From the Streets to the River – Litter’s Effect on Malden
By Merari Flores and Nora Hounain One of the biggest problems in today’s society is acknowledging environmental issues without taking any action to address them. Walking down the street, it is easy to spot trash; however, not much is being done in order to clean it up or, at the very least, prevent the amount of litter present. In the United States alone, according to Keep America Beautiful, there are about 50 billion pieces of trash along waterways and roadways. In Malden, Massachusetts, the problem of litter is no exception. 124568 In April 2023, Friends of the Malden River (FoMR), held a clean-up event where they were able to fill up 70 bags plus miscellaneous materials like mattress springs, bicycles, and UFO’s with riverside waste. In 2024 alone, 4,390 pounds of trash has been collected in the Malden River Watershed as well as 4,124 pounds from trash clean-up events. Friends of the Malden River is one of many organizations in Malden that actively push and advocate to keep the environment clean. They focus on problem-solving and […]