Stag Hill Cleanups

Stag Hill Cleanups

In 2011, MEVO began supporting efforts to remove large-scale illegal dumping from the preserved forests of Stag Hill, the ancestral land of the Ramapough Lenape Nation.

Years later, the Land Conservancy of New Jersey (TLC-NJ) purchased a 54-acre parcel of land on Stag Hill known as Split Rock Mountain. TLC-NJ returned the land to the Ramapough Lenape Nation in a land trust. MEVO was contracted by TLC-NJ to further clean up the site. Learn more here.

Through 100% volunteer-powered events, MEVO helped to remove 850,000 pounds of trash over a decade.

Earth Crew — MEVO’s Cornerstone Initiative

Cleanups

Earth Crew’s trash cleanups are an integral part of what we do. In order to combat littering and its consequences—chemical damage to ground soil, harm to various animals exposed to trash, health risks to people, unsightly communities, etc.—Earth Crew works to eliminate these issues by removing garbage from the environment and disposing of it properly.

Tree planting & gardening

The Earth Crew’s horticultural efforts, such as events in conjunction with the New Jersey Botanical Gardens, help raise plants that not only give us precious oxygen but beautify the splendor of the environment.

Recycling Drives

Earth Crew works with another non-profit, Principia NP, to encourage recycling of old electronics. If sent to a landfill, their components, such as internal batteries, poison the environment. During Earth Crew recycling drives, old electronics are accepted free of charge and sent to a special processing center where they are broken down safely and effectively.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Distribution

To promote energy preservation, Earth Crew partners with OneChange and assists their Project Porchlight initiative, in which our volunteers distribute compact fluorescent bulbs throughout local towns. CFL bulbs conserve tremendous amounts of electricity (likely generated by fossil fuels) and save money on energy bills.

Trail Maintenance, Construction, & Rehabilitation

Environmental enthusiasts love to hike but without proper paths to walk on, human activity causes erosion and harms flora. Earth Crew partners with the NY-NJ Trail Conference to restore hiking trails throughout the New York / New Jersey area so people can enjoy nature without inadvertently hurting it.

Recycling Bin Creation & Distribution

Courtesy of Hydrosorbent Dehumidifiers in Massachusetts, Earth Crew inherits wooden bins that would otherwise be sent to a landfill and instead turns them into recycling containers that are distributed to schools, business,es and parks in the Tri-state area.

Educational Assemblies & Public Outreach

Spreading awareness is one of the most effective ways of protecting the environment. Earth Crew participates in various types of public outreach programs in order to update people on pressing ecological issues. These include organizing assemblies in the Mahwah school district that teach students about the benefits of recycling (and the implications of not recycling), promoting anti-idling campaigns to decrease carbon emissions and visiting town fairs to raise local awareness.

Today, Earth Crew operates throughout northern New Jersey and upstate New York, carrying out environmental service events three or four times per month during the spring, summer and autumn seasons. Our volunteer base is led by and consists of young adults from both high school and college, stemming primarily from our home town of Mahwah and surrounding municipalities in Bergen County. MEVO strives to mitigate human impact on nature and instill an appreciation for it amongst our peers. Preserve the delicate ecological balance that colors our world each and every day for future generations!

Group of volunteers cleaning up trash in a wooded area during an outdoor environmental cleanup event.
Two young men are putting together the tops of large red recycling barrels outdoors near a parking lot and green trees.
People cleaning up trash and debris from a wooded area, with piles of tires and scattered rubbish on the ground.
A group of ten young adults posing outdoors on a rocky trail in a wooded area, some standing and some crouching, smiling at the camera.
A man standing in a pickup truck bed filled with trash and debris along a rural road surrounded by green trees.
Person in blue jacket welding metal debris in a forested area with sparks flying.
Group of teenagers planting a small evergreen tree in a grassy outdoor area.
Two young men working together outdoors on a residential street, lifting a wooden chair into a truck. One man is standing on the truck bed wearing a white shirt, mask, and red cap, while the other is standing on the ground wearing a dark shirt and gl
Group of people outdoors on a sunny fall day, standing on and around a large pile of discarded tires and debris, smiling and raising their hands in celebration.
Group of people planting a small evergreen tree together on a grassy hillside.
Group of teenagers standing in front of a truck during a recycling drive, holding a sign for electronics recycling event, with trees and power lines in the background.
Six young people standing outdoors near a pile of collected trash that includes tires, leaves, and a bicycle, during a cleanup event in a wooded area.
Two women and a boy painting a large green metal trash can outdoors.
A man in black shirt and jeans standing on the side of a road in a wooded area, smiling and giving thumbs up, next to a large pile of trash and garbage bags.
Four people collecting scrap metal from the bed of a gray pickup truck in a wooded area on a clear day.
Two people working outdoors in a wooded area with fallen leaves, stacking old tires on a large rock. One person is standing on the tires, giving a thumbs up, while the other is working near a vehicle.
People gathered around a vehicle in a forested area, with a pile of tires and debris nearby.
Group of people standing outdoors in a forested area with fallen leaves, raising their hands for a group photo.