Removing trash from our lakes, rivers, creeks, and ditches keeps our water clean, clear, and safe for people and wildlife. Plus, it's a lot of fun! Every year during Clean Your Streams, Partners for Clean Streams hosts friendly challenges to inspire groups and individuals to make the biggest impact they can. Here are the results of the 26th Annual Clean Your Streams, September 24, 2022.

Youth Challenge Awards
Youth groups submitted their data at the post-clean-up volunteer appreciation picnic and winners were annouced later that afternoon.

Most Volunteers: Awarded to the groups with the most CYS volunteers
1st    Toledo Early College High School (102 volunteers)
2nd   BSA Troop 66 (24)
3rd    Whitmer Science and Environmental Club (17)

Awesome Effort: Awarded to the groups with the greatest number of full bags per person
1st    Toledo ZOOTeens
2nd   BSA Troop 66 
3rd    BSA Troop 62

Battle of the Bags: Awarded to the groups who fill the greatest number of total trash bags
1st    Toledo Early College High School
2nd   Toledo ZOOTeens
3rd    BSA Troop 66

Thank you to all the other participating youth groups: BSA Troop 200, Genoa-Penta FFA, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Troop 11095, Rogers High School students, and Toledo FFA.

Collegiate Challenge Awards
This year, collegiate challenge awards were calculated after Clean Your Streams Day via submitted data cards, rather than through challenge entry forms submitted at the picnic. Many thanks to the groups who clearly labeled their data cards with their group names and gave contact information. It turned out to be another Battle of I-75!

Most Volunteers: Awarded to the groups with the most CYS volunteers
1st    UT Environmental Law Society (23 volunteers)
2nd   UT Engineering Council (UTEC) partnering with UT Clean Water for the World (17)
3rd    UT Phi Sigma Rho (12)

Awesome Effort: Awarded to the groups that find the most food wrappers*
1st    UT Environmental Law Society
2nd   UT Engineering Council (UTEC) partnering with UT Clean Water for the World
3rd    UT Phi Sigma Rho

Battle of the Bags: Awarded to the groups with the greatest trash weight
1st    UT Environmental Law Society
2nd   BGSU Thopson Scholars
3rd    UT Phi Sigma Rho

* Food wrappers have recently surpassed cigarette butts as the #1 item removed by our volunteers on CYS Day, so we’re highlighting it through this challenge.

Collegiate Strangest Find Photo Contest Winners:

“Plant Pants”
BGSU Campus Sustainability Team
Photo provided by Zach Hayes

“Sterling Field Toilet”
UT Alpha Psi Lambda + Other UT Kickoff Volunteers
Photos provided by Tim Niederkorn and Leonardo Menchaca

Photo Challenges for All

All Groups Best-Before-And-After Photo:

"Jermain Park Pond Before-and-After"
Whitmer Science and Environmental Club
Photo provided by Jeff MacKenzie

All Groups Strangest Find Photo:

"Tiki Torch and Greek Letters"
Whitmer Science and Environmental Club
Photo provided by Brooke Kern

River Partner Certification
River Partner Certification recognizes businesses, nonprofits, agencies, and other civic groups who let us know they brought volunteer groups to Clean Your Streams.

River Guardian (30-49 volunteers)

• First Solar, Inc.

Stream Protector (10-29 volunteers)

• Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
• Monroe Street UMC
• NSG Glass North America
• Ohio EPA Northwest District Office
• Toledo Division of Environmental Services
• Verdantas

Creek Crusader (1-9 volunteers)

• Heritage Environmental Services
• Jones & Henry Engineers