MONROE - Cody Faust could have spent Saturday hanging out with his friends or playing video games.
Instead, the 11-year-old sixth-grader from Monroe spent the day cleaning garbage from Honey Creek north of Piggly Wiggly.
"I don't like litter," he said with a smile.
He recently visited the grocery and took time out to look at the ducks that often are found in and near the creek. He saw the ducks, but he also saw lots of trash. It bothered him to see soda cans, fast-food wrappers, cups and plastic in the creek.
"When I saw the ducks I wanted to clean it up," he said. "If the water gets dirty it's hard for the ducks to live there.
"I even saw some duck eggs with garbage around them."
Rather than wait for someone else to clean up the mess made by others, Faust decided it was up to him to make a difference.
He brought plenty of trash bags and some boots so he could pick up litter not only along the creek bank but also in the creek.
Faust couldn't believe the amount of trash in the creek. Recent rains swept some of the trash away, but there was still plenty of garbage to pick up Saturday.
Faust's interest in cleaning up the creek wasn't lost on Bob Brodbeck, Platteville, who owns the property near Honey Creek.
"I thinks it's commendable to volunteer like this at your age," he said as he shook Faust's hand. "Very commendable."
Faust smiled.
"I'm an environmentalist," he said. "I want to help the Earth when I grow up."
He's already gotten a pretty good start.
Instead, the 11-year-old sixth-grader from Monroe spent the day cleaning garbage from Honey Creek north of Piggly Wiggly.
"I don't like litter," he said with a smile.
He recently visited the grocery and took time out to look at the ducks that often are found in and near the creek. He saw the ducks, but he also saw lots of trash. It bothered him to see soda cans, fast-food wrappers, cups and plastic in the creek.
"When I saw the ducks I wanted to clean it up," he said. "If the water gets dirty it's hard for the ducks to live there.
"I even saw some duck eggs with garbage around them."
Rather than wait for someone else to clean up the mess made by others, Faust decided it was up to him to make a difference.
He brought plenty of trash bags and some boots so he could pick up litter not only along the creek bank but also in the creek.
Faust couldn't believe the amount of trash in the creek. Recent rains swept some of the trash away, but there was still plenty of garbage to pick up Saturday.
Faust's interest in cleaning up the creek wasn't lost on Bob Brodbeck, Platteville, who owns the property near Honey Creek.
"I thinks it's commendable to volunteer like this at your age," he said as he shook Faust's hand. "Very commendable."
Faust smiled.
"I'm an environmentalist," he said. "I want to help the Earth when I grow up."
He's already gotten a pretty good start.