Janet sits down with John Keim from the Clarke County Litter Committee to talk about the county's Earth Day celebration and the ongoing effort to keep Clarke County clean and beautiful. They discuss how small, everyday actions can make a big difference — and how you can get involved no matter how much time you have.

Clarke County Earth Day Event Details

Date: April 25th
Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Clarke County Fairgrounds

What to Expect:

Community litter pickup (9:00 AM kickoff)
Speaker: Ed Carter, Virginia Department of Transportation — Adopt-a-Highway program
Rain barrel demonstration
Glass bottle crushing demonstration
Vendor booths from local environmental and community organizations
Raffle and silent auction
Face painting for kids
Live music
Food truck

Participating Organizations Include:

Blandy Experimental Farm
Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners
Shenandoah River Keepers
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center
Clarke County Animal Shelter (accepting donations: adult dry cat food)

Key Takeaways

You don't have to commit to hours of volunteering — even 20–30 minutes in your neighborhood makes an impact
VDOT spends an estimated $9.3 million per year collecting trash; every bag picked up saves taxpayer dollars
Trash near waterways can affect livestock and wildlife downstream
Keeping roads clean discourages further littering
The Litter Committee does pickups approximately once a month

Getting Kids Involved:

Clarke County students have designed litter-awareness signs displayed around the county
The committee is working to engage schools and younger students
The Litter Committee sponsors a college scholarship for high school students focused on environmental awareness

How to Get Involved

Website: https://www.clarkecounty.gov/government/boards-commissions/litter-committee
Email: litterfree@clarkecounty.gov
Can't make regular pickups? Consider adopting a stretch of road in your neighborhood or picking up trash on your daily walk