Cigarette butts, kite strings, bottles and food wrappers were found strewn around Garry Point Park and along the beach when a group of Richmond youth recently arrived to do a cleanup.
For Naomi Ching and Megan Wu, founders of the Youth Network Society, this cleanup at the popular waterfront park was an “eye opener” at how people who use public spaces still dump their garbage, leaving the place in “shambles.”
The Youth Network Society, a non-profit led by the two Richmond Grade 12 students, collected two garbage bag full within two hours.
Not only is the garbage unsightly, Ching and Wu worry about the effect on the environment.
“Unfortunately, the amount of litter left behind after picnics, barbecues, parties, day camps, and other activities serves as a threat to our ecosystems,” they explained in a press release.
Wu said she wishes everyone would “do their part” because the outdoors belongs to everyone.
This is not the first cleanup they’ve done, and their motivation is partly to make Richmond more beautiful, but also to “help youth grow and connect with society,” Wu told the Richmond News.
The Youth Network Society started two years ago by tutoring younger kids early in the COVID-19 pandemic. It then evolved into organizing events to get youth out into the community and aware of how they can help make Richmond a better place.
Besides cleanups, the society held a “Five Days for Homelessness” whereby they reached out to people on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, making sandwiches and giving out basic necessities.
They currently have about 1,400 followers on social media, largely youth in Richmond, and focus also on providing volunteer opportunities, career tips and tips on choosing the right university.
The pair plan to have a Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser in September to raise money to build a website to continue their work encouraging youth to be engaged in their community.
