As we all look for ways to continue to be involved in our communities while continuing to social distance, The Clean Earth Project provides the perfect opportunity to do some good!
Ashley Lionetti is lives in Stamford and is mom to an 18 month old son. She and her husband are expecting their second son at the end of August!
9 years ago, Ashley and her brother Chris started the apparel company that is a 100% recycled clothing line and all sales help fund beach clean ups.
The idea for the company was inspired by their father who Ashley explains invented a litter pick up tool in 1993 called The Trash Bagger (brought to market in 2010). The tool holds the mouth of a trash bag open during use, increases the sanitary factor of picking up litter and allows you to be more efficient and productive at the task itself. That’s where it all began!
“The Clean Earth Project was started from everything that we learned over the years of working to bring The Trash Bagger to market. We worked alongside many groups, non profits, organizations, towns and cities etc across the USA to help cleanup their communities, and by using The Trash Bagger, their cleanups were more successful. We learned that successful cleanups also had community support and we wanted to bring everything back home that we learned to Connecticut to educate, bring awareness to the littering issue we face and to conduct top notch cleanup events,” says Ashley.
Ashley explains, “Through sales of our apparel, our goal is to raise awareness to the pollution issue we’re facing, reduce waste and to create a cleaner environment for all to live in. All sales help fund our public cleanup events.”
“We host 20+ events throughout our season in Connecticut alone, this season is a little different, but we also have our ambassadors hosting cleanups in our name throughout the USA, making us a nationwide company! We also work privately with companies who want to do a day of giving back for their employees,” she continues.
The clean up events are fun and educational, plus they incorporate the Trash Bagger!
“We take the dirty work out of picking up litter! Our events are fun and educational. Our team is out picking up litter side by side with the volunteers and developing relationships. We’re all about community here at The Clean Earth Project. We think of our volunteers as part of our family and they come back often to our events and follow us to help clean up other communities other than their own,” says Ashley.
Ashley says the mission of The Clean Earth Project is something she hopes to pass on to her boys.
“Especially now. Every decision we make impacts the environment. I hope that my boys will love taking care of our environment as much as I do! They will surely be brought up on knowing the importance of keeping it clean,” she explains.
“Education is the foundation of everything. If we can open the eyes of our volunteers and everyone we connect with on what we do here at The Clean Earth Project, we will continue to make a difference within our communities to reduce the spread of litter,” she says.
The Clean Earth Project has started clean up events again this season. For more information on their events or to sign up to volunteer, check here. You can also sign up for The Clean Earth Project email list to get information about upcoming events sent to your inbox.
Apparel is also available for purchase on The Clan Earth Project website. Use code SHARK for 20% off all shark gear!
The Clean Earth Project has apparel for men, women and children, in addition to accessories like reusable drinkware!