CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Many Southwest Floridians know living in paradise can be a pretty sweet experience, but it does require some upkeep, especially as more people move into the area.
So what better time to get out there and get your hands dirty than on earth day.
Kat Capeletti and her two daughters say they are firm believers in that idea, saying it's a yearly tradition for them to pick up trash on Earth Day.
“I can't imagine this many people just throw stuff out of their car,” said Capeletti.
On Friday, those were the thoughts imagined by Kat Capeletti, whose team to clean up Cape Coral streets was made up of her four-year-old daughter Marley and six-year-old daughter Ariel.
According to mom, it was Ariel’s idea that started this family’s earth day tradition.
“We were riding in the car, and she would see trash and bags and she would say mommy we need to go pick it up and I would tell her we cant pull over,” said Capeletti.
On Earth Day, finding places to pull over like off Southwest 2nd Terrace in Cape Coral, was exactly what their family was doing.
“ I posted on Facebook just to see other people concerned places where they pass the trash every day a lot of people don't have the physical ability to go pick it up but they shouldn't have to see all the trash,” said Capeletti.
Places like Lee County and the city of Fort Myers told me they partner with non-profits like Keep Lee County Beautiful to reduce litter and organize clean-ups.
City of Fort Myers spokesperson Liz Matthews said the continued growth of people moving to Southwest Florida has the city creating new projects in anticipation of the extra trash that can come with the larger crowds.
Kat said that she hopes what her and her family are doing inspires others who move her to do the same.
“ It's Earth Day, so let's do something, let me remind you it's Earth Day,” said Capeletti.
