Spring Cleaning Your Home and Community

Posted Wed, 05/03/2017 - 11:00

Spring has finally sprung throughout much of the country and for many, that means it’s time for some spring cleaning. It’s a great feeling to get rid of some of your extra stuff, but make sure you think about the environment while you’re clearing some extra storage space. “Out with the old, in with the new” isn’t always the rule of thumb. Avoid adding that old stuff to the waste stream by thinking about how it could be repurposed. Have some old clothes? Hold on to them and use them as dust cloths or rags, which are always handy around the house. There are endless ideas online for how to reuse or repurpose lots of items. Or, donate them instead of ditching them in the garbage can. Have some things that simply must be tossed? Make sure to recycle when you can.

Not only is this the perfect time of year to clean your closet and your house, but it’s also a great time to get your spring cleaning on and clean up your community. If you started getting in the groove during some Earth Day cleanups, keep it up! If you missed out, it’s not too late to get involved! Join a cleanup in your area or start one yourself using the Marine Debris Tracker App! If you haven’t already, subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter for a list of cleanups around the country each month!

Enjoy that spring weather and get cleaning!

A person putting a collected plastic bottle into a bag of other debris.
Clean up your community during your spring cleaning efforts this year! (Photo Credit: NOAA)