Percy Priest Lake Cleanup - citywide event with Team Green!

UPDATE: Detailed info and registration can be found at http://www.cleanpercy.... Feel free to RSVP on our page here as I'll use the YES list to send any updates by email, but please go ahead and register as a volunteer at http://www.cleanpercy....

What: Percy Priest Lake's 24 islands and 213 miles of shoreline are grossly polluted. The Corps of Engineers estimates as much as 200 tons of trash tops the islands, and a hundred times more has fallen to the bottom of the lake. We are identifying the most polluted islands with the Corps so we can scrub the areas of greatest need. We expect this to be the single, largest clean up project in Nashville to date, collecting 15 to 20 tons of waste and debris left year-round by campers, boaters & recreationalists.

Who: Bridgestone Americas is partnering with Team Green, Waste Management, the Corps of Engineers, and the Cumberland River Compact to organize a city-wide clean-up of polluted islands on Percy Priest Lake with a team of as many as 1,000 volunteers. Major recording artist Kathy Mattea has pledged her talents for a benefit concert for all volunteers. Other partners include thinkMEDIA, Nashville Shores, Elm Hill Marina, Whole Foods, Publix, Tennessean Scenic Rivers Association, Metro Beautification, Metro Water & Public Works, Hands On Nashville, local marinas.

Where: Volunteers will meet at Nashville Shores waterpark and be shuttled in strategic fashion to identified islands. Nashville Shores will also be the staging area for a garbage barge and dumpsters that will serve as key visuals for comprehensive media coverage. VIPs and Media will access the events easily via Elm Hill Marina just across the southern tip of the lake.

When: Saturday, May 3rd. We're offering several options for volunteers that day with three-hour increments beginning at 8:00 am and ending with the 1-4:00 pm slot. Registration is encouraged at http://www.cleanpercy....

Why: Percy Priest Lake's islands accumulate tons of human-imposed debris every season. The metals and plastics leach chemicals into the water and threaten the habitat for aquatic species and birds in Tennessee and beyond-- it is conceivable that Percy Priest trash could flow all the way to the Gulf of Mexico and into the Dead Zone. Cleaner islands and shoreline will improve habitat and water quality, reduce mosquito breeding and populations of scavenger species (crows, squirrels, pigeons, rats) and provide more enjoyable recreation for all. News media covered this issue in 2007's high season but neither a solution nor cleanup has been organized. Springtime, before boating season begins, is the ideal time to mobilize education efforts. We plan to work with legislators and Army Corps of Engineers to create "No Polluting" signs and fines for future violators. We also plan this as a seasonal/ annual city-wide clean-up.