Take Action

CALLING CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TO TAKE ACTION 

Join the movement! Here are three ways YOU can be part of the solution to end litter in our community!

1. Volunteer!

Xstream Cleanup community partners post their volunteer opportunities related to litter, invasive species, and water quality here. Get all the details and register for whatever is of interest to you! 

2. Track debris!

In partnership with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), our area participated in a data collection project starting in 2021. The data collected is organized and analyzed in a massive database that's open to the public. We can then use that information to better understand the worst problems in our area, zero in on the sources of pollution, and create more intelligent waste reduction programs in the future. 

HOW IT WORKS

1. REGISTER for an existing event or go out and collect on your own. 

2. DOWNLOAD the "Marine Debris Tracker" for your mobile device: APPLE App Store | ANDROID Google Play

3. OPEN THE APP and select organization labeled Mississippi River Plastic Pollution/MRCTI

5. COLLECT LITTER & COLLECT DATA by logging what items you pick up in the Marine Debris Tracker app on your phone

--Marine Debris Tracker Field Guide available here--

3. Learn more! 

Did you know litter in the Quad Cities can get into the Mississippi River and travel all the way to the ocean? Created by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, this free resource and awareness campaign toolkit follows the journey of litter from land, to rivers, and into the ocean.