I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to E1 Capitan, a huge rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew 1 I wanted to climb it. That has been my life's passion ever since — 2 the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I've long made Yosemite my 3 .
About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of 4 , like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It's 5 me why visitors started respecting the place 6 and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.
I tried 7 trash (垃圾) myself, but the job was too big. I would spend an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so 8 it that I decided something had to change.
As a rock-climbing guide, I knew 9 about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a cleanup. On that day, more than 300 people showed up. Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to 10 . I couldn't believe the 11 we made — the park looked clean!
Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and 12 132 miles of roadway.
I often hear people 13 about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by doing rather than complaining. We need to teach by 14 . You can't blame others 15 you start with yourself.
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