Amigos Bravos: Two River Cleanups in Taos Area

From Amigos Bravos:
As part of National River Cleanup Week (June 1 – 8) Amigos Bravos is joining with three other local groups to organize two river cleanups in the Taos area. We are looking for volunteers to help with these cleanups!

June 7th — River Cleanup Sponsored By Centinel Bank, Water Sentinels of Taos, and Amigos Bravos

• When: Saturday, June 7, 2008. 8:30 AM to Noon (Cookout Afterward)
• Where: Meet at Centinel Bank Main Parking Lot 512 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur
• Why: To clean up portions of the Río Fernando and the Little Río Grande
• Bring/Wear: Water Bottle, Work gloves, hat, long sleeved shirt, long pants, sturdy shoes.
• Contact: Jim White, Telephone 758-6749, Email: jwhite@centinelbank.com

June 8th — River Cleanup Sponsored By Unitarian Congregation of Taos and Amigos Bravos

• When: Sunday, June 8, 2008. 12:30 to 3:00pm
• Where: Meet at 303 Este Es Rd. (look for Unitarian Sign)
• Why: To clean up portions of Arroyo de los Coyotes
• Bring/Wear: Water Bottle, Work gloves, hat, long sleeved shirt, long pants, sturdy shoes.
• Contact: Steve McElmury Telephone 758-9225, Email: Stevemcelmury@yahoo.com

Rivers are the lifeblood of New Mexico; they allow our communities to thrive. Arroyos are the veins and capillaries of our rivers, since what flows through the arroyos eventually ends up in our rivers and streams. The biggest source of pollution of our rivers is from non–specific sources like poor land management practices and household trash. Unfortunately, arroyos are often used as illegal dumps by people who cannot afford to dump at the landfill.

Communities can protect against pollution by creating buffers along rivers and providing incentives for the safe disposal of trash and old appliances. Meanwhile it falls on individuals, businesses, and community groups with civic pride to take on the cleaning up of trash that has made its way into our arroyos and rivers after heavy rains and driving winds.

Amigos Bravos is delighted to see interest and engagement from a diverse range of local groups in cleaning up our local watersheds. Three of these groups are joining with Amigos Bravos to act as stewards for our local rivers during National River Cleanup Week (June 1-June 8). Centinel Bank, Sentinels Ríos de Taos, and Amigos Bravos are joining together on June 7 for a trash cleanup of in Río Fernando and the Little Río Grande. On June 8 the Unitarian Congregation of Taos and Amigos Bravos will be conducting an arroyo trash cleanup of Arroyo de los Coyotes between Gusdorf and Maestas roads in Taos. We encourage all Taoseños to join us on these dates!

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