“Ehhh, I actually don’t think it’s safe to float or wade in that section of the river…” my friend replied when I suggested a Saturday activity with the kids. We live 30 minutes upstream along the South Platte River, and frequently see people fishing while we’re cooling our feet in the beautiful section near our home. She can’t be right! But sure enough, a quick google search confirmed that this section was too polluted to enjoy with our kids.
We commute alongside our rivers numerous times throughout the day, but seldom give them much thought (aside from appreciating their beauty or planning out weekend recreation). Considering that over 50% of Denver’s drinking water comes from the South Platte River, and the multitude of species of wildlife that call the South Platte “home,” it felt important to learn a bit more about it and see what we could do to help contribute to its health.
From its headwaters in the Mosquito Range, the South Platte River flows over 380 miles through Colorado from Fairplay to the border of Nebraska. Much of the South Platte is GORGEOUS and crystal clear. Our family has camped all over Colorado, often finding a spot along the South Platte riverbank to call home for a few nights at a time. As it makes its way through Denver, high levels of pollution and debris contaminate the river, making it unsafe for swimming or wading. It’s hard to imagine the beautiful river we swim in as a family changing so drastically over 30 miles.
While Denver City Officials and local nonprofits are working to improve the health of the river, I want to involve my kids in doing our part to clean up the river upstream near our home. It’s never too late, or too little to do whatever we can.
I remember the first time I invited my kids to clean up our campsite. As I was filling my own baggie with broken glass and used toilet paper (*sigh*, the things every mom hopes to find as she’s setting up camp for her family), I realized we needed some better protocols before our next clean up as a family.
Luckily, we do clean ups better now. For several years I started to bring garbage bags and disposable gloves for a family cleanup day, but we JUST got one of the Rivers are Life cleanup kits! Made from recycled fishing nets, this reusable bag, bag hoop, and litter picker are the most eco-friendly way to remove debris. Right now, Rivers are Life is offering 10% off this cleanup kit with code “InspiredByBrooke”. If you’re picking up debris with little helpers, it’s a good idea to set some ground rules. I remind my kids to come find me if they see anything sharp, to use their litter picker, and to call for me if they see anything they’re uncertain about.
And honestly? One of the BEST things I’ve done is to make a habit of keeping a gallon sized Ziplock bag in my hiking pack. When we see a wrapper along a trail, or a crushed can in the parking lot, picking it up and hauling it out feels like second nature. You don’t have to make a big production to plan for every day moments like this- just DO SOMETHING.
How do we keep the next generation interested in caring for the earth? I mean, WHY would somebody choose to spend a day outside in the sun collecting trash, instead of inside watching YouTube eating snacks and enjoying air conditioning? It’s actually pretty simple- give them a reason to care.
Head out for family walks along the river after school. Bring a book and a blanket and some snacks and head to your local greenspace. Start a family tradition of booking a rafting trip each summer. Stay up late on a Saturday making s’mores at camp. Take your kids ice skating outdoors in the winter. As you layer in these rich experiences, your children will identify these beautiful outdoor spaces as one of their “homes”- a place where they always felt love, adventure, and connection.
From Greta Thunberg to Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, there are so many amazing young role models for our children to look up to! Inviting and involving their peers to join is a great way for our kids to find community connection in working together and caring for our earth.
Whether you’re reading to your youngest environmentalists, or you have an independent reader who is finding her own love for environmental stewardships, books can be a wonderful way to create curiosity and foster a love for caring for the earth.
One of the best ways to help your little ones be excited about caring for our earth is to invite others to join in on the fun! Later this fall, our school has a “Raise Craze”, where the kids can raise funds for the school by asking for family/neighborhood sponsorship to complete service projects in our community. They’ve chatted about a cleanup around our neighborhood ponds as one of the ways they’d like to raise some money for their schools. Whether you search the community boards at your rec center or climbing gym for upcoming events or invite people to join you on a Saturday in your own neighborhood Facebook group, building community around caring for your local green spaces is a great way to shift the way we collectively see our responsibility for our environment.
Here’s the thing, I’m a pretty average mom who lives in the suburbs with her kids. I don’t have a background in environmental science, and although I try my best, I likely make mistakes when I sort our recycling. But it turns out, MOST environmentalists are pretty average people, too. You’ve just have to start somewhere, you can pick up a few extra pieces of litter on a hike. You can sign a petition for legislation regarding regulating the health of your local river. You can spend an hour outside with your little ones exploring your neighborhood ponds.
Although I can’t say for sure that the South Platte River will be totally clean by next summer, I am hopeful that there are enough people in our community who will contribute to the cause. Especially as we invite our friends and neighbors to join! Remember, the decisions we make ALWAYS affect somebody “downstream” from where we live.
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Brooke Murray loves to bike, hike, ski, and camp with her three kiddos in Colorado. 10 years ago, she swapped her lab coat for a camera and has never looked back after beginning work as a content creator and photographer in the outdoor industry. These days you can find her shooting campaigns for major brands, encouraging children to splash in puddles during their family photo sessions, or leading hikes/rides/events for women and families.
With the goal of getting more families out on the trail, Brooke Co-Founded WildKind Inc, a membership based community to educate and enable families to level up their outdoor adventure. With everything between creating a digital ski school, leading a backpacking festival, securing brand discounts/deals/giveaways for members, to helping mamas “reclaim their love for type II adventure”, Brooke loves inviting others to join her outside.