Stretching 1,450 miles across the American Southwest, the Colorado River is a vein of life for more than 10 million people, pumping freshwater from a basin in increasing danger of pollution and depletion.

In an effort to preserve the river on the Western Slope 17 students from CMU’s Sustainability Council teamed up with the Outdoor Program and Stay Positive movement to collect and remove pollution and trash from the river.

Combining an ordinary float down the river with meaningful preservation work allowed CMU’s Sustainability Club to make a significant impact on the riverfront.

“There’s just stuff everywhere,” Sustainability Council President Ryan McConnell said. “We probably brought in a few hundred pounds of trash.”

The Outdoor Program provided 4 rafts and numerous kayaks for students, collecting the proceeds from the trip as a fundraiser for future events and conservation efforts.

“The rafts and kayaks really just made it easy for us to scoop up trash we found in the river,” McConnell said.

The student volunteers combed the Colorado River for 4 hours scooping up any material they came across that posed a significant threat to the ecosystem. True to their name, the Sustainability Council made sure that all the waste accumulated was disposed of in a proper and efficient way.

“We recycled everything that we took out of the river,” McConnell said. “Some of it was picked up by the city, but a few pieces were collected by the Stay
Positive Movement for an art project.”

CMU’s Sustainability Council has been an integral part in the community drive to restore the rivers ecosystem and preserve the unique way of living offered here in the Grand Valley.

cferganc@mavs.coloradomesa.edu