BOISE, Idaho — A group that started as a Boise State University club is working to keep Boise streets litter-free despite its population growth.
“We started with the simple purpose of keeping Boise clean throughout all of its growth,” Paul Venable, the founder and executive director of Trash Club, said.
The Idaho Department of Labor reports Boise grew 11.7% between 2010 and 2020, meaning the city gained more than 24,000 residents.
Venable said one of the things that makes Boise special is the cleanliness of the city.
“It’s a clean, friendly, safe place for people,” Venable said.
Trash Club is trying to keep Boise that way, and Venable has been able to see the impact this club is having.
“We’ve picked up over 1,300 pounds of trash since August 2020,” he said.
Venable doesn’t want it to stop there. Trash Club is now a nonprofit, and Venable hopes it continues to grow.
“We really want Trash Club to kind of be the start of a movement here in the Treasure Valley and maybe in other cities against litter,” he said.
When it’s hot out like it has been recently, it’s not always easy to walk around Boise picking up litter, but Venable and other trash club members are passionate about what they do.
“We really just care about our city, about our community, and the values that make Boise such a great place to live,” he said.
Because Trash Club has nonprofit status now, anyone in the Treasure Valley can come help out with their litter pick up every Sunday. To support the club or to find out when their pick-up events are, click here.
