ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – May 1 is just around the corner – it’s time to make your Green Up plans. Vermonters have been cleaning up the roads and paths for 51 official years now. It is the best kind of town and friend and family tradition. This year, Green Up Day is officially Saturday, May 1, but Rockingham regulars know the Highway Department grabs the green bags and trash early Monday, May 3. Go ahead and start Friday or jump in Sunday.
The familiar green bags to clean up neighborhoods, roads, parks, and playgrounds are available at the Town Clerk’s Office, J&H Hardware, Lisai’s Market, and the Saxtons River Village Market. The BF Community Bike Project on Atkinson Street and teens in Friends for Change are also handing out bags – and children at Central Elementary and Saxtons River Elementary will bring them home.
How does Green-Up Day work? Fill your bag with paper, cans, and roadside trash; it’s fine to mix trash and recyclables this one time. With Covid-19 in mind, please wear a mask and remember social distancing. Bright clothes and facing oncoming traffic helps cars avoid you. Insect repellent, gloves, and boots protect against dirt and ticks. Children should tell adults if they find medical waste. For adults, use gloves and pliers or tongs to pick up needles and secure 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 pickup by the town Highway Department. Families can also drop bags at the Bellows Falls Highway Garage on Blake Street, the Rockingham Garage on Route 103, and the Saxtons River Fire Department.
Need more information? Check out www.greenupvermont.org, which also includes cool facts on why we still use recycled plastic bags to create a smaller carbon footprint! Report areas that need special attention to Guy Payne, gpayne@gmail.com, or Amy Howlett, amy.howlett41@gmail.com. You can also leave messages for Rockingham Green Up at 802-869-2600. Let’s make our state look good!