Giving Back to the Mighty Mississippi

September 8, 2009 | Restoring Rivers

"The face of the river, in time, became a wonderful book ... which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it had uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day."
Mark Twain
Life on the Mississippi

The Mississippi is one of our most iconic rivers, inspiring Mark Twain’s novels, Johnny Cash’s “Big River,” and a host of other references throughout America’s history. In addition to being a rich part of our culture, the Mississippi is the source of drinking water for 18 million people, an important habitat for wildlife, and the backbone of our economy.

Unfortunately, the mighty Mississippi is in trouble due to pollution from untreated sewage.  That is why the 1Mississippi Campaign was launched to help average citizens along the river and its tributaries learn how they can help this great natural resource. People can help through simple changes, such as reducing yard chemicals and using native plants, and larger actions, such as organizing a cleanup or getting involved with local government to ensure policies are helping the river and its people, not hurting it.

American Rivers has a long history of working to restore the Mississippi River, and we are proud to be a partner in this campaign.  To learn more, visit www.1mississippi.net.

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