Join Silver City Pick It Up-Toss No Mas and Gila Resources Information Project on Saturday, May 20th, from 9 am - 12 pm at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center parking lot in Silver City for the Dash for Trash ”Plogging” Event.

Plogging is a combination of jogging and picking up litter. It began several years ago as an organized activity in Sweden due to growing concerns about plastic pollution. Since then more than 3 million people around the world have participated in organized plogging events.  Pick It Up-Toss No Mas is bringing this fun global trend to Silver City. The goal is to help make the community cleaner, healthier and more beautiful while getting some exercise. 

Ploggers can walk, jog or run all or a portion of a 3-mile loop while picking up litter in downtown Silver City, Gough Park, Lions Park and Big Ditch Park. 

Celebrate your completion of the route in Big Ditch Park with a fiesta from 11 am to 1 pm with music, food and refreshments. Pick It Up - Toss No Mas founder Mayor Ken Ladner will thank participants and award prizes.

Ploggers will meet at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center parking lot at 9 am and pick up supplies - trash bags, gloves, a grabber to pick up litter, and an official Pick It Up-Toss No Mas t-shirt. 

Rest stations will be located along the route where ploggers can drop off trash if their bags have become too heavy and fill up with water.  At the end of the route back at the Visitor Center, each plogger’s trash bags will be tallied. Prizes will be given to the top three individuals and teams that collect the most litter. 

We recommend that volunteers wear closed-toe shoes and bring a hat, water bottle, and wear sunscreen. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Participants are encouraged to register as individuals or as a team by Friday, May 19 at https://tinyurl.com/SilverCityPlogging2023. 

Check out the new Pick It Up-Toss No Mas website www.silvercitytossnomas.org to learn about other litter prevention opportunities, the business pledge program, Adopt-A-Roadway or Waterway program, and solid waste disposal and recycling resources. 

Volunteers are the foundation of the Pick It Up – Toss No Mas program. Since October 2021, over 520 volunteers have collected 14,587 pounds of trash, debris, and recyclables from Highways 180 and 90, Silver City neighborhoods, Big Ditch Park, and San Vicente Creek.  Thanks to all of the volunteers, organizations, and partners who attended our Gila Earth Day Cleanup Event in April. We were honored to work together to make a significant difference for our environment this Earth Day. 

Monthly Pick It Up – Toss No Mas clean-up events are held the third Saturday of every month. Community members can also adopt a roadway or waterway to take care of and clean up throughout the year. Alternatively, you can organize your own cleanup, and Pick It Up – Toss No Mas can supply the trash pickers, trash bags and gloves for your event.

Pick It Up – Toss No Mas community cleanup events are partially funded by a grant from New Mexico Clean and Beautiful and the Town of Silver City and sponsored by the Town, Silver City Watershed Keepers, Silver City Recycles, Silver City MainStreet, SWNMACT, Southwest Solid Waste Authority, Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce, and New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Toss No Mas Program.

More information can be found at silvercitytossnomas.org or contact Candice Baca, Program Coordinator at 575-538-8078 or via email at pickituptossnomas@gmail.com