Now that most of the snow is gone, you have to admit, the amount of garbage around our fine cities is pretty upsetting. BUT, there is a way to help keep Edmonton and Calgary beautiful and both cities are trying to make it as easy as possible with free litter pick up kits!

In Edmonton you can get your free litter pick up supplies at a variety of recreation and leisure facilities:

• Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre
• Clareview Community Recreation Centre
• The Meadows Community Recreation Centre
• Londonderry Fitness and Leisure Centre
• Mill Woods Recreation Centre
• Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre
• St.Francis Xavier Sports Centre
• Peter Hemingway Fitness and Leisure Centre
• Hardisty Fitness and Leisure Centre
• O’Leary Fitness and Leisure Centre
• Grand Trunk Fitness and Leisure Centre

Supplies are available from now until the end of September. The kit contains bags, gloves and a litter grabber. You can even report your litter pick up statistics which gets you invited to an exclusive thank you party later in the year as well as a free item from Tim Hortons! Please remember to call 311 if you come across graffiti, vandalism or needles and they will help you out. More details can be found on the City of Edmonton website.

In Calgary you can pick up a TLC (The Litter Cleanup) Kit at the following locations:

• Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, 2425 9 Ave. S.E.
• Ralph Klein Park, 12350 84 St. S.E.
• Renfrew Aquatic Centre, 810 13 Ave. N.E.
• Shouldice Aquatic Centre, 5303 Bowness Rd. N.W.
• Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic and Recreation Centre, 1520 Northmount Dr. N.W.
• Southland Leisure Centre, 2000 Southland Dr. S.W.
• Thornhill Aquatic and Recreation Centre, 6715 Centre St. N.W.
• Village Square Leisure Centre, 2623 56 St. N.E.
• Wildflower Arts Centre, 3363 Spruce Dr. S.W.

The kit includes gloves, garbage bags and hand sanitizer for 10 people. You can pick up as many free kits as you need. When you are finished you can place garbage bags beside an existing garbage can or call 311 for pick up. More information can be found here.

Large Events

If you feel like cleaning up with other people in a larger event you can join the Capital City Clean Up in Edmonton on May 4th for the Butt Blitz, World Environment Day on June 5th or World Clean Up Day on September 21st. In Calgary, you can register as a volunteer in the 2019 Pathway and River Clean Up on May 5th.

All of these options are great ways to get involved and take care of our communities. We love the idea of getting a group together and involving the kids!

Kim Ouellette is a Co-Founder of Alberta Mamas and an Edmonton Realtor with Schmidt Realty Group. She is a wife, mom, daughter, friend and adventure seeker who loves to explore Alberta and beyond. Connect with her at kim@weselledmonton.com