Earlier this year, we watched in amazement after a rain storm in Kansas City, a sea of styrofoam, bottles & cans, and cigarette butts that filled the entire river as if the city had just flushed the toilet. Coincedently, this happened while we were educating students for a "Day on the River" just downstream at Riverfront Park. It wasn't hard to make the point, "Where is Away?" Sadly, this is happening in every single community in which rain falls or the wind blows. It is not just the big cities problem, it is on all of us to do our part.
As you many of you know, much of what we find out there are "single-use" items like the ever present plastic bag and plastic bottle. Education is key. We are ramping up our efforts in this arena to help make change and get the next generation on board for what can be done. Please consider making a donation to help us in our mission, and continue to make this Trash Tally list smaller and smaller.
Assistant Program Manager
Here's a sample of what volunteers hauled out of the Missouri River in 2013:
2013 Trash Tally!!!
1,146 Bags of Trash
424 Tires
90 Chunks O Syrofoam
394 Hunks O Metal
11 - 55-gal. Metal Drums
17 - 55-gal. Plastic Barrel
3 – 55 gal. plastic Trash Can
48 - 5-gal. Buckets
13 Coolers (plastic & styrofoam)
2 Water Coolers
3 Regrigerators
9 Chest Freezers
3 Compressors
8 TV's
2 Microwaves
1 Tarp
A hundred "Big Muddy" Balls
1 200-gal. Metal Drum
2 Lawnmowers
1 Shop Vac
6 1/2 Fishing Poles
1 bottle of Stink Bait
1 Depth Finder for fishing
3 Fishing Lures
3 Fishing line Weights
13 Bobbers
1 Fishing Hat
1 Minnow Net
1 full container of Chicken Livers
15 Chairs
19 Plastic Tubs
3 Duck Decoys
1 Plastic Net Float
6 -Gas Cans
4- Gas Tanks - 1 with fuel
2 Sinks
4 Toilets
8 Propane Tanks
27 Metal Posts
10 pieces of Carpet & Padding
1 pile of Roof Shingles
1 - 100 gal. Chemical Sprayer Tank
2 sealed 5-gal. Buckets of Petroleum product
6 Orange Traffic Barrels
4 Orange Cones
1 Highway Barricade
4 Plastic Milk Crates
2 Fire Extinguishers
3 Pillows
1 Artificial Christmas Tree
1 embroidered Christmas Pillow
1 Lantern
1 Bike Pedal
1 Batters Helmet
1 Typewriter Feed
1 Rubber Frog
1 Plastic Pumpkin
1 External Thumbdrive
1 plastic Koala
1 Humidifier Tank
1 plastic Knife
1 plastic Princess Plate
1 braided Rope Whip
1 Alien Head (actually a chert nodule)
3 Rubber Duckies
1 Sharpie Highlighter
1 plastic drink Thermos
1 metal drink Thermos
Fireworks Detritus
1 Hackey Sack
1 metal Doll Head
2 metal Cook Pots
1 wooden Dice Sign (#5)
4 Tomato Cages
1 Bottle of Laundry Detergent
1 intact Police Barricade
1 Highway Directional Sign
1 Metal Welcome Sign
1 mile marker 8 Highway Sign on post
1 “No Trespassing” Sign
1 “Have a Happy Day” Plastic Cup
1 pair of Roller Skates
21 old Glass Bottles
1 Metal Feeder
1 Snow Board
2 Screwdrivers
1 China Plate
1 Popcorn Box
3 Light Bulbs
1 Bullet Casing
Dozens of "single-use" Plastic Bags
1 Cookie Sheet
1 – 1,000 gal. Septic Tank
1 Homemade Raft full of plastic Milk Jugs
1 broken Window
1 - 5/8”x18” Masonry Bit
2 Rolling Suitcases
30 ft of Fire Hose
2 pieces of Siding
5 Balloons from the Pedestrian Bridge
1 Chain
1 Exercise Machine
12 ft. of Chain link Fence
1 Railroad Spike
8 Moldy Blankets
2 Bed Springs
1 Hose Reel w/ Hose
2 partial Bed Frames
2 Sleeping Bags
1 Scaffolding
2 Freon metal tanks
1 plastic Disc
1 Vinyl Siding
1 Plastic Table
1 Marker
1 Pepsi Label
1 Fuse Box
1 Ring
1 Poker Chip
1 G.I. Joe Doll
1 Water Bottle
1 Dog Tag “Charlie”
1 Jump Rope
1 pair of Jeans
1 Leather Belt
1 Yugi-oh Sheet/Cape
1 Black Jacket
1 Huskers T-shirt
1 Vest
1 Blarney Pin
1 Heart Necklace
1 Frisbee
1 King Size Sharpie
1 Electric Box
1 Sweat Band
1 pair of Pliers
1 Police Tape
1 $10 Bill
1 Broken Crutch
1 Mug
1 Travel Bag
1 piece of a Lamp
1 Inhaler
1 can of Vegetable Stew
1 Light
1 CD Case
1 Ameristar Casino Scale Replica
1 Intake Manifold
1 iron Commemorative Plaque – “Matt Ferguson, 1894 to 1969”
3 squares of green Astro-Turf
1 Plastic Pallet
1 Plastic Hose
1 Plastic Grate
32 concrete Construction Pins
21 Plastic Pipes
3 pieces of Construction Fencing
