Walking groups are plenty, but those that save the Earth might just be a Niagara-on-the-Lake exclusive assortment.

Aptly named the “Walking Group,” 10 NOTL women out for their daily stroll along the trail system near the community centre used their Monday, April 22 outing to actively participate in Earth Day.

Under a beautifully cloud-free, sunny and crisp morning armed with trash pickers, garbage and recycling bags, the group foraged through the fresh spring ground cover collecting everything in sight not natural to the area.

And, boy, there was plenty.

“You can tell people that they should have bags in their cars,” said one member, assuming that much of what they were finding was thrown from passing vehicles.

Dog waste bags, cigarette butts, paper coffee cups, plastic bags and bottles were amongst the haul — a total of 10 bags full.

However, included in their finds was a plethora of flowering bramble bushes, giving the women hope that all is not lost.

“This is a special day,” said Lori Kelly. “I think this is our fourth year in a row that we have been doing this. It’s all about keeping our Earth, ourselves and our community healthy.”

Held every year on April 22, Earth Day, is the annual awareness day established in 1970 to mobilize environmentally concerned people in the United States into action.

By 2020, the movement had grown exponentially. Since then it has grown into a global phenomenon with over a billion people participating worldwide.

Two events were planned for NOTL this year.

On April 15, Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa and town council members raised the Amnesty International flag at the town hall in Virgil in a first for NOTL’s Amnesty International group. Never before had it reached out to the community to boost such awareness.

On Earth Day proper, naturalist Owen Bjorgan gave a lecture at the community centre. The topic covered species that are threatened with extinction in Niagara.