SierraScape Spring 2021
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BY TIM ELWELL
EMG Executive Committee Member

Local officials, citizens, and community organizations gathered on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at North Riverside Park in St. Louis to combat plastic pollution along the Mississippi River. The initiative is led by a coalition of organizations including the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), the mayors of the Mississippi River in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, National Geographic Society and the University of Georgia It's an effort being done in three cities: St. Paul, St. Louis and Baton Rouge - tracking the beginning, middle and end of the Mississippi River. Pictured (top left) is researcher Jenna Jambeck holding one of the tracking devices that was deliberately placed in the river for analysis that will tell us more about the transport of plastic down the river. It's the first time this technology has been deployed in the United States.

Photos from the April 17, 2021 cleanup at North Riverside Park by Tim Elwell.

In addition to the GPS tracker, they've launched a new app asking for help from the public to help track plastic. It's called the Debris Tracker and available for free on Apple and Android phones. Citizens can help just by downloading the app and logging the plastic they see in the designated spots. Once downloaded, click on MRCTI and follow the steps to start logging and picking up trash. With this data as a citizen driven audit, they will be able to make decisions on how to crack down on river pollution including holding companies accountable. Be a part of the solution to combat plastic pollution along the Mississippi River by helping to collect data on marine litter!

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can find information about the project and how to use the Marine Debris Tracker app: 1mississippi.org/plastic-pollution-initiative/