1 Plastic Lid to a Dumpster
4 Drainage Pipes
1 sheet of Fiberglass
7’ of orange Plastic Tubing
1 Cabinet
1 Door
1 round Plastic End Table
1 Fringed Blanket
2 Quilts
1 - 4x8 sheet of Fiberglass
1 Backpack
1 toy Toilet
1 Baby Doll Head
2 Baby Doll Arms
1 Doll Leg
1 Necklace still in bubble gum machine plastic bubble
1 Green Buoy
1 Leather Sandal
1 Tennis Shoe
1 Croc
4 Flip Flops
1 Leather Shoe
1 artificial Hibiscus Flower
1 Skateboard
1 purple Bubble Wand
1 bag of Sudafed wrappers
1 Medicine Bottle
1 plastic Red Shovel
1 Arrow
1 Baseball Helmet
1 Toy Horse Cart
1 flammable Class 3 Window Placard #1993
1 signed Tony the Tiger Baseball
8 ft of Plastic Pipe
1 3x3 ft Wall with Insulation
3 Paint Cans
1 Concrete Boot Anchor
1” Cable
4x16 ft of Sheet Metal
3 Window Weights
2 Beverage Mugs
1 Spot Light
1 Electric Conduit Box
1 Rusty Skillet
1 Hockey Puck
Sasquatch’s Toe Spreader
2 Fan Blades
1 Boat Bumper
2 Hearts
2 Metal Hooks
1 Sledding Suit
1 Rocket Launcher
1 Septic Pump
1 Easter Egg
1 Sippy Cup
1 Red Light
1 Boot
1 Fancy Baby Bottle w/ nipple
1 Giant Fork
1 Toy Tank
1 Tiny Trashcan
1 Porky the Pig red piggy bank
6 License Plates
5 Car Bumpers
1 Honda Side Mirror
1 Hubcap – Desoto
1 Carburetor
1 car Head Light
1 Car Hood
1 Car Fender
2 Car Axles
1 Car Trunk Lid
4 Exhaust Pipes
2 Mufflers
1 Car Frame
1 Power Brake Booster
1 Oil Drainpan
1 Camper Shell
2 Ford Grills
1 Brake Light
1 Engine Cover
2 Hubcaps
1 Car Mirror
1 Gear Lube
1 Brake Pad
1 huge Mud Flap (18-wheeler)
1 Shaving Crème – travel size
1 yellow Plastic Elephant
1 Fire Truck
2 Plastic Turtle Sand Box's
1 Kids Sled
1 Chair Cushion
4 Plastic Pots
1 Shower Rod
1 plastic sidewalk Ashtray
1 Rubber Hose
1 Rubber Noodle
1 Plastic Slide
1 Ernie Doll (of Bert & Ernie)
1 Guitar Case
½ of a Shopping Cart
3 Hypodermic Needles
1 Plastic Shower Base
12 pieces of Walnut Floor Paneling
10 ton Screw Shackle
1 7-ft Metal Culvert filled with Stryofoam
1 Metal Chest
1 Boat Locker
7 Tent Poles
2 Swimming Pool Liners
1 rubber Grid Mat
1 Wire Screen
1 Hand Mixer
1 metal Window Frame
2 Mower Blades
11 - 2” Planks with Joist Supports
1 Heavy Metal Pipe elbow marked 1896
1 Christmas Cookie Tin
1 plastic Pedestal
1 Box Fan
1 Plant Hanger
4 Large Plastic Jugs
2 Refrigerator Doors
1 Drier Front
1 turquoise Oven Door – Hotpoint
1 pair of Long Underwear
1 Computer Mother Board
1 plastic Office Chair Mat
1 large Dice
1 standing Basketball Hoop
3 unopened bottles Bacardi Raz
4 Mardi-gras bead necklaces
12 Jose Quervros bottles
2 full Cans of Soda
1 Margarita Mix
11 full Cans of Beer
1 full Mike’s Hard Lemonade
1 tiny bottle of Spiced Rum (empty)
1 Glass Bong with frog décor
1 Tobacco Tin
1 Can Coozie's
2 Pregnancy Tests (both negative)
4 pairs of Underwear
1 Sexy Body Spray
1 Push Broom
1 Picture Frame
12’ electrical cable
1 Cow Feeder Top
1 50 gal. plastic cow trough
1 Arrow
6 Messages in a Bottle! Ex: “We’re drowning…with love. Liz & Kevin, Future Alcoholics of the Midwest, 2007”
2 plastic Little Tykes Tricycles
1 Converse Shoe
1 intact Kit-Kat Bar
1 Travel Suitcase
2 Water Ski's
1 Jet Ski
150 ft. of Barge Rope
1 Humidifier Tank
3 Florescent Light Ballasts
1 Stroller
1 Helium Balloon Tank
1 Tractor Seat
1 Shovel
1 Concrete Test Core
1 Chainsaw Chain
2 Chemical Sprayers
25’ Corrugated Tubing
22’ Rubber Hose
1 Ceiling Tile
1 Firebox Liner Brick
1 large orange Vinyl Floater
1 large Conveyor Belt
1 Grill
1 plastic Pumpkin shell
3 Duck & Goose Decoys
1 men’s Polo Shirt (perfect condition)
1 Life Jacket
1 string of Owl Lights
1 St. Christopher Charm
1 Green Rabbits Foot
1 Red Flag with Flowers
1 Dodge Ram Hood Orniment
1 Notebook
1 Flower Scrunchie
1 side to a Price Chopper shopping cart
1 unique Oil Can
1 Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter
1 Stereo Speaker
1 purple Koala
1 Toy Wheels
1 pair of plastic Hipster Glasses
1 pink Headband
1 Perfume Bottle
1 Machete
1 Boat Hook
1 Casino Business Card
1 Speaker
1 plastic Genie Bottle
Thank You 2013 Volunteers, Sponsors & Partners!!!
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