The 10th annual Philly Spring Cleanup is less than two weeks away. From 9am to 2pm on Saturday, April 8th, hundreds of volunteer groups will take to the streets of Philadelphia for a day dedicated to clearing the trash and litter off the streets and beautifying the city.
Mayor Kenney spoke at the one-month cleanup countdown, held at Hunting Park Recreation Center in March, stating that “trash and litter does not fall from the sky,” and emphasizing the importance of Philly Spring Cleanup in keeping unwanted litter out of our neighborhoods.
For those who want a clean up event with a bicycle theme, we encourage you to help out with the Belmont Plateau Trails Alliance (BPTA Clean up in West Fairmount Park.
They will be working to rid the woods and road sides of trash and debris in the area of the Chamounix Drive picnic areas and the Edgely Ultimate fields. The project area is bordered by Chamounix Drive, Belmont Mansion Drive, Edgely Road and Ford Road.
Tools, work gloves and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, check out BPTA’s Facebook page.
The day of giving back to the city works not only to enhance its cleanliness, but also to bring the community together under one goal.
Philly Spring Cleanup is just one step forward towards the city’s ultimate goal of zero trash and litter on the streets. The Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet, formed in December 2016, aims to reach this goal by trying to increase the waste and diversion rate of the city. The 16 member cabinet works toward keeping all trash and litter out of landfills and incinerators in an effort to keep the city clean and beautiful.
‘Zero Starts With One,’ the vision of the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet stresses that a litter-free city starts with one goal, one person, or one neighborhood, but it’s the collective efforts of the community that will ultimately improve the city for those who live, work and play here.
Philly Spring Cleanup takes a step towards the zero litter goal by setting aside a day of action that includes participants representing companies, organizations, and neighborhoods from every part of the city. Organizations like Keep Philadelphia Beautiful have site projects prepared that go beyond simple street cleanup and include planting gardens and painting over graffiti and much more.
Northern Liberties residents paint a mural in memory of Amber Long during the Philly Spring Cleanup 2014. Photo by Melissa Komar.
A map and list of all 551 projects in need of volunteers can be found on the Streets Department site here.
Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to register for a specific project online, and arrive at the site location with comfortable outdoor working clothes, closed-toed shoes, and a bagged lunch. All volunteers will be trained and given appropriate equipment on site by each site leader; cleanup will take place rain or shine.