Collected coffee cups continue to accumulate

Hundreds of discarded coffee cups have already been collected from ditches, roadsides and other public places, and there are countless more to go.

Betty Ann McPherson is inviting the community to keep picking up waste, in an effort to build a community art project with the trashed mugs on Earth Day, and make the City of Greater Sudbury more green.

“We would (like to) encourage people not to litter,” McPherson said. “Please put your paper coffee cups into your compostable green bin, and the lids into the recycle bin.”

Out the window of a vehicle is not one of the acceptable options.
“One individual, (who) was cleaning up cups on the side of the road, commented that a passerby on seeing she was picking up the cups, threw one out their vehicle window,” McPherson said. “So it goes to show that even though there are many individuals who are respectful and caring about their environment, there are still those who believe it's just fine to treat the world as their garbage dump.”

Many people have been shocked through the coffee cup cleanup, known as the Recycle the Rim project, about just how much garbage is outside. Some people participating in the cleanup have said they plan on “adopting” regions of the city, to keep them clean year-round. McPherson said others have used words like “addictive” for the feeling they get from picking up trash.

“I have only asked people to pick up the discarded cups, but some individuals have even taken the time to clean up garbage and other recyclables discarded at the sides of roads and pathways,” she said.

“Really, it has been a hugely successful public awareness campaign.”

Anyone who has collected cups is welcome to contact McPherson to arrange pick up prior to Earth Day, April 22. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the group will be creating a large-scale art piece and counting the trashed cups. After that, cups will be “composted and the lids duly recycled.

"It is our intention to keep these cups out of conventional landfill sites. This is about education, cleaning up, creating, and paying it forward,” McPherson said. “This is only one small way we can effect positive change in the world.”

For more information about Recycle the Rim, email [email protected] or search Recycle the Rim - Community Art Project! on Facebook.

Posted by Arron Pickard