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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It isn't so much that married couple Peter and Sharon Chynoweth like to pick up other peoples' garbage. They just can't stand seeing it on the ground.

Peter and Sharon Chynoweth went out together on Wednesday, May 13 to help pick up trash in the area designated to Montessori school during Spring Clean-up Week. - Katherine Roth/NNSL photo

"Both of us are very careful when it comes to making sure our garbage makes it to the trash," said Sharon. "We hope that people will see a difference in the city and start to have a little more pride. Then they might start to pay attention personally."

After moving here four years ago from Jasper, the Chynoweths were shocked to see the amount of garbage that surfaced as all the snow began to melt.

"We moved here in the fall, so it was a huge surprise come spring," Sharon said. "Especially being from a place where you just don't see that."

Peter said any good citizen would want to live in a clean city, so he hopes to lead by example in making the change toward a cleaner community.

"I'm hoping that we can start the same sort of thing that happened in New York against the graffiti," he said. "If we keep it clean enough, maybe people will stop making such a mess."

The couple said they think it is largely up to the community to make sure that Yellowknife stays litter-free, because all it takes is a small effort from every individual.

"I pick up trash when I see it," said Sharon. "If everyone did that, it would make a huge difference."