Claverack Democrats Adopt-A-Highyway Volunteers Clean Up Route 23

When a stretch of State Route 23 in Claverack was spotted with a new Adopt-A-Highway sign, the Claverack Democrats immediately signed up. We have been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to join the program to do our civic duty and help keep our community free of roadside trash that is not only an unsightly blight, but can have environmental consequences as well.

Our 16 volunteers, working in 2 teams, cleaned up the stretch of Highway along State Route 23 from Van Wyck Lane to Won Dharma/Willowdale Farm Road, as part of the celebration of the Earth Day festivities, honoring this year’s theme “Restore Our Earth”.

We found hundreds of empty single serve liquor bottles, reminding us that there are still many people drinking and driving in our community. Most distressingly, we picked up an enormous amount of plastic trash or bags, in areas of running water that would eventually flow into our creeks and streams, and then into larger waterways that poison our habitat.

For those drivers who saw our volunteers in our orange vests and hard hats along some of the narrow shoulders of Route 23 and were kind enough to slow down, we thank you. You helped to keep us safe while we were trying to keep you safe. See you in a few months again when we do our next clean up.