Hi, I’m Joan Read. Always an environmentalist at heart, I’m passionate about our Earth and healthy living.  I’m also an avid hiker, traveler, and forever curious.  I embarked on a healthy lifestyle over 40 years ago. I now live in the small community of Boonville, MO (USA) where I started Pick-Up Boonville in 2011, our annual litter and recyclables event. The community has embraced the cause; diverse groups join together for our common good. In 2013, I started “Beyond Pick-Up Boonville”, a weekly column in the local paper where I share diverse topics, all things related to the environment. Please feel free to share your thoughts, successes and concerns as we have much to learn from each other.