Riverfront Cleanup in St. Louis, MO
Members of the Sri Sathya Sai Center of St. Louis, MO, participated in two envirocare projects over the summer. On June 8, 2025, they dedicated their time and energy to the Riverfront Cleanup Project near the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River. The event, hosted by the St. Louis Aquarium Foundation, brought together Sai volunteers, including five young adults and two adults, to pick up trash along the riverfront.
The volunteers worked in unity and harmony with other organizations, diligently collecting a significant amount of trash over the two-hour event. It was a sunny day, and all participants enjoyed working together to help clean up the environment.
The riverfront cleanup was a wonderful opportunity to serve and take care of Mother Earth. Volunteers have become more mindful of their consumption and waste and have begun paying greater attention to avoiding plastic, reusing and recycling. It has deepened their sense of responsibility toward Mother Earth. Indeed, there has been a shift in consciousness from just “helping out” to truly connecting with the environment. Sai’s principle of 'Ceiling on Desires' became a realized truth from seeing firsthand how controlling desires would indeed reduce the burden on the environment.
A volunteer reflected:
“Participating in the river cleanup was a humbling experience. A key learning for me was how much harm our careless actions affect Mother Nature. Seeing cigarette butts, broken glass, and plastic waste strewn along the river front reminded me of Sai’s words: 'Nature is your best teacher.' Through this service, I experienced the values of reverence for nature, humility, and responsibility.”
Sai volunteers also participated in the 58th Operation Clean Stream project at Lower Meramec Park. The project was organized by Open Space STL on Saturday, Aug 23 2025. This was a land-based cleanup to remove trash from the park and waterfront of the Meramec River.
After volunteers from several different organizations were briefed with basic instructions and given safety attire, three adult and two young-adult Sai volunteers walked the river bank, picking up heavy trash such as a tent, a roll-away folding bed, and other large items. As they continued along the river and nearby trails, they also picked up smaller sharp objects like broken glass, bottles, and cans. The cleanup was completed in about two hours, and the volunteers reported that they enjoyed the hard work and felt a great sense of accomplishment.