ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – May 6 is just around the corner— it’s time to make your Green Up plans. Vermonters have a long history of cleaning up the roads and paths for over fifty years now. It is the best kind of town, friend, and family tradition. This year, Green Up Day is officially Saturday, May 6, but Rockingham regulars know the highway department grabs the green bags and trash early Monday, May 8. Go ahead—start cleaning up Friday, May 5, or jump in on Sunday, May 7. The familiar green bags used to clean up neighborhoods, roads, parks, and playgrounds, are available at the Rockingham Town Clerk’s Office, J&H Hardware, Lisai’s Market, and the Saxtons River Village Market.
How does Green Up Day work? Head out to Rockingham roadsides and fill your Green Up bag with paper, cans, and roadside trash; it’s fine to mix trash and recyclables this one time. Bright clothes and facing oncoming traffic helps you be visible to cars. Insect repellent, gloves, and boots protect against dirt and ticks. Children should tell adults if they find medical waste. Use gloves and pliers or tongs to pick up needles, and secure them in a thick plastic container, ideally marked “Medical Waste.” Once the area is clean, the green bags of trash can be left by the side of the road for town-wide pick-up by the town highway department. Bags can also be dropped off at the Bellows Falls Highway Garage on Blake Street, or the Rockingham Garage on Route 103.
Need more information? Check out the website at www.greenupvermont.org. Report areas that need special attention to Margo Ghia, Rockingham Green Up Coordinator, at mtghia@gmail.com. You can also leave messages for Rockingham Green Up at 802-869-1214. Let’s make Rockingham look great!