Friends Aimee Bermudez Vick and Alexandra Cervantes want a cleaner city. They agree that it starts with caring enough to make it happen.
Courtesy photo
By Rina Risper
LANSING, MI – Even though Earth Day was on Friday, April 22, 2022, Aimee Bermudez Vick and Alexandra Cervantes decided that due to their work schedules that Sunday would be the best day to clean the trash that has been accumulating around the Lake Lansing Road and US 127 intersection.
Vick said, “Residents should take more pride in our city. During the pandemic, there has been more trash piling up on the side of the streets. We all have a responsibility to dispose of our trash properly. It is a busy street but it needs to be cleaned as well.”
Courtesy photo
The sun was shining brightly as the two women picked up cardboard and plastic waste. the temperature hovered around 80 degrees as vehicles sped by.
Neither Vick nor Cervantes belongs to a particular non-profit or group. They just wanted to protect the wildlife and help clean up litter in the city’s neglected areas.
The litter they picked up this year equated to about 8 trash bags which they purchased themselves along with gloves. They spent over two hours along the busy street before Tyler, who was on his way to work stopped to help them.
Cervantes said, “I like to live in a city that is clean and well-maintained. Taking care of litter makes the spaces that we travel in become safer and more enjoyable for the people who drive by.”
Before the rainstorm, Vick and Cervantes started to work their way up towards Granger Meadows Park, which is designed to be open year-round.
Vick said, “The trash situation is horrible. Visitors want to go hiking, attend sporting activities, or just relax outdoors. Keeping parks clean can be everyone’s job, which the park has a more welcoming atmosphere.”
Cervantes nodded in agreement and added, “Taking care of the Earth mentally and physically is important. We will be back with more volunteers because we need to take care of ourselves and where we live.”
