Take Action / Rivers and Roads
Keeping litter from reaching our waterways.
By keeping litter out of our rivers, we keep our waterways and oceans healthier and improve our climate resilience.
Join a Public Cleanup Event
Every year, Buncombe County residents and visitors join us to clean up tens of thousands of pounds of litter out of our rivers and streams and off our local roads. You can join one of our public river and road cleanups, request a guided cleanup for your group or team (limited availability), or borrow supplies to venture out on your own.
Clean Streams Day
Since 1976, we’ve celebrated the start of summer paddling season with this keystone river cleanup. We hold the cleanup in May to honor the birthday of local author and environmental advocate Wilma Dykeman and to celebrate her contributions to the French Broad watershed.
WNC Big Sweep
Every year in October, we close out cleanup season with this high-energy multi-county effort to get the litter out of our most important creeks and streams.
Join our newsletter to stay up-to–date on our upcoming public cleanup events.
Join the Newsletter
Get Supplies for Your DIY Cleanup
Want to clean up your own street or stream? We’ve got you covered. You can check out safety vests, gloves, trash bags, chest waders, trash grabbers, and SHARPs containers from our office.
Workday Request: Ask about a Team-Building Activity or Group Service Project
We have limited availability to host guided cleanups for private groups and teams. A GreenWorks staff member will pick the spot, set your group up with the necessary equipment and materials, and guide the experience.
To request a project, please contact volunteer@ashevillegreenworks.org
Protect the creeks and streams in your backyard, and the waterways our community relies on.
Our StreamKeepers:
Join river and road cleanups with their neighbors
Manage and maintain their local Trash Trout
Take the lead on keeping their local creek or stream free of litter
Become a StreamKeeper
Adopt-a-Street
Since 2007, Asheville GreenWorks has partnered with the City of Asheville to support our Asheville neighbors who are committed to keeping our home litter-free. Adopters agree to clean their City street at least six times a year, for a minimum of one year. With a three-year commitment, the City of Asheville will create and install a road sign identifying you, your group, or your business as the adopter of the street.
Asheville GreenWorks can provide you with bags, safety vests, gloves, and trash grabbers for your street cleanups. You’ll record your cleanup hours and amounts collected and submit them back to us, so we can keep track of your success. Each year, dedicated adopters remove thousands of pounds of litter from our roadsides through this program!
Contact madison@ashevillegreenworks.org to learn more.
Trash Trouts™ are litter-collection devices that sit in urban creeks and streams to keep roadside litter from polluting downstream waterways. Trash Trouts™ make litter cleanup easier for city stormwater managers, neighborhood associations, water- and riverkeepers, — and help waterway guardians educate and inspire their communities to get involved.
Purchase a Trash Trout™ Stormwater Litter Solution
How can Trash Trouts help you?
Keep trash from reaching your river
Connect with your community
Satisfy NPDES Phase 1 & 2 & MS4 requirements
