The subject of trash and what to do about it has plenty of people talking. Groups are popping up all over as frustration grows with the trash lining our beautiful Eastern Shore roads. The storms that brought significant rain a couple of weeks ago brought attention to the trash, too, as ditches filled with water and garbage floated along the surface.

After noticing trash around the Centre at Salisbury mall over the Christmas holidays, local resident Mark Engberg decided to be part of the solution. He posted on Facebook, tagged a lot of people, and set up a group cleanup. He said it was a New Year’s Day “feel good deed” and it has snowballed since then.

He and others in their new group pick a location that needs to be cleaned, post it, and get to work. Wicomico County Public Works supplies the bags and trash grabbers; Engberg asks that people bring their own gloves.

I came across his post last week on a friend’s page about a Saturday morning clean up on Walston Switch Road, and decided to join. I do a lot of solo clean ups but it is always more enjoyable to do them in a group. In two hours, we collected 22 bags of trash, along with two wooden chairs, random car parts, and a fake leather couch cushion that was saturated from sitting in the ditch water. I was especially thankful for the trash grabbers to fish things out of the water. Probably the grossest item of the day was the diapers, used diapers sitting in the water in the ditch.

Since January, Engberg and others have been trying to problem solve and began meeting with city and county officials about the trash crisis. They are working with Wicomico Solid Waste, Wicomico Roads and the City of Salisbury. All with provide supplies for those who volunteer to pick up trash. Contact the City of Salisbury here and Wicomico County here and fill out this county form.

For news about the next clean up and to see what’s being accomplished, follow the group’s new page, Wicomico Clean, on Facebook. They have tentative plans for a Naylor Mill Road clean up this Saturday, so check their page for details. If you’ve driven this road at all, you have no doubt noticed the litter lining much of it. It’s been cleaned many times the last few years but the trash keeps returning.

Another road that’s been brought to my attention is Rum Ridge Road in Delmar. This one, too, has trash filling the ditches on both sides. I’ve planned a community clean up here this Sunday, March 24, from 1-3 p.m. We need you, Shop Local Delmarva readers, to help! All supplies are provided, so all you have to do is show up. 

Here is an Apple pin drop and a Google Maps pin drop for the location to meet; go when you can and stay however long you are able.  We are making it easy for you to join us! Look for other cars as to where to park; there should be space along the grass near Rum Ridge and Melson roads.

Wicomico Clean is one of several groups committed to reclaiming our scenic roadways. Other groups to follow include The Faunce Foundation and Restore the Shore - Salisbury.

Helping pick up trash is an excellent way to serve the community. Get your church group, community organization, group of friends, any club, together to help. Contact any of the groups mentioned if you need a location or supplies. Hope to see you this weekend!