Rio Reimagined’s Earth Day Cleanup Event seeks volunteers for in-person event April 23

A forklift carries mattresses as volunteers in the background pick up trash on a dry riverbed

The dry bed of the Salt River is often used as a dumping ground for such items as couches, mattresses, auto parts and more. Public- and private-sector partners are supporting the Saturday cleanup event by providing equipment to remove large trash items.

April 19, 2022

Members of the Arizona State University community have the chance to make a positive impact on the environment and the Salt River ecosystem by taking part in the Rio Reimagined Earth Day Cleanup Event on Saturday, April 23, from 8:30–10:30 a.m. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Phoenix Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari will attend to provide welcoming remarks.

“There is no better way to celebrate Earth Day in Phoenix than by honoring the river that made life in our city possible,” Gallego said. “As community members work together to clean up the Rio Salado habitat (Saturday), we rededicate ourselves to creating a healthier, more sustainable future and to achieving the vision of Rio Reimagined.”

The cleanup is headed by partner organizations engaged in Rio Reimagined, a forward-looking initiative focused on revitalizing over 55 miles of the Salt and Gila River corridor. Rio Reimagined was established in 2017 by late U.S. Sen. John McCain and is currently managed by ASU’s University City Exchange Office.

The in-person community cleanup is expected to attract dozens of volunteers to the dry bed of the Salt River, often used as a dumping ground for such items as couches, auto parts and more. Public- and private-sector partners are supporting the event by providing equipment to remove large trash items.

With everyone working together to clean up the river, not only will efforts help to revitalize the river, but they will also engage river communities in the importance of preserving the river’s critical ecosystem and in turn the wildlife that inhabits it.

“That’s what the Rio Reimagined initiative is all about. It’s a long-term revitalization project,” said Cecilia Riviere, ASU University City Exchange and Rio Reimagined assistant director. “The goal is for communities, businesses and nonprofit organizations in the region to come together to reconnect to our rivers, and what better way to do so than to celebrate Earth Day at the Salt River.”

Visit the event website to sign up as a cleanup volunteer .