From the folks who brought you the Spring cleanup comes more good clean trashy fun. PLG Civic is asking "broader" PLG residents to pick up a broom, a bag, and put on some gloves. The FlatBed family did it last time and it was really fun to see so many residents taking part. It's also a chance to drop some flyers on Flatbush area businesses that didn't seem to get the memo that THEY are responsible keeping the sidewalk clean to 18 inches from the curb...regardless of who's doing the littering or dumping.
8 comments:
I was stopped more than once by neighbors on Sterling and Lefferts and told that if the organizers had reached out to folks on the block, they'd have had greater participation. If anyone reading this knows neighbors on Sterling or Lefferts (or any PLG block) who may not be reading online sources as often as the ultra-wired set, can you please send their email addresses to plgcivic@yahoo.com?
Also, is anyone posting these flyers in businesses along Flatbush or Nostrand Avenues?
From my experience from the spring cleanup, this is quite useless. It took no more than 24 hours for the streets I've been cleaning to look even dirtier :(
I respectfully disagree -- I met neighbors whom I hadn't met before and we started what I hope will be a growing bond between and among the different blocks, and between oldtimers and new faces. Also, I have noticed that owners took better care of certain areas that were cleaned after we'd passed by -- it was easier for them to maintain than it would have been to clean up the built up litter.
I will try to come out for the cleanup....But maybe next year it could be in October? Or September? It's freezing by Nov 5.
I live on Lefferts Ave and will be reaching out my neighbors the old-fashioned way - in person. Many of them don't have computers, let alone e-mail addresses (I'm serious).
And considering that a meeting time and place haven't been fixed yet, posting the flyers might be a bit premature, but once we have these it would be a good idea.
We may also want to reach out to the Nostrand Ave Merchants Association, which has sponsored its own clean-ups.
And, yes, it was discouraging to see newly-cleaned streets rapidly reverting to pre-cleanup state (someone came out and dumped garbage on a section of Nostrand Ave I'd just finished cleaning), but there is also an important symbolic element as well, and I was told this repeatedly by area residents and merchants while cleaning up. Many people have long been disgusted with the litter situation but until they see someone actually doing something about it they aren't going to step in.
Useless or not, its completely unacceptable to be content with a trashy community. I don't deserve that, my children don't deserve that, and neither do you.
The overwhelming success of the first clean-up and people urging us to plan another one is what fueled this second effort. It doesn't matter to me that it won't be pristine 24 hours later. What matters is that we're working together, side by side, to impact positive change in our community. Together we are sending a message to the people who live here that we care about this community and they should care too.
Regarding the meeting location, those details are to follow very soon. More importantly is for community members to know that they do not have to commit to the organized clean-up in order to be a part of this. If all they do is step outside and clean up the area directly in front of where they live/work, then that is a step in the right direction.
I am with Carmen 100% and I hope there is a get-together dinner ( potluck) for all the participants...
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