Indy east side waterway cleanup part of large-scale effort

Indianapolis, like other urban areas, struggles with the issue of litter. A large-scale cleanup of an east side waterway and greenspace is planned for this Earth Day weekend.

City leaders kicked off the effort this week. Mayor Joe Hogsett said the cleanup is a great way to give back.

“By participating in the Pleasant Run cleanup this week, you're not only helping our environment, you're also improving the lives of all neighbors in this community,” Hogsett said.

The cleanup of Pleasant Run Parkway will be the largest effort for city partner Keep Indianapolis Beautiful in its nearly 50 year history. KIB President and CEO Jermey Kranowitz said it targets a five mile stretch of Pleasant Run from Emhardt Park to Christian Park.

“50% of the trash in a city is not just along the streets, the other 50% is what we can't see, and it's along our waterways,” Kranowitz said.

Nonprofits KIB and Keys to Work play an important part in the city’s litter abatement efforts, picking up 21 tons of trash out of waterways last year, according to KIB.

Keys to Work Vice President Glen Johnson said they employ people who have been involved in the justice system. He said their employees are excited to do this work. 

“Today, with our infrastructure, I can deploy 10 vans throughout the city under our same model, and it works,” Johnson said. “It just works. So it’s a matter of just making it make sense.”

Nonprofit groups across central Indiana, including KIB, have recently lost funding due to federal cuts. The news has cast uncertainty on how organizations will be able to do more with less. 

“A lot of us have been perhaps sitting at home and doom scrolling, and this is an opportunity for us actually to get off the couch, to get outside and to lend a hand to make a difference,” Kranowitz said.

There are many cleanup sites and projects planned for this weekend, and people can sign up on KIB’s website.

Contact WFYI Managing City Editor Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.