April is Earth Month, and it's also the sixth-annual Comox Valley and area Garbage Cleanup Contest.
The contest is on now until April 30 with over $10,000 in cash and prizes.
"If we don鈥檛 clean it up it鈥檚 going to be there for a thousand years," said organizer Tara Jordan in an email. "Plastic doesn鈥檛 go anywhere. Come on Comox Valley, let鈥檚 get 鈥榬鈥� done!"
In 2024, over 1,100 people took part in the contest, with students and staff from school districts 71 and 72, Rotary members, Girl Guides, and other community groups taking part. They were also among the winners of the $10,000 in prizes.
"Every year I hear from our participants that the concept of a contest is a great way to engage people in taking care of our environment, while celebrating and acknowledging Earth month and Earth day in April," Jordan said. "Our goal is to have the entire Comox Valley Regional District and surrounding forests cleaned up by the end of the contest. The more we get the word out about the role we can all play in our community, the more we can take care of our small planet."
The contest is open from now until April 30. Anyone doing a cleanup of any size is invited to enter. Participants are asked to:
1. Take before and after photos of garbage they find and clean up anywhere in the Comox Valley or Strathcona Regional District.
2. Submit photos on the contest page at , multiple entries receive higher scores.
3. Contact cleanup organizer Tara Jordan for free biodegradable garbage bags, CVRD tipping fee waiver forms, (to waive the dump fees), to recommend areas that are in need of a cleanup or for any other questions - 250-202-7446 or tara@smallplanetenergy.ca.
4. Get outside and make a positive difference by being a part of the solution today.
"For many of us, this time of year is when we are spending a lot more time in the forest and trails around Vancouver Island and are finding that there is a lot of garbage where there shouldn't be," Jordan said. "April 22, 2025, marks the 55th annual celebration of Earth Day, which is a global movement that now includes 193 countries and over 1 billion participants, around the world. We're hoping this challenge will continue to inspire people to help clean up the Campbell River and Comox Valley Regional District, and this beautiful small planet that we all care so much about!"
If any individuals or businesses would like to get involved by organizing a cleanup or sponsoring the contest, please contact Tara Jordan at 250-202-7446 or tara@smallplanetenergy.ca.
"Everyone involved with the cleanup, (ie. Our contest website designer The Web Smith, the judging panel, the cleanup event teams, and the Small Planet crew), are all volunteers, so 100 per cent of all donations go directly to prizes for the best cleanups," the email from Jordan says.
