Earth Day Crusaders fight problem of litter on cancer center grounds
World Cleanup Day is a global campaign to remove billions of pieces of trash from neighborhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails and parks, reducing waste and plastic pollution, improving habitats and preventing harm to wildlife and humans.
On Sept. 17, millions of people in 191 countries observed the day by cleaning up tons of waste in their communities. This world-changing idea began in 2008 in the small northern European country of Estonia. Fifty thousand people united to clean up the entire country in just 5 hours — a concept that spread quickly around the world and is now an annual day of help for our planet.
In April, millions in the U.S., Canada and around the world marked the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day. The theme for this year’s observance was "Invest in our Planet,” focusing on the effects of climate change on the planet and the efforts being made in the real world to mitigate it. Interestingly, New York City celebrated with its largest-ever Car-Free Earth Day, joining other U.S. communities coast to coast.
New neighbors
I bring up Earth Day because I’m sure you are all familiar with food markets and fast-food restaurants such as Wawa, Chick-fil-A and Dunkin’ Donuts. Maybe not Wawa, a chain of convenience stores and gas stations located along the East Coast of the U.S. I admit I’ve stopped into Dunkin’ Donuts every once in a while, but not the other two.
These chains recently settled in not too far from our cancer center. It’s important to emphasize that our cancer center sits on a lake surrounded by beautiful trees and well-maintained plants. The lake has three fountains that run throughout the year. It’s not unusual to see blue and white herons, red foxes and other small wildlife. It’s a rural setting beloved by our patients and caretakers, serving to relieve anxiety of both patients and caretakers. By design, the infusion suites face the lake and there is access to a rooftop garden just outside one of the main suites.
The grounds of the cancer center have been pristine for years. Not anymore. Trash from the three establishments is too-often dropped by patrons and ends up either in the lake or on the property. So much so that patients and staff have complained. It sometimes gets to the point where the trash blocks the fountains in the lake.
Why does this happen? It’s certainly not the fault of the chains. But it is the fault of the patrons who don’t take the responsibility to dispose of their trash properly. I’ve seen individuals drop trash bags out of their cars from any of the three businesses. I can’t imagine what the homes of these individuals look like because they take no responsibility, are not accountable and simply “toss it away.”
A clean start
Thinking innovatively, rather than ask the health system grounds crew to come by 3 or 4 days a week, which would not be possible because of a personnel shortage after COVID-19 (or during COVID, since it’s not going away), we came up with a solution.
The idea centers around Earth Day, but not once a year. One day a week we ask for volunteers to take a 10-minute break and pick up trash outside the center. They are supplied with bags and gloves.
Amazingly, the response has been phenomenal. We call these volunteers Earth Day Crusaders.
We turned a problem into a positive healthy program and now do our part for Earth Day every week of the year. This problem-solving reminds me of the famous quote by the American writer and philosopher Elbert Hubbard: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Hubbard is also known as the founder of the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora, New York, an influential exponent of the arts and crafts movement. That’s a call out to my Buffalo colleagues.
Turn a negative into a positive and everyone will be better for it. Try it.
Stay safe.
For more information:
Nicholas J. Petrelli, MD, FACS, is Bank of America endowed medical director of ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute and associate director of translational research at Wistar Cancer Institute. He also serves as Associate Editor of Surgical Oncology for HemOnc Today. He can be reached at npetrelli@christianacare.org.
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