Since I am not a Georgia native, I had no idea what to expect when Mrs. Palmer, the founder of Atlanta Creek League, suggested that we should explore Clear Creek, which is a part of the Chattahoochee River watershed. It was a fun experience to learn more about the creek and connect with those on the BeltLine who were not aware of which creek they were near. However, even though we were able to have fun, we were also able to find heavily littered areas in the city. One prominent example was the area under Piedmont Avenue Bridge in which I have an active case with the city for litter removal.  

Regarding the goals that were set out, Mrs. Palmer and I decided to set our focus on outreaching to local communities and businesses to be more conscious of water pollution as well as informing them of which creek one is located nearby by entering their address on the website. The act of easily locating which creek an individual lives near is the most interesting aspect of Atlanta Creek League due to the shocked expressions people have when they are able to name something they have always looked at. As mentioned before, we were able to meet with people on the BeltLine and it was humorous to see the sheer surprise on their faces. Moreover, not only is this aspect interesting since it takes a short amount of time, but it can also provide unexpected outcomes since an individual will be able to take the first steps in becoming involved in watershed issues and in contacting organizations that are dedicated to their creeks. 

My service assignment is informing my final project since I am getting a firsthand account of what I am promoting, a promotion of interest in one’s local creek, for my digital brochure. It is also informing my final project since I am mapping out where Clear Creek is and noting how crucial its protection is for Atlanta’s water to be safe. 

I would highly recommend Atlanta Creek League to anyone. In fact, I have already recommended the organization to individuals in my other organizations due to its important work and because the people I have worked with are extremely nice as well as caring. I would also recommend it due to the founder being highly efficient and passionate in her work. 

I do believe that I will dedicate more time in the future to serving this organization as I have made many connections with the people I have helped, and met, since we have a common cause. Additionally, I will dedicate more time to this organization since their work directly affects me as I have to use Atlanta’s water system that obtains its water through the Chattahoochee River and is connected to the surrounding creeks, which highlights its importance even more.