Seattle U Collegians clean litter to protect the Puget Sound

Like its liberal counterparts, Seattle has become yet another “progressive” city with an extensive homelessness problem. The combination of high taxes, energy prices, and barriers to starting and maintaining a small business is driving more and more middle and low-income residents into poverty.

Piles of trash that are becoming more frequent in and around Seattle’s homeless areas. Picture credit: Seattle Times

According to the Seattle Times, this extensive homelessness problem has resulted in the government having to clean up 42,000 pounds of trash from areas where many people are living out of cars or RV’s. 

In light of this, Collegians at Seattle University decided to take community and environmental stewardship into their own hands. They organized a campus and neighborhood cleanup with CFACT and other conservative clubs on campus.

“After only an hour of walking the streets around campus, seven of us were able to collect three large garbage bags of trash,” said Christian Spears, a junior. 

“The purpose of our neighborhood cleanup goes beyond our desire to make the streets look nice and clean. We also want to do our part in protecting the health of the Puget Sound. The Puget Sound has over 1,300 miles of coastline and has long been a driver in the economic success of the region,” Spears added.

A storm drain that leads to the Puget Sound where Seattle U Collegians picked up trash nearby.

“Unfortunately, with a large homeless population in Seattle, much of their trash  collects on the sidewalk and in the storm drains. Living in such a large metropolitan area that receives rain on average of 152 days a year, we know that a main contributor to pollution in the Puget Sound is rainwater runoff.”

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Puget Sound fishing industry supports over 14,000 jobs and $1.4 billion in revenue each year. The most common pathway for toxins and pollutants to enter the Sound is through storm water runoff in urban areas. Local economists project storm water pollution to cost over $1 billion over the next ten years. With environmental regulations already significantly hampering local businesses, and complete one-party control over the state congress, there are even more policies coming down the pike to harm business growth.

“Instead of relying on local or federal government stepping in, we used this opportunity to demonstrate the influence that we still have as individuals,” Christian said.

As homelessness and pollution increases in areas dominated by liberal politicians, CFACT Collegians will continue to spread the message of free markets and put these words into real action.