Step One: Educate and Prepare

• Ask your group why it’s important to keep our watersheds, streams, and rivers clean. Learn about Stream Team and the importance of conserving Missouri’s water sources.
• Cover the safety and guidelines on this site with your group.
• Ensure all members complete the volunteer waiver on Engage prior to service.
• Discuss day of service logistics: meeting place, transportation, appropriate attire (sturdy closed toe shoes and face covering required, pants strongly encouraged, clothing appropriate for the weather), what to bring (water bottle, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray)
• Pick up supplies for your group in the Center for Student Involvement: available 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. You will need to pickup work gloves, bags, and a cleanup safety sheet for your group. There are also optional Stream Team T-shirts available. Please only take one T-shirt for each member of your group.

Step Two: Serve!

• Cleanups are most impactful in small groups. Consider splitting into groups with no more than five people each.
• Set a central meeting location and time.
• Cover safety reminders again. No trespassing onto private property. Do not cross streams or rivers or walk on water covered surfaces (rocks, fallen trees, etc.). Safety first.
• Ask all groups to bring trash bags back to meeting location.

Step Three: Reflect

• Before departing back to campus, lead your group in a short reflection debrief. Reflecting on service is an essential part of having a meaningful experience!
• Example reflection questions:
  • How did we serve the community through our cleanup today?
  • What did you learn about environmental issues in our community?
  • What was uncomfortable for you during this experience? How did you handle this? What if anything surprised you?
  • What might transform the environmental and pollution issues facing our society, and lead to sustainable change?

Step Four: Within 48 hours of Service Activity

• Return supplies to Center for Student Involvement on next business day.
• Email sustainmizzou@missouri.edu the quantity of trash bags filled. Include two or three pictures of your group serving and any feedback you have on your group’s Stream Team service experience!

Where to pickup supplies?

Supplies are available in the Center for Student Involvement, 2nd floor of the MU Student Center. The Stream Team cabinet is located in the hallway in between past Mizzou Alternative Breaks office (room 2507R) and ORG. Below is a map of the CSI with a green dot showing you where the cabinet is as well the cabinet space where materials are located.

Choose a location that works for your group!

The locations below in blue are within walking distance of campus. The remaining locations are all within a short drive of campus located throughout Columbia.

Once you choose your group’s location, use the interactive map to find you location in Columbia. You can click on the arrow icon next to Mizzou Stream Team in the map header to open a larger version of the map.

Possible Stream Team Cleanup locations:

• Hinkson Creek: Starting at Capen Park, following the Stream to Providence Road
• Hinkson Creek: Starting at Capen Park, following across the Red Bridge towards Stadium Blvd.
• Grindstone Creek in Grindstone Nature area: Starting at Capen Park
• Grindstone Creek in Grindstone Nature area: Starting off Old 63
• Flat Branch Stream: Located from Stadium Blvd through Flat Branch Park (4th and Cherry St)
• Flat Branch Stream: Starting at MLK Jr Park
• Moss Creek: Located at S. Ann and University Ave (southeast of campus)
• Douglas Park
• Lions-Stephens Park
• Hinkson Creek: Starting near the Broadway parking lot at Stephens Park, following the creek north through the park.
• Hinkson Creek: Starting near the Broadway parking lot at Stephens Park, following the creek south past Broadway Apts
• Hominy Creek: Located off Moon Valley Drive, near Old 63
• Albert Oakland Park (steams within the park)
• Bear Creek: Park on Blue Ridge Road, follow creek north or south
• Bear Creek: Park on Rangeline, follow creek north or south
• Bear Creek starting at Proctor Park
• Harmony Creek starting at Cosmos Park
• Again Street Park off Ash St.
• Flat Branch Creek starting at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park
• Clear Creek: Nifong Park
• East Campus
• Perry Phillips Lake
• Central Campus Cleanup
• Fraternity and Sorority Community Area Cleanup

• Dress appropriately. Close toe shoes required. No flip flops or sandals.
• Bring a re-usable water bottle. Water jugs will be provided, drink lots of water.
• Don’t bring electronic games, cameras, iPods or anything you don’t want to get wet.
• A light backpack or fanny pack is good for carrying water, snacks, etc.
• Stay aware of the members of your group. You must provide your own safety net out there.
• Pick a spot as your meeting place. Bring the bagged trash there and discard in a City of Columbia garbage bin or nearest city dumpster.
• Don’t try to move extremely heavy or hazardous material.
• Never enter the water to retrieve trash or to cool off. If it isn’t readily removable, leave it! The deepest water is often very close to the bank and dirt at the edge can be unstable.
• Never walk on a brush pile over the water.
• The banks can be really slick! So watch your footing and stay out of the water! The mud can be very deep. Test muddy areas before walking into them and stay with a partner.
• Regroup periodically and take a head count.
• Be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. If someone shows signs of heat exhaustion, put them in the water immediately and DO NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE. Call 911.
• Watch for poison ivy, stinging nettles and other hurtful plants.
• Leave all wildlife alone. They are in their place and you are their guest.
• If someone is injured, access the situation. Support the individual in getting back to the meeting location or call 911 if needed.

Additional policies

• I will remain substance-free while participating in all stream team cleanup experiences.
• I will remain clothed (including wearing shorts/pants, a shirt, and closed toe shoes) in all public spaces while participating in stream team cleanup service experiences.
• I will ensure all trash and debris that are collected during our cleanup are left in a public trash bin or dumpster near our cleanup location.

• MO Stream Team: How to Conduct a Litter Cleanup
• Missouri is Number One?
• Missouri Streams Fact Sheet
• Understanding Streams