Weekend clean-up was part of Earth Day celebrations

Brianna Heath cleans up debris along the railroad tracks underneath the Water Street bridge with her son, Maverick, in a backpack on Saturday, April 19, 2025. The group of citizens worked the corridor from I-93 exits 13 through 15.

Brianna Heath cleans up debris along the railroad tracks underneath the Water Street bridge with her son, Maverick, in a backpack on Saturday, April 19, 2025. The group of citizens worked the corridor from I-93 exits 13 through 15. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Brianna Heath cleans up debris along the railroad tracks underneath the Water Street bridge with her son, Maverick, in a backpack on Saturday. The group of citizens worked the corridor from I-93 exits 13 through 15.

Brianna Heath cleans up debris along the railroad tracks underneath the Water Street bridge with her son, Maverick, in a backpack on Saturday. The group of citizens worked the corridor from I-93 exits 13 through 15. GEOFF FORESTER photos / Monitor staff

Tracey Pierce picks up debris along the tracks underneath Water Street near the Common Man on Saturday morning, April 19, 2025. A group led by Concord city councilor Jeff Foote cleaned up the area called the Concord corridor between exits 13 and 15 of I-93.

Tracey Pierce picks up debris along the tracks underneath Water Street near the Common Man on Saturday morning, April 19, 2025. A group led by Concord city councilor Jeff Foote cleaned up the area called the Concord corridor between exits 13 and 15 of I-93. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

A group led by Concord city councilor Jeff Foote clean up along the railroad track underneath the Water Street bridge near the Common Man in downtown Concord.

A group led by Concord city councilor Jeff Foote clean up along the railroad track underneath the Water Street bridge near the Common Man in downtown Concord. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Courtney Robison came down from Franklin to help with the clean up along Water Street near the Common Man on Saturday morning, April 19, 2025. Concord city councilor Jeff Foote led the group as they picked up trash along the Concord corridor.

Courtney Robison came down from Franklin to help with the clean up along Water Street near the Common Man on Saturday morning, April 19, 2025. Concord city councilor Jeff Foote led the group as they picked up trash along the Concord corridor. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Monitor staff

Published: 04-21-2025 4:21 PM

Modified: 04-21-2025 5:05 PM

Millions of people around the world are taking action to celebrate the 55th Earth Day, but they’re not doing it just on Earth Day itself, as seen by a host of outdoor clean-up programs in the region.

One of the most prominent happened in Concord on Saturday morning, when some three dozen people answered a call from City Councilor Jeff Foote to pick up trash around exits 13 and 15 of I-93. They filled roughly 150 blue trash bags in less than two hours, aided by two police deputy sheriffs and no fewer than five councilors.

The program was focused on areas with homeless encampments. Foote said he got the idea for the program because he commutes down the highway to work in Bedford. “It’s not very attractive to see the trash,” he said.

It also covered part of what Concord calls its opportunity corridor, land next to the turnpike that the city has long targeted for development.

Other events marking Earth Day ranged from Monday’s community conversation in Concord with U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander and Concord Mayor Byron Champlin talking about clean energy investments, to tree plantings and cleanups throughout the week.

Earth Day started in 1970 as a nationwide environmental teach-in, inspired by the anti-war movement and concern about environmental issues. It is often seen as the birth of the modern environmental movement.