Since 2017, Granite Gear has sponsored a diverse group of hikers, paddlers and nature lovers who pack out trash year-round. They spread the word about cleaning up our planet, whether that be green spaces in a city, beaches, national parks or local campgrounds.
This year’s crew of Grounds Keepers stayed committed to leaving the environment better than it found it. The group surpassed 10,000 pounds of trash picked up this year. Bringing the total to more than 35,000 pounds packed out since the inception of the program. The majority of that is micro trash, including bar wrappers, bottle lids and toilet paper.
“It’s hard to fathom what the Grounds Keepers have accomplished this year. Five tons of trash. The estimated weight equivalent of 250,000 plastic bottles packed out by hand,” said Sales and Marketing Manager Julie Bacon, “We are so grateful for the hard work from everyone involved and the huge impact that this program continues to have nationwide.”
Grounds Keeper Retha “Pikachu” Charette is nearing her 1,000-pound goal for 2022 and said, “I’ve always picked up trash while hiking, but being a member of the Grounds Keepers lets me know I’m not alone. Being an advocate for Mother Earth can be tough sometimes and being part of this team reminds me that a few dedicated people really do make a difference.”
Out of hundreds of applicants, the Grounds Keepers were chosen based on their passion for the outdoors, cleanup goals, commitment to DEI initiatives, and outdoor experience. With the collective mission to leave our planet better, the 2022 team includes Felicia Kemp, Retha Charette, Bradlee Jeffrey, Carmen Pérez, Whitney Christen, Andrew Stone, Rachel Shoemaker, Heather Daigle, Dru Falco, Amity Quinones, Yolande Webster, Julie Hukriede, Quang Vo, Peg Keiner, and Kaitlin Musser. Applications for the 2023 team will open this month.
“You would not think hauling out pounds of other people’s garbage off of public lands would be a way of healing. We applied as Grounds Keepers because our legal guardian son wanted to leave the wild ways better than he found them. His love became our love and when we painfully said goodbye after raising him for nine years, this love kept us from falling apart. Yes, pick up trash. Stand against climate change. Protect our public lands. But mostly remember this was one little boy’s love. It really is about love,” said Musser, who has packed out 6,007 pounds of trash this year and counting.
The 2022 team of 15 Grounds Keepers has been supported by these sponsors: Sawyer, Astral, Food for the Sole, Katabatic Gear, Kula Cloth, Hikers Brew, Lava Linens, UCO, and Hibear.
For more information on the Grounds Keepers program, email Julie Bacon at jbacon@granitegear.com.
