This October, CFACT Collegian Hai An Hoang attending the University of Houston Downtown (UHD) noticed that the local Buffalo Bayou river that winds its way through the heart of downtown, was choking with unseemly litter and garbage. From soggy discarded shoes to water-laden plastic bags, the watershed was quickly becoming inhospitable for local wildlife.
Unwilling to see her local environment so carelessly violated, she set out to remedy the situation. Hai An contacted a local business called Buffalo Bayou Kayak Tours, who provided kayaks to our students with the caveat that they were used to clean the river. Another group called District 1 Decontamination Unit (DIDU) was also in attendance. They clean the river on a monthly basis, so they were more than pleased to join forces with our CFACT Collegians!
Having recruited over a dozen students to help, Hai An and the group met up at Allen’s Landing Park that resides on the banks of the river and began their cleanup efforts. Setting out, they darted from riverbank to riverbank, the group gliding their way down the river for over two hours, scouring the water for anything out of place.
Laughing and enjoying the beautiful day as they went, the group passed grateful waterfowl and fishermen along the way. Dedicated to accomplishing their goal, their kayaks soon became laden with garbage bags filled with waste.
With their kayaks heavy and their arms tired, the group returned to Allen’s Landing for well deserved snacks and refreshments. As the sun set, Hai An and her cohort proudly surveyed the revitalized river flowing past them. Thanks to her efforts, Houston now knows that their local environment is cleaner thanks to CFACT.