William
10-24-2013, 09:07 AM
Memphis, Tennessee (CNN) -- In the past 15 years, Chad Pregracke has helped pull more than 67,000 tires from the Mississippi River and other waterways across the United States.
But that's just scratching the surface.
He's also helped retrieve 218 washing machines, 19 tractors, 12 hot tubs, four pianos and almost 1,000 refrigerators.
"People intentionally dumped (these) in the river and also littered," Pregracke said. "Even 100 miles away, (trash) will find its way into a creek or a storm drain and into, ultimately, the Mississippi River."
For Pregracke, removing this debris has become his life's work. Sometimes called "The Rivers' Garbageman," he lives on a barge about nine months out of the year with members of his 12-person crew. Together, they organize community cleanups along rivers across the country. "The garbage got into the water one piece at a time," Pregracke said. "And that's the only way it's going to come out.".... Ultimately, Pregracke says, his message is about much more than cleaning rivers. He believes his story is proof that anyone can make a difference.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/us/cnnheroes-pregracke-rivers-garbage/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Kudos to Chad Pregracke for proving that one person can make a difference. I think the story also shows that we are our own worst enemy (crapping up our own home).
William
But that's just scratching the surface.
He's also helped retrieve 218 washing machines, 19 tractors, 12 hot tubs, four pianos and almost 1,000 refrigerators.
"People intentionally dumped (these) in the river and also littered," Pregracke said. "Even 100 miles away, (trash) will find its way into a creek or a storm drain and into, ultimately, the Mississippi River."
For Pregracke, removing this debris has become his life's work. Sometimes called "The Rivers' Garbageman," he lives on a barge about nine months out of the year with members of his 12-person crew. Together, they organize community cleanups along rivers across the country. "The garbage got into the water one piece at a time," Pregracke said. "And that's the only way it's going to come out.".... Ultimately, Pregracke says, his message is about much more than cleaning rivers. He believes his story is proof that anyone can make a difference.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/us/cnnheroes-pregracke-rivers-garbage/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Kudos to Chad Pregracke for proving that one person can make a difference. I think the story also shows that we are our own worst enemy (crapping up our own home).
William