Over the past two decades, Alabama Power and other Southern Company employees along with 115,000 volunteers have improved waterways across the Southeast by removing more than 15 million pounds of trash.

As part of their continued efforts to remove trash and to clean up local waterways, a clean up of lakes  and rivers throughout Alabama are planned for the upcoming weeks. March 31-April 6 a clean up of Logan Martin Lake (Coosa River) is scheduled in conjunction with the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association. For more information about volunteering, contact Mike Riley at 205-531-2372.

It all started on a spring day in 1999, when Gene Phifer looked out his window at Alabama Power’s Gadsden Steam Plant. He didn’t like what he saw: piles of litter along the banks of the nearby Coosa River.

Phifer shared his concern with fellow plant employees, and they decided something needed to be done. Soon, they’d organize about 20 employees for a cleanup that removed 3,000 pounds of trash from the Coosa River.

Phifer and that first group of volunteers had no way of knowing they’d birthed a movement.

One cleanup wouldn’t be enough, though, Phifer realized. He envisioned working with local leaders, businesses, civic groups and others to clean up the Coosa throughout Etowah County.

Later that summer, Alabama Power employees and other local stakeholders met at Gadsden City Hall to plan future cleanups. The first official “Renew the Coosa” cleanup took place in May 2000, with 500 volunteers removing 28,000 pounds of trash and debris.

That one cleanup would evolve from “Renew the Coosa” to “Renew Our Rivers” and grow into one of the nation’s largest river cleanups. Cleanups were added on Smith Lake and the Tallapoosa River. The campaign eventually spread across Alabama, then into Georgia, Mississippi and Florida.

Last year, 4,000 volunteers removed more than 268,000 pounds of trash from Alabama alone.

More than 30 cleanups are planned across the state in 2019, from Cedar Bluff and Double Springs to Mobile, Demopolis and Eufaula to celebrate the 20^th year of Renew Our Rivers.

Today, the commitment by Alabama Power employees to Renew Our Rivers continues to grow.

Renew Our Rivers partnerships, which bring together employees, civic leaders, community volunteers, homeowner and boat owner organizations, students and other groups, are what have made this effort truly sustainable. The campaign’s continued success is a testament to them and to their passion for protecting our state’s precious natural resources.  

Renew Our Rivers has made a real difference in communities across the state by improving water quality and the health of our lakes and rivers. It is just one of many ways Alabama Power is working to elevate Alabama and protect the environment we all share.

As we celebrate 20 years of cleaner rivers and lakes, we invite you to join all the partners at one or more of the cleanups scheduled this year. Learn more at www.alabamapower.com/renewourrivers.

Susan Comensky is Alabama Power’s vice president for Environmental Affairs.