Cleanup at Alderpoint Dump Site

UPDATED with Video at the bottom.

Original Post:

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Two abandoned vehicles were hauled from an illegal dump yesterday by a crew of volunteers. [All photos by Chris Anderson.]

Over twenty people removed thousands of pounds of trash out of the illegal dump east of Alderpoint yesterday in just a few hours. The volunteers share a sense of community. Chris Anderson called the people who showed up to help, “our village.” Anderson who joined the trash cleanup revolution that is rolling through Humboldt appears to revel in the company almost as much as in the gratification of removing tons of trash from the land.

The volunteers appear to enjoy dragging out sacks of garbage and hitching up old cars. “It’s nice to spend time out there with people who are really ingrained in their community,” said one of the volunteers, Jonathan Gilbert, “Everyone I’ve met has been fantastic.”

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Some of Sunday’s kickass crew.

The amount of garbage removed is staggering. Almost 3500 pounds was taken to the Eel River Transfer Station yesterday alone and the heaviest items removed weren’t even part of the weigh-in. Volunteers brought a dump truck and a pickup equipped with a winch which hauled up two vehicles, one loaded with scrap metal from over the steep hill. Soon, these vehicles will be hauled to a scrap metal place. “We dragged them off to the side. It is definitely a priority to get those out of there,” said Gilbert. Someone pushed the last vehicle that had been towed up from the dump back over the edge so the volunteers want to remove these vehicles out of the area before the same happens to them.

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Volunteers hitched a pickup full of scrap metal to a dump truck and drug the whole thing up the steep hillside.

People driving by stopped and happily donated money to offset the dump fees. At least one of the volunteers thinks that having such a visible operation right on a main road will help curb more illegal dumping. “Hopefully,” said Gilbert, “this changes the way people think about dumping trash.”

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Wahoo!

Can’t volunteer? Don’t worry you can still help and party at the same time. The Eel River Cleanup Crew is throwing a Trash Bash. On March 28th from 2 to 1 a.m. at the Mateel Community Center, over twenty bands (including NPK!) will join with artists like Bree Smith and Talia Rose and businesses in a gigantic fundraiser for the cleanup effort which has pay for dump fees among other expenses.

Amy Machado, the supercharged trash pickup maven who is putting this together, says there will be “good food, live art, a photobooth, and, of course, lots of music.” Machado says that she hopes the cleanup crusade will spread and she thinks the event on the 28th will be part of that. “Its all about educating and getting together,” she said. “The money is going towards dump fees and spreading awareness.”

She also hopes the event gets more people to jump in and help. “I can see [the movement] gathering more people and more momentum. The poundage is just going up. We’ll need money to pay for dump fees.”

The enormous amount of trash to be dealt with is daunting but the volunteers are unfazed. “We can do this together,” said Chris Anderson. “Positive change by positive people…One bag, one tote, one winch, one truck at a time.”

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VIDEO UPDATE 6:17 p.m.:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q4-wKub9U0&w=1280&h=720]

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Guesswho
Guest
9 years ago

awesome job! thank you!!
im really liking the font size on this site…easy on the old guys eyes

Staff
Member
9 years ago
Reply to  Guesswho

Good! Keep letting me know what you like and don’t like. I want to make sure the blog fits most people’s needs.

Carol
Guest
Carol
9 years ago

I like the font, too.

Great job, folks!

Tulip Torpedo
Guest
Tulip Torpedo
9 years ago

Thanks people it is cool to do good. Kym we would love to see your (a) photos in a spot. I cant tell you how much, they are beyond words, calming they are. The one that was framed by a tree was so beautiful.

Tulip Torpedo
Guest
Tulip Torpedo
9 years ago
Reply to  Tulip Torpedo

Not to take away from the beautiful picture of the people and the turnout plus trash removal. Thank you wonderful human beings. I was thinking of a Bulletin board would be nice, But we then again we can just email you.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
Ernie Branscomb
9 years ago

Does the clean-up crew have a donation site? If so how do I go there. It would be handy to have a location that anybody could donate to, anytime. Or at least a central location in town. This is something that we will obviously have to keep going. With a tip of the hat to fine clean up crew.

MOLA42
Guest
MOLA42
9 years ago

I agree… it must cost a small fortune… the more effective the more expense. It’s too bad they can’t get a break on the dump fees. I can’t afford much but I would like to contribute,