Some creative minds at local companies bioRide, Urban Grid and Ellwood Thompson’s have a vision, as their new website says, “that through combined efforts, teamwork, and a little sweat, could change Richmond for the better.” Becky Lakin of ET’s, Samantha Heyl, of Urban Grid, and Jeff and Joey Anderson, of bioRide, are the creative minds, and to further their vision they created an organization: SustainRVA.

“We Richmonders love our city. We love the James River, Downtown, the Fan, the art, the events, the low cost of living relative to all of the super cool things we have access to,” they write. “We love it all. But sometimes, we forget to slow down and take some time to give that love back to the city that gives so much to us. On the foundation of the belief that we can pull resources together and create a movement, we established sustainRVA and created the organizations first ever event – RENEW RICHMOND. Welcome to that event and thank you for joining us.”

RichmondOutside.com recognizes that without clean waters, woods, and communities, the River City wouldn’t be nearly the outdoors destination it currently is and is in the process of becoming. Who wants to paddle past trash on the James or ride past it in Pocahontas State Park? For that reason (and because we’re pretty excited about the trash-art contest), we’re proud to partner with sustainRVA in promoting Renew Richmond.

What is this new event? It’s a trash clean up with a twist. “We wanted to make it a little more interesting, so there’s an art component to this as well,” Lakin told me last week. “If you are artistically inclined, we would love for you to take the trash that you pick up and make something totally fresh and new out of it. Then we’re going to display all of that in a pop-up art exhibit in Carytown, the last two weeks in October.”

Or, as the website says, Renew Richmond is a month-long event dedicated to beautifying our city and rewarding those who do. Pick up trash. Plant a garden. Recycle waste. Whatever beautification means to you, do it.”

Anyone can get a team together (or roll solo) and, during the first two weeks in October, they’re tasked with picking up refuse and, if they feel so moved, turning it (or some portion of it) into art. As Lakin said, in her inimitable style, “Let’s say you find an old-ass pallet. Make a planter out of it.”

Of course, you and your teammates don’t have to make art. You can just pick up trash. There are awards for that, too.

You’ll be hearing more about Sustain RVA’s Renew Richmond project in this space in the coming weeks. In the meantime, starting looking for team members and scouting areas that are in particular need of trash-removal aid. This one is going to be fun!