COLUMBIA, S.C. — April 22 is Earth Day, an annual event to support environmental protection globally. The Congaree Riverkeeper in Columbia is one organization dedicated to preserving the environment surrounding the three Midlands rivers every day.
“Earth Day doesn’t have to be just one day," says Bill Stangler, the Congaree Riverkeeper here in the Midlands who works to 'protect and improve water quality, wildlife habitats, and recreation on the Broad, south Saluda and Congaree Rivers.'
“There are things we can do every day to protect our environment and our rivers and that really starts with what people do themselves," Stangler tells News19, "so as folks are out and about doing things there’s a handful of actions they can take from picking up trash- which is something that’s really easy but really obvious, to reporting pollution problems if you see them.”
Another way to get involved is to support local issues, “Work with your environmental non-profit organizations to make sure your voice is heard to bills at the statehouse to permit hearings to volunteer clean-ups and activities like that.”
The riverkeeper also keeps these resources on their website including reporting a spill, checking river quality and checking river levels.
Stangler adds, “Something to keep in mind is the basic idea behind Congaree Riverkeeper is that these rivers belong to each and every one of us so it really means a lot when everyone does their part to make sure that they’re clean and healthy.”
To visit their helpful website, click here.