ELMIRA -- 'Kids who are cleaning up the world, one piece of garbage at a time’ is the motto of The Garbage Club, founded by 7-year-old Hope Tupling of Elmira.
“We started the first day by picking up garbage around our own house with my little sister," she said.
Then her neighbours, 9-year-old Rachel and 7-year-old Oliva Lidster, eagerly hoped on board and joined the crew.
“It helps the earth,” said Oliva, “When I do it, it makes me happy because it's like I actually am helping the earth.”
“When you do pick up garbage, it helps the earth a lot,’ said her sister Rachel. “It needs to be more than just us, it needs to be a lot more people.”
According to Tupling, her passion for 'thinking green' started at a very early age.
“When I was in kindergarten I heard about sea turtles and how plastic gets into the ocean and then hurts the sea turtles," she said. "I wanted to stop that from happening.”
The Garbage Club heads out every weekend with masks, gloves and bags collecting wayward waste.
“I think it's important for them to know that sometimes we think it needs to be big sweeping movements needed to make change, but sometimes the little actions,” said Anne, Hope’s mom. “If everybody is doing those little actions they can make they can make a difference.”
In just the first month, The Garbage Club has already collected over 30 bags of trash just from around their neighbourhood.
Hope has also recently taken to Instagram to share her garbage tip up the week to encourage other people to get out and clean up.
Moving forward, The Garbage Club is looking to work with the environment and recreation committee for Woolwich Township. They hope to expand their modest operation and inspire more people to pitch in and pick up trash in their neighbhourhoods.
