On February 17, the University of Montevallo’s Environmental Club held a clean-up event at Shoal Creek Park. The park is about a three-minute drive from campus, which makes it a nice spot for students to get out and enjoy nature. 

Despite the cold, club members bundled up and gathered under the main pavilion to get their compostable trash bags and gloves. Walking the muddy trails, everyone searched for litter that people had left behind. 

Except for some bottles and other remnants people discarded near the trails, the park was relatively clean. 

Alexis Jacob, a senior environmental studies major, said, “This is the second time I’ve come out here for a clean up and each time it is really cool to see that there is a limited amount of trash out here, which means people are taking really good care of it.” 

Although there was not a lot of trash, UM’s Environmental Club took the time to help make a difference, which is something Grace McDermitt, a freshman club member, thinks is important.

 “ I’m just really grateful to be able to do things and help improve things, just at the micro-scale. Even if it is not legislation and things like that, it is great to just be able to affect things in my local community.” 

In addition to being a clean-up, the event serves as a chance to find other people with an interest in the environment. Jacob said, “It’s really good to get people outside and get to meet new people as well.” 
For more information about the Environmental Club, visit the club’s Falcon Link page.