Help clean up Santa Cruz River at Tucson event this Saturday

Spend an afternoon cleaning up the Santa Cruz River while enjoying free food and a community flea market at Tucson Clean & Beautiful’s “Day of Connection” this Saturday morning.

The event, cohosted by Las Milpitas Community Farm, will include live animal encounters from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a bee box building workshop, environmental education activities and more, the organization said.

The nonprofit American Rivers named the Santa Cruz the fourth-most endangered river in the United States last April, in part due to the level of pollution.

An analysis of the river by the Sonoran Institute found that nearly half of all of the trash in the Santa Cruz is food packaging and cups. Another 10 percent of the garbage is single-use clothing and plastic bags.

Tucson Clean & Beautiful recommends that attendees Saturday wear closed-toed shoes or boots and bring a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle to minimize plastic waste. Necessary equipment, gloves and filtered water will be provided.

The event is family-friendly, organizers said, but children under 18 must attend with an adult.

Attendees will meet at Las Milpitas Community Farm at 2405 S. Cottonwood Ln., then the group will head to the restoration site at Paseo de Iglesias along the Santa Cruz. Additional parking and restrooms are available at 1161 W. Silverlake Rd.

Contributing organizations to Saturday’s event include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Tucson Bird Alliance, Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area, Watershed Management Group, The Wilderness Society, Ironwood Tree Experience, The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz and Pima County Flood Control.

Admission is free and registration is available online.