SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Bending over to bag trash for a couple of hours is easy - that's according to "Pick-up Trash Artist" Lynn White.

"It's very simple and requires very little effort, but the results make a big improvement in the community," she said.

Someone's got to do it: Lynn White is one of several "Pick-up Trash Artists" committed to cleaning up Yellowknife, one street at a time. - Charlotte Hilling/NNSL photo

White is one of several "artists" who meet on a regular basis during spring and summer and pick up litter in an attempt to beautify the city.

She does not consider herself an environmental activist, but said she is conscious of the impact she and those around her have on the Earth, and joined the group in June, 2008.

"It seemed like the right thing to do for the community," she said.

White contacted city councillor Paul Falvo - one of two people who established the group - who instructed her to head down to Javaroma, where the group base themselves - she has been going ever since.

This is the first time White - a resident of Yellowknife for the last 18 years - has been involved in a clean-up program like this, but she said she is committed to the cause.

As president of Whiteworks Consulting, she and her company sponsor door prizes which are given out each trash pickup session, in an attempt to thank current "artists," and encourage others to get involved. She said there are no areas in the city that are substantially worse than others, but it is all about the seasons.

"It's all about equal - the worst time of year is spring because the snow melts and reveals all of the trash that we didn't know was there for the whole winter," she said.

The issue of litter cannot be put down to anyone in particular, said White. Everyone needs to pitch in.

"There isn't any one group or person that's responsible for litter. I think it's really all of our responsibilities."

However, she did have one suggestion for the city: "It would be good to see more garbage cans and ashtrays downtown. I think if we're trying to encourage people to do the right thing then we need to make it easy for them to do the right thing," she said.

She said she has not noticed any major fluctuations in the number of people opting to help pick up trash, but she said the numbers have remained consistent.

"It seems like there's a strong, healthy group of people who come regularly."

And it hasn't all been for nothing, with White noticing decreases in the volume of litter.

"I would say the amount of litter that we pick up on a regular evening seems to be getting less. I'm not sure that's because we're doing such a good job, or that people are more aware - but there seems to be less litter out there," she said.

White has one request for Yellowknifers: "If everyone picked up one piece of litter a day - there would be no litter problem in Yellowknife."