Mr. Trash Wheel is ready for his close-up!
The beloved trash-gobbler will represent Baltimore in the latest addition to Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax” book series, “Green Machines and Other Amazing Eco-Inventions,” written by Michelle Meadows and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz. To celebrate, Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore will host a reading of the book and sing-along at Enoch Pratt Free Library on Saturday, March 9, at 11 a.m.
The literary world will be set back on its wheels by the book’s release, set for March 5, by Penguin Random House. “Green Machines and Other Amazing Eco-Inventions” showcases eco-friendly inventions from all over the world, and Mr. Trash Wheel represents Baltimore’s contributions to clean, healthy waterways right on the front cover of the book.
Children and their grown-ups are invited to a special celebration held at Enoch Pratt Free Library: “Mr. Trash Wheel Presents: A Story Time and Sing-along Event.” The event is a collaboration between Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative, the National Aquarium, and Enoch Pratt Free Library. There will be a children-focused reading by the library staff, and a Mr. Trash Wheel sing-along led by Adam Lindquist, Mr. Trash Wheel co-creator and vice president of the Healthy Harbor Initiative.
“We are so proud to see Mr. Trash Wheel featured in ‘Green Machines and Other Amazing Eco-Inventions,” Lindquist said. “This recognition not only highlights the innovative solutions that our city is implementing to address litter and water quality but also serves as a testament to the impact and reach of the Mr. Trash Wheel Family.”
Mr. Trash Wheel was installed at the mouth of the Jones Falls River in 2014, keeping his googly eyes out for trash to remove from the water. He has removed millions of pounds of debris from the Inner Harbor, preventing it from polluting the Chesapeake Bay.
The googly-eyed garbage gobbler is so revered, a secret society has formed dedicated to paying tribute to the foil of Harbor filth called “Order of the Wheel.” There’s a yearly festival called Trash Wheel Fan Fest devoted to celebrating Mr. Trash Wheel and his family with garbage-inspired art, food and drink, and costumes.
Mr. Trash Wheel is hardly alone in his endeavors, however, as over the years we have learned about other members of his “family” (their genealogical relationships remain unclear). Professor Trash Wheel lives in Harris Creek in the Canton neighborhood and is a fan of Beyoncé and Eleanor Roosevelt. Captain Trash Wheel lives in Masonville Cove in Baltimore, and they like bird watching but dislike gender-specific pronouns. Gwynnda the Good Wheel of the West lives in Gwynns Falls in West Baltimore. She likes all things purple, Erykah Badu, Ouija Boards, and dislikes micro-plastics, among other things. All do their part to keep the waterways around Baltimore clean and litter-free.
So far, however, only Mr. Trash Wheel is appearing on the cover of a Dr. Seuss book series. “We hope that Mr. Trash Wheel’s inclusion in The Lorax books’ latest addition not only brings attention to our local efforts but inspires other kids around the globe to take action in preserving and restoring their own communities,” Lindquist said.
This event at Enoch Pratt Free Library is free and open to the public. For more information on “Green Machines and Other Amazing Eco-Inventions” and to register for the event click this link.
