A two-mile stretch of road in North Normal will now be cared for by Illinois State University's Office of Sustainability.
Commemorating Earth Day, the office announced its adoption of Linden Steet north of Raab Road through McLean County’s Adopt-a-Highway program that chose the location.
“It’s a good way to walk the talk and demonstrate to our students that we’re wanting to expand beyond our campus,” said director Elisabeth Reed.
Staff and student workers will visit the site a few times a year to collect waste, beginning this summer. Shifts are pre-arranged with McLean County officials, and all workers are required to wear reflective vests and gloves.
“Initially, it’s just going to be our office and the students that are working in our office,” Reed said. “We need to try it out first with our group; we’d love to have volunteers down the road to help moving forward. It’s going to be our stretch of highway for years to come and we’d love for others to get involved."
In the few minutes it took to grab a picture near their signpost, staff and student workers collected about 10 pieces of trash.
Reed said individual behavior is not solely responsible for waste collecting along highways.
“Sometimes it’s just wind,” she said. “It’s over consumption of these products in general. You can see overflowing trash cans all the time.”
Among Illinois State’s Earth Day activities is the final installment of this year’s Green Screen film series on Tuesday, April 23, at the Normal Theater. A post-show conversation follows the free 7 p.m. screening of Just Eat It, Peg Lee Films’ critically acclaimed documentary on food waste.
