Annual '20 Minute Makeover' takes place across the city ahead of Earth Day
Ahead of Earth Day this Monday, April 22, the annual 20 Minute Makeover took place Friday.
"We want to give back to the community, we're part of the community here, so we want to come back out and make sure everybody is enjoying their time, cleaning up around the city and just beautifying London,” said volunteer Cleveland Brownlee, district operations manager with Better Bin.
If you didn't get the chance to get involved Friday, Londoners can also participate in London Clean & Green’s community-wide clean up day Saturday.
"It's been a long-standing program, 29th year, it has grown from a small group of people to thousands of Londoners that take part and take pride in their area, where they live,” said Jay Stanford, the director of Climate Change, Environment and Waste Management with the City of London.
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22, and was first held in 1970. It is now recognized globally.
Volunteer Carmela Ianni has been involved with the Clean and Green program since its inception and said she has noticed a positive change.
"Huge difference, specifically with graffiti. This is how we started off, it was graffiti and garbage clean up, litter, trash...big difference,” explained Ianni.
Ward 7 Coun. Corinne Rahman was on hand Friday, and said there is still more work to be done.
"It’s something this council is committed to, however, we also have to have the financial commitment, and that's something we worked on in the multi-year budget, but absolutely we could have done more,” explained Rahman.
The city is also holding it's third annual EarthFest this weekend, celebrating environmental action through music, art, activities, vendor booths, and green food and fun.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Airbnb's Icons allow you to drift off in the 'Up' house or rest in Prince's 'Purple Rain' mansion
The vacation destination rental company announced a new category of 'Icons,' a collection of 'extraordinary experiences hosted by the greatest names in music, film, television, art, sports, and more.'
Should I invest with a human or a robot? Traditional firms vs. robo-advisors
Investors considering where to park their money have a choice: go with a traditional financial adviser or trust in an algorithm. Here are the pros and cons of both.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.