take much effort, and it makes a big difference," Leach said.
