Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

From peaceful morning walks to memorable family picnics, local parks have so much to offer. They are important to us, and we need to keep them clean. Cleanliness plays a vital role in keeping our parks pretty and appealing.

If your local park is starting to look a bit dirty and unkempt, here are 8 ways your family can help clean local parks.

8 Ways Your Family Can Help Clean Local Parks

Here are some ways your family can contribute greatly to cleaning local parks:

1. Clean Up The Trash

Parks are often among the high-traffic areas of any city or town. This means a lot of trash gathers there on a regular basis.
Picking up the trash is one of the most effective ways to help clean local parks, making a significant difference to the vibe and appearance of the park. In addition, this activity will also encourage others to do the same and keep our local parks pristine.

Ensure all your family members wear gloves to protect themselves while picking up the trash. Once you’ve picked up all the trash, make sure you dispose of it correctly. You can also contact your community’s trash services to pick up the trash once you’re done.

2. Plant Trees

If you want to add value to your local parks, planting trees can be a fitting way to do so. These trees will improve the air quality, and more greenery is always a welcome thing.

Before planting trees, make sure you research the trees suitable for planting in your area. You will also need to keep your city’s climate in mind while choosing these trees.

Once you’re done with this process, plant the trees in areas where they can add more value, for instance, besides ponds or around park benches or near the children’s playground area. You can also plant them in places where families like to picnic to help provide shelter and shade.

This way, you can keep your parks clean and appealing to people.

3. Fix Minor Repairs

Most minor repairs require inexpensive and easily available tools at your local hardware shop. However, some of these repairs may need a professional.

Start by taking note of things that need fixing and determine if your family can fix them. Once you’re done, divide these repairs between your family members and begin working. Remember, though, that you might not be able to fix everything, so don’t hesitate to call the professionals if you need to.

4. Use Trash and Recycling Containers

Every local park must have trash cans and recycling bins to encourage people to throw their trash in the right place instead of leaving it everywhere.

Placing more and more recycling bins in various high footfall areas (food stands or concession stands) of the parks can help keep them clean.

5. Avoid Smoking or Drinking in The Parks

If your family members want to contribute to cleaning local parks, they should avoid smoking or drinking in the parks. Cigarette butts and beer bottles are some of the most common items you’ll find strewn around these parks.

Public smoking and drinking are mostly prohibited, but you can emphasize this by making signs and setting them up in various easily visible places.

6. Raise Funds For The Parks

We often don’t notice that our local parks have less grass and trees than they should. You can address such issues and organize a fundraiser event in your community to get funds for local park projects.

Make sure you’re clear about what you want to do and then ask for money based on your requirements. This way, people will know what they’re donating toward.

Here’s how you can achieve this:

• Put an advertisement in local magazine or newspaper
• Post flyers around your local area
• Throw a party to get people excited about the project
• Create a blog, so you can inform people about your progress
• Post pictures (before and after shots) of your work

7. Paint the Playground

Painting the playground is another step your family can take to make your local park look clean and appealing.

Before starting, take some paint samples from existing equipment to your community’s health department to verify the paint is safe to use. If the paint contains harmful elements, you will have to strip the playground completely before repainting it.

Visit your community’s local hardware shop to know more about the paints suitable for the climate and the playground equipment.

8. Trim the Bushes

If your community’s local parks already have good structure and design, trimming the bushes can add tremendous value to their appearance while making them clean at the same time.

First, ask your family members to cut the grass and trim the overgrown shrubs and bushes. This will instantly make your park look attractive and fresh.

However, keep in mind that activities like these require permission from the relevant authorities. Make sure you wait for the green light before starting your project.

Besides trimming bushes, you can also plant flowers to add value to the playground areas. You can also take your cleanliness game to the next level by adding rows of shrubbery to the picnic spots.

Wrapping Up

Whether it’s a memorable family outing, a yoga session in the morning, or a walk with your dog, parks serve us in multiple ways. That said, it’s unfortunate that sometimes, we cannot keep our parks clean. As a result, these parks become terrible places to spend time in.
If your family wants to contribute to cleaning local parks, they should follow the steps mentioned above, ensuring they play their part.

by Bobby J Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.