Stag Hill Cleanup Program

Clean Ups

We don’t have any cleanups this Fall, but check back in to look for cleanups in 2024!

The heartbeat of MEVO

In Earth Crew lies the heartbeat and origin of MEVO and our environmental work. From day one we were cleaning up parks, organizing recycling drives, planting trees, and assisting in natural disaster relief helping people clean up the homes from storm damage. Our roots are based in hyper-local need-based environmental action. From our first Earth Crew events, our work has expanded to focus on the removal of large-scale dumping from the preserved forests of Stag Hill, the ancestral land of the Ramapough Lenape Nation. Since 2011 we have been up on Stag Hill steadily working to remove over 6000,000 pounds of trash. All of our work, including our cleanup efforts on Stag Hill has been done with 100% volunteer effort. We are beyond proud to have had the support of such dedicated and passionate community volunteers over our decade of work up on Stag Hill.

Most recently, we were contracted by the Land Conservancy of New Jersey to clean up the 53-acre Stag Hill Split Rock Property on Stag Hill that has been given back to the Ramapough Lenape Nation in a land trust. Over 2021-2022 we held 10 cleanup and conducted 25 internal prep work days (cutting up cars, refrigerators, washing machines, etc) to clean up the site. So far, 4 thirty cubic yard dumpsters of tires and 6 cubic yard dumpsters of trash have been removed from the site.

Past Earth Crew Events:

Clean-Ups

Earth Crew’s trash cleanups are an integral part of what we do. In order to combat littering and its consequences—chemical damage to ground soil, harm to various animals exposed to trash, health risks to people, unsightly communities, etc.—Earth Crew works to eliminate these issues by removing garbage from the environment and disposing of it properly.

Tree planting & gardening

The Earth Crew’s horticultural efforts, such as events in conjunction with the New Jersey Botanical Gardens, help raise plants that not only give us precious oxygen but beautify the splendor of the environment.

Recycling Drives

Earth Crew works with another non-profit, Principia NP, to encourage recycling of old electronics. If sent to a landfill, their components, such as internal batteries, poison the environment. During Earth Crew recycling drives, old electronics are accepted free of charge and sent to a special processing center where they are broken down safely and effectively.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Distribution

To promote energy preservation, Earth Crew partners with OneChange and assists their Project Porchlight initiative, in which our volunteers distribute compact fluorescent bulbs throughout local towns. CFL bulbs conserve tremendous amounts of electricity (likely generated by fossil fuels) and save money on energy bills.

Trail Maintenance, Construction, & Rehabilitation

Environmental enthusiasts love to hike but without proper paths to walk on, human activity causes erosion and harms flora. Earth Crew partners with the NY-NJ Trail Conference to restore hiking trails throughout the New York / New Jersey area so people can enjoy nature without inadvertently hurting it.

Recycling Bin Creation & Distribution

Courtesy of Hydrosorbent Dehumidifiers in Massachusetts, Earth Crew inherits wooden bins that would otherwise be sent to a landfill and instead turns them into recycling containers that are distributed to schools, business,es and parks in the Tri-state area.

Educational Assemblies & Public Outreach

Spreading awareness is one of the most effective ways of protecting the environment. Earth Crew participates in various types of public outreach programs in order to update people on pressing ecological issues. These include organizing assemblies in the Mahwah school district that teach students about the benefits of recycling (and the implications of not recycling), promoting anti-idling campaigns to decrease carbon emissions and visiting town fairs to raise local awareness.

Today, Earth Crew operates throughout northern New Jersey and upstate New York, carrying out environmental service events three or four times per month during the spring, summer and autumn seasons. Our volunteer base is led by and consists of young adults from both high school and college, stemming primarily from our home town of Mahwah and surrounding municipalities in Bergen County. MEVO strives to mitigate human impact on nature and instill an appreciation for it amongst our peers. Preserve the delicate ecological balance that colors our world each and every day for future generations!