Marin County woman helping keep parks clean amid government shutdown

NOVATO, Calif. (KGO) -- We're enduring the second longest government shutdown in history, and with the hands of federal workers tied, ordinary people are starting to chip in.

Perhaps by now you've heard about all the trash piling up in national parks.

TRASH TRACKER: Interactive map lets you see where the trash is piling up due to government shutdown

Well, Amy Brayton heard about it too. She owns Green Hauling,based in Novato.

They've been bringing their trucks into the Point Reyes National Seashore, emptying the overflowing garbage cans, and hauling the smelly mess away. She did it again Friday with employee Presley Balestreri.

This is hard, dirty work, and they are not charging the government a dime.

"Somebody has to do it," said Amy. "All that garbage was hurting the environment."

RELATED: Partial government shutdown hitting some Bay Area National Parks hard

This not-so-easy act of volunteerism is an example of people who make this nation a wonderful sum of its parts.

Now, some park visitors who see them hard at work are wanting to volunteer as well.

Read more about the government shutdown.