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Picking up the Poconos

MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — There’s a major litter cleanup effort happening in the Poconos this fall. The rush of fall tourism in the Poconos ...

MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- There's a major litter cleanup effort happening in the Poconos this fall.

The rush of fall tourism in the Poconos is right around the corner. Officials there are trying to keep litter from spoiling the view.

"It's better for the people who live here in all the communities in Monroe County. It's better for the tourists who come here. They don't want to see litter on the side of the road. It's better for our businesses. People don't like to shop in places that are covered in litter," said Chris Rain, Middle Smithfield Township.

Middle Smithfield Township officials took an active approach to the litter issue starting back in 2013 with their 1000 Feet of Street program. They teamed up with the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau for a one-day volunteer effort to help keep the Poconos beautiful.

"Middle Smithfield Township Mike Dwyer, Chris Rain had a really great program in place. We saw the need to help keep our destination, the Pocono Mountains, clean and green, so we built upon that and made it much bigger," said Chris Barrett, Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.

That bigger effort is called Pick up the Poconos.

"Over the last two years, we've picked up eight to nine thousand bags of trash off of our roadways and hundreds and hundreds of tires," Barrett explained.

Volunteers will get together on Saturday, September 28, to pick up litter throughout the Poconos.

"We supply all of the materials for that, the bags, the gloves, everything an individual would need in order to help us," Barrett added.

If you want to help with Picking up the Poconos on September 28, click here to get registered.

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