When you sign up for Clean Your Streams, you’ll receive more details, but here’s a preview of the CYS Challenges we have in store. The full challenge packet for CYS 28 is also available in a PDF version here!

Photo Challenges

Open to both individuals and groups, these challenges encourage you to capture your clean-up efforts:

• Best Before-and-After: Show us the difference you made with a stunning before-and-after photo.
• Strangest Find: Did you discover something unusual? Snap a picture to share your unique find!

Submit your photos on Twitter and Instagram @PCSMaumee, on Facebook by searching for Partners for Clean Streams, or use #CleanYourStreams419. You can also email your entries to [email protected]. PCS staff will review the submissions and choose the winners.

Recognition for Organizations

At your kickoff, inform your Kickoff Coordinator of your group’s name and the number of participants, or sign in at the Challenge table at the picnic. After CYS Day, your group will be honored with a River Partner Certification and featured on the PCS website and other materials. Recognition categories include:

• Watershed Warrior: 50+ volunteers
• River Guardian: 30-49 volunteers
• Stream Protector: 10-29 volunteers
• Creek Crusader: 1-9 volunteers

Youth Challenges

Youth Challenges are designed for groups where most participants are under 18. Perfect for scout troops, after-school clubs, youth sports teams, or religious youth groups. To participate, pick up a challenge entry from your Kickoff Coordinator on Clean Your Streams Day or at the picnic. Submit your results at the volunteer appreciation picnic, where winners will be announced:

• Most Volunteers: For the group with the highest number of CYS participants.
• Battle of the Bags: For the group that fills the most trash bags.
• Awesome Effort: For the group with the largest average number of bags collected per participant.

Collegiate Challenges

Ideal for service organizations, Greek life, school clubs, or groups of friends at colleges. To participate, clearly list your group name on the data card(s) you submit during Clean Your Streams Day. We’ll use this information to determine challenge winners and will contact the winners after CYS Day, plus acknowledge them on social media. Two photo-based challenges are also available:

• Most Volunteers: For the group with the most CYS participants.
• Battle of the Bags: For the group that fills the most trash bags.
• Awesome Effort: For the group that collects the most food wrappers, now the top removed trash item.
• Best Before-and-After Collegiate: For the most impactful before-and-after photo.
• Strangest Find Collegiate: For the most unusual items found and documented with a photo.

CYS 28 is just around the corner, don’t forget to sign up!

Most of the trash in our Great Lakes doesn’t originate from boats. Marine debris begins on land and can travel vast distances through wind, storm drains, and interconnected waterways.

Where Does Marine Debris Start?

• Overflowing Bins: Garbage and recycling bins can overflow or spill if trash is unbagged, bags aren’t tied, or bins are uncovered.
• Pedestrian Litter: Trash discarded by pedestrians often accumulates near fast food outlets, convenience stores, public transit stops, and outdoor events.
• Vehicle Waste: Trash can blow out of garbage trucks, uncovered truck beds, or be deliberately discarded at freeway on/off ramps.
• Illegal Dumping: Unfortunately, illegal dumping on land or into waterways still occurs.

How Does Trash Travel?

• Storm Drains: Trash can enter storm drains from rain or wind and then flow into local creeks and rivers.
• Direct Flow: Trash may blow or flow directly into ditches or creeks.
• Waterway Connections: Smaller waterways transport trash to larger rivers, eventually reaching Lake Erie.

We frequently discover lightweight items easily carried by the elements. In recent years, single-use plastic items, particularly food and beverage packaging, have become increasingly common. Check out the infographic above for a detailed breakdown of last year’s findings from the 27th Annual Clean Your Streams Day.

The Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Swell acts as a digital version of a data card, allowing you to track marine debris with a few simple taps on your smartphone. It records the amount of trash you’ve removed, estimates the weight, tracks the total distance cleaned, and lets you earn badges as you go.

Here are the basic steps to follow for your next clean-up!

1. Download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and create your profile.
   1. When you’re at your clean-up site, open the app and select “Start New Clean-Up.”
      1. If you’re participating in Clean Your Streams’ remote kickoff, name your group “CYS 28 – [Your Group Name].”
      1. For clean-ups done at other times of the year, we recommend using “CYS 365 – [Your Group Name]” to let us know you’re connected with us!
   1. As you begin your clean-up, trash is categorized into item types with tappable tiles. Tap the tile corresponding to the trash you pick up. If you’re working solo, you might find it helpful to first walk through the area, tapping tiles for all visible trash, then return to collect it.
   1. Once your clean-up is complete and you’re still on-site, select “Finish this cleanup” at the bottom of the screen and submit your data.

That’s all there is to it! Happy clean-up!

First, a big thank you to our returning grant funder. For the last couple years, we have been honored to receive a grant from the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation Donor Advised Fund through the Greater Toledo Community Foundation. This generous grant helped support our Clean Your Streams 365 programs and is crucial for the success of our annual CYS day events in recent years.

We’re also grateful for the continued support from our CYS Affiliates at the Lucas County Engineers Office and the University of Toledo. Our heartfelt thanks go out to our many Underwriter sponsors: City of Toledo Environmental Services, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, City of Oregon, NSG Glass North America, The Andersons Inc., Jones & Henry Engineers, and OmniSource. Their ongoing commitment to our waterways is invaluable. Furthermore, we want to thank our Contributors and Supporters at Civil and Environmental Consultants Inc., Verdantas, Oak Openings Region Conservancy, and the Mannik & Smith Group Inc.

Additionally, we’re supported by generous individuals who recognize the impact of our programs on both our waterways and the volunteers who help uplift their communities. You can contribute by making a one-time donation online here or by joining our membership program as a sustaining donor. Consider supporting us with your everyday shopping by enrolling in the Kroger Community Rewards program!