DAY 2 Progress

RIVER CLEAN UP:  √

I am happy to report that all 17 students were in attendance today and were willing and able to get down and dirty in the muck of the Lewis Creek to clean up debris. We managed to haul two flatbed truck loads in the 3 hours we had to clean up.

We were so fortunate to have had help from Tom Yeago of Staunton's Lewis Creek Advisory Committee, Professor Bruce Dorries from Mary Baldwin College and Joe McCue from Friends of the Middle River. These gentlemen shared their valuable insight in terms of the health of this tributary with myself and the class. Joe's vast knowledge about the chemicals and excessive nutrients in the water and their impacts on all manner of life forms that are attempting to coexist in this delicate ecosystem was enchantingly informative.

It was perfect weather for a clean up. We had sufficient sunscreen, leather and rubber gloves, trash grabbers, bags, energy and spirit to clean up a substantial stretch of the creek.

How long of a stretch did we cover? Anyone care to guess?

We came up with items ranging from tires (many) an old television, tarps, gloves, shoes, beach balls, cups, bottles (galore), cans (galore) straws, styrofoam, plastic corrugated tree shelters (dozens), food wrappers, golf balls (many), planters, hub caps, a barrel or two, trash bins, dog bowls, caps, and all sorts of other mysterious objects of which I will provide further documentation tomorrow.  

Many students found choice items to use in creating their sculptures. Cleaning up debris is completely different when it is hunting for art supplies at the same time. I suspect the class actually enjoyed the process - I know I did. Here are some pics....

P.S. Sad note: so, it turns out that Lewis Creek is full of PCBs. (Signs stating this were posted on trees - all along the creek.) So, one student asked me what exactly are PCBs? Well that is a good question! Here is the answer: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of manufactured organic chemicals that contain 209 individual chlorinated chemicals that are believed to impair neurological development of children, to be harmful to the human reproductive system, cause cancer, be harmful to the immune system, and are endocrine disruptors. PCBs are especially problematic as they are the type of chemical that increases in concentration as they move up the food chain. Oh bother.

I trust all students have showered properly and check yourself for ticks too!

We will meet Professor Dories at 9am tomorrow outside the studio to collect the remainder of the covetable debris items that you've collected that are in the back of his truck. Hopefully we can get our paws on a hose outside of Deming to clean some of this trash with tomorrow. Dress messy gang.

And... B R A V O ! Job well done!

P.P.S. Reminder, tomorrow night -- Screening #1 Tapped  7:00 p.m. Deming Rm. 105 *Attendance required.