4,300 Louisianans, 327 cleanups, 68 tons of trash out of the water

September in Louisiana was Love Our Waterways month, and Louisianans showed up: more than 4,300 volunteers joined 327 cleanup events across 51 parishes, hauling 68 tons of trash and 177 discarded tires out of rivers, lakes, bayous and shorelines — by boat, on foot, and by clearing storm drains. Keep Louisiana Beautiful, which organised the month, counts the volunteers' time at almost $1.8 million of labour, backed by $205,000 in private sponsorships and more than 200 cleanup kits. 'Every cleanup begins with someone deciding to make a difference,' said the organisation's executive director, Susan Russell.

SDG 14 · Life below water — Mechanism: community action