“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

— Albert Einstein

For the past year or two I’ve picked up trash around the neighborhood in *front* of my house, but never *behind* my house. It never donned on me because our house sits in front of a wetland.

One trashy problem, SOLVed.

In September, I took my girls down to the beach for the Great Oregon Beach Cleanup, sponsored by SOLV. Last month, I learned that SOLV volunteers are helping keep Oregon streams clean all year long. After I signed up, I met with Quintin, a SOLV employee who supplied me with all the garbage bags and plastic gloves I needed to help keep our creek clean.

Today, with a break in the rainy weather, I donned my rubber waders and gloves, and set out to see what I would find. There was the usual assortment of cans, bottles and Starbucks cups. I also found an old hubcap, a four foot hunk of iron and a remote controlled boat. It was like a treasure hunt minus the treasure.

Inspired by photonatureblog.wordpress.com here are some red berries contrasting the brown swamp. (click the image to see some good nature photos)

It’s only a start, but at least it’s a start. There’s a lot of creek to cover and explore. At minimum, there’s one less bag of trash on the ground.

All it took was a little backwards thinking.

SOLVed a little trash problem in the wetland behind our house.