DERRY — Jennifer Books crept along the soggy marsh, picking up trash with her gloved hand and filling one trash bag after another.
Her twin sister, Judy, traipsed along nearby, filling more bags with litter.
The Derry sisters made cleaning up a family affair last week, spending about 10 hours filling 27 trash bags with glass, bottles, food wrappers and other litter they found in a wetland area on Route 28 near the Hannaford supermarket.
The siblings found more trash than they ever bargained for.
Jennifer works at Hannaford. She said she was surprised to see how much trash ended up in the wetlands — countless plastic bags, carriage wipes from the supermarket carts, fast food wrappers, cups and other plastic.
"Eighty percent of what we found was recyclable materials," she said.
The Books sisters aren't strangers to loving the land and wanting to make a difference.
The pair grew up in New Jersey and always appreciated their native state, working to keep it clean, pitching in for environmental causes and learning about the Earth. They enjoyed gardening and growing their own vegetables.
Once they moved north, the two spent several years tilling a plot at the Broadview community garden project in East Derry. Jennifer got involved last spring with the Forest Hill Cemetery volunteer group, and worked to help clean and restore the historic graveyard in East Derry.
Judy Books was once a member of Derry's Conservation Commission, with the preservation of open space and wetland conservation main concerns.
Jennifer said she volunteered on many occasions with beach cleanups on Plum Island and Crane Beach. She also got interested in the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn and spent time volunteering there.
It's who they are, Jennifer said, and it's about helping the planet.
Cleaning up part of the community is a simple way to make a difference, Jennifer said. It's as simple as getting a bag, a pair of gloves and finding a spot in need of some tender loving care.
"I feel really good about it," she said.
The town of Derry provides garbage bags to anyone wishing to take on a community roadside cleanup project, according to recycling coordinator Joanie Cornetta. She said many people are interested in cleaning up areas of town this time of year.
Derry hosts its annual community cleanup day on April 17. Cornetta said anyone who wants to take on a roadside project can call her for information at 432-4650. The town's new Energy/Environmental Advisory Committee also plans special events and informational activities next month to coincide with Earth Day.
The Books sisters will be leaving Derry in a few months to move back to New Jersey. Jennifer said they will miss New Hampshire and hope people will take on the challenge of working hard to keep the Granite State a bit cleaner.
"Get your family involved," she said. "There are so many different ways to make a difference. There is something for everyone. ... A few people can make a difference, and that's what we did. "We did so simply because we cared about the land."
