If it’s no one’s trash, can it still be someone’s treasure? CFACT Collegians think so!
On October 24, University of Illinois Chicago student Pearl Beyer led a magnet fishing cleanup project at Canal Origins Park in the Windy City. From the concrete path and railings overlooking a large stretch of canal, students could see the city skyline in the distance, beautifully accented by the autumn color along the banks.
Six other students joined her, along with CFACT National Collegians Director Nate Myers, for several hours of hands-on environmental stewardship along the canal. Two magnet fishing sets — one large and one small — were in use at the same time, giving everyone a chance to cast, pull, and see what the water would give up.
Magnet fishing fits squarely into CFACT’s conservation work. It removes waste and litter from waterways, gives students direct experience in environmental stewardship, and introduces a simple, inexpensive hobby that gets young people outdoors. No permits, no bureaucracy, no lectures required — just magnets, rope, gloves, and a willingness to get a little dirty. The same mindset that has CFACT Collegians cleaning lakes in Florida and Maine was implemented in this Chicago canal: Leave the place cleaner than you found it.
The haul was surprisingly steady. Students recovered pieces of fishing rods, various tools, railroad spikes, fishing hooks, and an assortment of bolts, washers, nuts, and other metallic debris. Plenty of trash came up with the metal too — tangled, attached, or simply stuck — and was bagged for proper disposal. Though they found no lost treasure, just the ordinary junk that often collects in urban waterways, our students treasured the chance to clean up their local ecosystem.
An interested passerby named Gretel joined the group while waiting for her bus and tried the magnets for herself. She was thrilled to learn about CFACT’s work and mission as she dragged the magnet across the canal floor. Spooky snacks kept everyone festively fed throughout the afternoon.
Environmental activism should not be complicated or emotionally charged. Tying yourself to trees and lying down in front of traffic does little to help nature. Sometimes, all you need are a handful of students, a couple of magnets, and an afternoon spent pulling junk out of the water for the plants and animals that call it home.
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The post CFACT Students in Chicago Prove Their Metal was first published by the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), and is republished here with permission. Please support their efforts.
