The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Adopt-a-River Program began in 1989 when the Clean Rivers Interagency Task Force realized that one-time cleanups would never completely solve the problem of rubbish in our public waters. Since then, the program has completed thousands of cleanups, removing millions of pounds of rubbish from Minnesota waters. The Institute of Production is proud to be a part of this and has once again volunteered time and effort to participate in such a worthy goal. Staff and faculty members gathered at the Mississippi riverfront and collectively removed a couple hundred pounds of refuse, a total down significantly from the previous year. This indicates that although regular upkeep will always be necessary, the work is paying off with noticeable results. If you are interested in joining the fight against the pollution of our waters, the DNR will send you a “How to…” kit including everything you need to know for a successful cleanup, just visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/adoptriver.