Why a couple of friends are cleaning up the Confederation Trail, a few bags at a time
'You want to keep something for people coming behind you'
It's hard to miss the garbage at this time of year, no longer hidden by snow.
Charles Aondo and his friend Logan Dawson said they couldn't walk by it anymore and decided to start picking up trash along the Confederation Trail in Charlottetown.
"P.E.I. is a really beautiful place, so picking up garbage to make it even more prettier, it's nothing for us," said Aondo.
Aondo described their pace as slow and steady.
They've already been at it for about five days, giving about 20-30 minutes every day, working from about 4:30-5:00 p.m.
"There's a lot of litter around that area," Aondo said.
"We both became passionate about cleaning up, about the environment," he said.
Giving back
Aondo is originally from Nigeria but has lived on P.E.I. for 10 years, where he attended UPEI and Holland College.
He took business administration and later environmental science and he said he's environmentally conscious.
"You want to keep something for people coming behind you," he said.
He said it just makes sense to give back and it's been fun to hang out with his friend and pick up garbage.
"P.E.I. has given me so much," he said. "We want to try and do a little part."
'It's a lot'
They get a few large garbage bags every day and most of the trash they pick up is food wrappers from fast food restaurants.
"It's a lot," Aondo said. "It's an eye-opener for sure."
The two friends hope to do it throughout the summer and cover at least a kilometre of the trail. Now they're asking anyone who has the time to join them.
They put out a call on social media and hope to make a bigger dent in the garbage with more people helping.
"There's a lot more we can all be doing," said Aondo.