After Removing 4,280 Lbs. of Trash from the Cumberland River, Oris Pledges $15,000 for the 2022 ‘Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month’

Attendees at the 2021 Oris North American Convention participated in a cleanup on the Cumberland River with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.

On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 42 representatives from Oris, the international Swiss watch-making company, removed 4,280 lbs. of trash from the Cumberland River at a cleanup during the company’s week-long North American conference held in Nashville, Tenn.

“For working in just an hour and a half’s time, it was amazing to see the huge impact that we can make for our rivers, which serve as the starting point of water quality worldwide,” said VJ Geronimo, CEO for Oris’ North American Office and participant in the Oris river cleanup last month. 

Earlier in October, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other elected officials declared the month to be ‘Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month.’ Oris’ cleanup was one of six held in the four states touched by the Tennessee River during the month-long celebration. Traditionally in the last few years, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTNRB) volunteers have removed over 30,000 lbs. of trash from waterways through the month of October.

Oris has now pledged $15,000 to be the title sponsor for KTNRB’s ‘2022 Keep the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful Month.’ The company will once again have a team of professionals participate in a river cleanup, this time within the Tennessee River watershed.

“This cleanup with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful was certainly eye-opening for our team, and we’re looking forward to helping this group make an even bigger impact next year,” said Geronimo.

Though the Cumberland River doesn’t fall within the typical scope of work for KTNRB, Executive Director Kathleen Gibi said they agreed to host the event after being invited by conference organizers at Oris and learning more about the company’s history of environmental efforts.

Earlier this year, Oris reached a ‘climate-neutral status,’ which means that the company has achieved net zero greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that Oris’ gas emissions put out are equal to or less than the emissions they save. The company also uses upcycled materials for its watches and its employees have participated in beach and river cleanups around the globe.

“It’s been both exciting and inspiring to partner with an international company that keeps water quality at the forefront of its work the way that Oris has for years,” said Gibi. “The group—as individual employees and as a collective team—brought an energy level and passion to the cleanup that was contagious, so we’re thrilled to move ahead in river conservation with Oris.”

Gibi pointed out that Oris’ initiating the river cleanup in Nashville already drew more partners together in the river cleanup world. The Oris participants ventured down from their conference at the Opryland Convention Center to a boat ramp adjacent to the property. There, they boarded the KTNRB work boat and boats provided by the Nashville District Army Corps of Engineers - Cheatham Lake Project to clean shorelines along the Cumberland River. VaVia of Nashville provided a full-sized roll-off dumpster for free, which was filled to the brim when the cleanup was finished.

 “This cleanup wouldn’t have been possible without the partners that pulled together, and I have to say that the Army Corps of Engineers saved the day by bringing enough boats to transport the huge turnout of Oris volunteers,” said Gibi. “Public-private sectors pulling together for this river is how we see true change for the better take place, and we’re grateful to all parties involved, especially to Oris for setting everything into motion.”

 For more information on Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, visit www.KeepTNRiverBeautiful.org.