Living in Northeast Michigan, beaches are aplenty on the Lake Huron/Thunder Bay shoreline.

And the community surely takes advantage of it, especially in the summer, heading to the water for a swim or to soak in the summer sun.

However, where people go, garbage is often left behind.

At least that’s what Meag Schwartz, founder of the nonprofit Great Lakes Great Responsibility, said in a Wednesday News article by staff writer Maxwell Olmstead.

“Wherever humans go, there is often going to be a lot of trash,” Schwartz said.

Being so close to the water, some of it is sure to creep into the lake, polluting the Great Lakes.

That’s why we’re excited to see that Schwartz and the nonprofit are working on raising money for beach cleanup and overall Great Lakes health.

“I put a call to action on social media,” Schwartz continued, hoping to raise “$5,000 for the five Great Lakes.”

The nonprofit raised nearly $5,000 in just over a month, with $2,000 donated on Monday by an anonymous donor. The money will be used for organized beach cleanups, mini-grant programs, and new beach cleanup self-service stations.

The planned local self-service stations will allow people to report the amount of trash that they picked up, contributing to the Great Lakes One Million Challenge, where one million pieces of trash are removed from the Great Lakes.

Schwartz said that 25 donors have responded to her call to action and have raised $4,850 since December. Donors from across the Great Lakes region, but also you, Northeast Michigan.

We’re happy to see that not only is there a local organization working to make our beautiful lakes better and cleaner but that the community is playing its part in the matter.

Whether it’s making a donation or being more mindful when visiting local beaches, we’re hoping that movements like the Great Lakes One Million Challenge and organizations like Great Lakes Great Responsibility inspire all Michiganders to contribute, in one way or another, to keeping the Great Lakes beautiful and working to make them trash-free.