MOLINE, Ill. — Earth Day is Saturday, April 22 and Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) is teaming up with Culver's for a fundraiser.
This is the third consecutive year the Quad Cities environmental organization and restaurant chain are partnering for this Earth Day fundraiser.
News 8's Charles Hart spoke with LL&W communications specialist Callie Schaser who said LL&W has raised $30,000 the last two years from the fundraiser.
"The financial aspect of it helps quite a bit," Schaser said. "And so when we get that money, that either goes to fuel costs, or our travel costs, our maintenance costs, and ultimately just putting all the money back into the organization to help us get the rivers a lot cleaner than what they are."
There's 33 Culver's restaurants in and around the Quad City area participating this year.
According to a press release from LL&W, Culver's restaurants this year will donate 10% of net sales to LL&W for this Earth Day.
"It's honestly just a general connection that us as humans can relate to," Schaser said. "It's one day that, hey, it's for the Earth, we might as well join in and participate. But I think more importantly, it's the education behind it, so that it gets them out the door, they get in a place to say, I'm doing something for Earth Day, but now I'm excited and what can I do more."
News 8's Charles Hart also spoke with owner and operator of three of the participating Culver's locations, Mike Martel. He said LL&W reaches further than just the Quad Cities.
"It's got a global impact," Martel said. "And we know that so much of the trash that ends up in the oceans and affects the world comes right out of the rivers. With all the work that they do, not only within the rivers, but in educating the people around the area, to just help them understand that everybody can play a part and everybody can contribute to a cleaner world and a cleaner environment."
"I hope year after year, we continue to add more to make this a larger contribution with a bigger global impact," Martel said.
If you would like to make a specific donation to LL&W, you can do so by clicking/tapping here.