Jackson and Consumers Energy employees are teaming up to clean areas within the city in honor of Earth Day this Friday, April 22.
The partnership highlights the first time the two organizations have worked together to clean up trash and litter within the city as part of the utilities’ cleanup efforts every April. Consumers Energy employees and city officials have worked for weeks to prepare for the cleanup efforts, slated to begin in four areas within the city of Jackson Friday morning at 9 a.m.
More than 100 volunteers from the city and utility are set to begin picking up litter and trash at Loomis Park, the Martin Luther King Equality Trail (formerly the inter-city trail), Ella Sharp Park and downtown Jackson.
The city will provide garbage bags for the pickups.
“Consumers Energy has been a great corporate citizen for our community,” Councilman Derek Dobies, 6th Ward, said. “Partnering to clean up our downtown and other areas on Earth Day underscores that commitment and helps not only protect the environment, but aids undertaking like the Anchor Initiative in making Jackson more attractive to new residents and businesses.”
Jackson Mayor Bill Jors agreed with Dobies. Jors helps organize similar cleanup efforts around the city periodically with volunteers.
Cleaning up Jackson is one of the main points Jors touted when he was campaigning for mayor and it remains a priority, Jors said.
“Hopefully this event will spur more every Earth Day and become an annual tradition,” Public Information Officer Will Forgrave said. “Every little bit helps, that’s what Earth Day is all about.”