ADDISON COUNTY — On the first Saturday in May Vermonters head out to roads, streams and fields to pick up trash on the state’s annual Green Up Day.

But, although that day is still more than a week off, Vermonters who are moved by signs of spring don’t need to wait to pitch in, says Lowell Bertrand, Green Up coordinator in Vergennes.

“Although Green Up Day is May 3, volunteers can start picking up trash anytime between now and then,” he said, pointing out that citizens can stop by Vergennes City Hall anytime through May 2 to pick up special green bags for collecting roadside trash. “Our supplies have been ordered for the effort of greening up Vergennes, but I would not dissuade volunteers from picking up trash anywhere they see it. Our overall goal is to Green Up Vermont.”

Green Up Day is overseen by a state organization, but the organization is really done at the local level — even at the level of each household. That’s because it is up to each Vermonter to decide to take action individually, and then go out and pick up trash and dispose of it in the proper place.

Each town has a Green Up coordinator to help make things happen in their own locality.

For example, Peggy Lyons is Weybridge’s Green Up coordinator. She recently reached out on Front Porch Forum to tell residents they can find green trash bags, gloves, information sheets/cards and a signup sheet/road map at the Recycling Center.

“Please use the highlighter to mark the road section you will be cleaning,” Lyons wrote. “Add your name to the sheet with the next sequential number AND write that number by where you highlighted the road section. Please list the number of people in your party helping to clean up. The state organization asks for this information.

She noted that it is first come/first claimed, but noted that “people are rather protective and claim ‘ownership’ to sections they have cleaned for years.”

Becky Trombley is the Green Up Day coordinator in Starksboro. She said that starting on April 23 people could pick up Green Up bags at the Jerusalem Store, Starksboro Public Library and town clerk’s office during normal business hours.

“If they are Greening Up on a state road they can just leave those bags on the side of the road (Route 17 or Route 116),” Trombley told the Independent. “If they’re on a town road we’re asking people to bring those bags to the transfer station between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on May 3.”

She said that people looking for a way to get involved or get more information can call her at 802-453-7350. She added it’s nice if people call and mention where they are greening up, the mileage they cover and the number of bags.

“I would just like to put out appreciation for everybody that contributes,” Trombley said. “We have people that have been coming out to green up every year for a really long time, and that’s really appreciated.”

You can find your town’s Green Up coordinator on the state website at greenupvermont.org/towndetails.

Beyond town-organized activities, others also plan Green Up events.

Middlebury Area Land Trust (MALT) is partnering with Addison County Solid Waste Management District and Pollinator Pathways of Addison County on a May 3 event.

It includes picking up bags, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at College Park adjacent to the Academy Street Bus Stop. In addition to light snacks and water until 1 p.m., MALT Interim Executive Director Erica Harris and MALT board members will be there until 10 a.m. and welcome community insight regarding the organization’s leadership transition and MALT’s next phase of growth.

Drop off Green Up bags in Middlebury at the same location until 3 p.m.

If you wish to grab a Green Up bag before May 3, do so at the MALT office in the Marble Works or at the Middlebury town offices.

In conjunction with this event, Pollinator Pathways  will offer a Potting Workshop 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

In Vergennes, Bertram and his Co-Coordinator and daughter Sierra Bertrand will be stationed at City Park on May 3 from 8 a.m. to noon handing out bags and gloves to anyone who wishes to volunteer and/or drop off any items they have collected. And volunteers may leave their collected items along roadside anywhere within the city limits that day so the Bertrams can pick them up after noon, or the city Public Works Department can collect on that Monday.

If citizens want to contribute financially, they can do so by donating to Green Up Vermont on Line 23 of their Vermont tax return, Bertram pointed out. And he had a big-picture observation.

“Although Green Up Day is always scheduled for the first Saturday, volunteers are encouraged to make is a year round activity,” he said.

Contributors to this story were Andy Kirkaldy, Marin Howell, John Flowers and John S. McCright.