In October 2023, Human Nature Projects (HNP) and community members participated in a significant clean-up event at Rouge Park. This initiative, a collaborative effort with five EcoSpark staff and over 20 volunteers, proved highly successful. During the five-hour event, the dedicated team managed to thoroughly clean three trails within Rouge Park and its beach area, providing a valuable opportunity for like-minded individuals to connect while making a tangible positive impact on the environment.

This clean-up directly addresses the critical issue of waste and pollution in Ontario. Annually, an estimated one tonne of waste is produced per person in the province, contributing to approximately 10,000 tonnes of plastic ending up in Ontario's lakes and rivers. This waste also leads to significant carbon dioxide emissions, with Ontario's solid waste emitting 3.4 million tonnes.Alarmingly, the Great Lakes are now found to contain more microplastics than oceans, posing a direct threat as these microplastics are then transferred from aquatic animals to humans, underscoring the urgent need for such clean-up efforts.