Record Breaking Year for Annual Worcester Cleanup
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Last year's annual Earth Day Cleanup
The REC is a non-profit organization devoted to helping members of the community get involved in making their neighborhoods a better place and aiding those who want to live a healthier, more sustainable life.
“This is a real city-wide issue. No matter who you are, you’re immediately impacted by your environment," said Development and Communications Coordinator, Terra Oliveira. “This year we have a record number of sites. Each year, we organize it throughout the city. Group leaders organize a cleanup usually near where they work or live. They invite friends and welcome other volunteers, neighbors, and people asking to be plugged in where needed.”
Oliveira stressed the impact of this issue on all residents and said that it affects people more than they think. Trash in neighborhoods and public spaces makes people feel like the area is being neglected and has a psychological impact.
“It’s in parks. It’s on sidewalks. It’s near schools,” she said. “It’s us making an investment in public space and our neighbors and the quality of everybody’s life and their experience of outdoor spaces.”
Some of the Problem Areas
According to the REC’s Executive Director, Steve Fischer, cites in Worcester with the most trash include areas both off the beaten path and right in the city center.
“It varies a bit, but one of the more problematic areas is God’s Acre off of Mill Street. It’s a Greater Worcester Land Trust site. Essentially some places are off the beaten path, we might see a truck-load of construction or furniture dumped there,” he said. “Tougher places in past years have been vacant lots in the center city.”
Supporting Efforts in the City
Fischer attributed the improvement in these areas to residents and city policies.
“In places like God’s Acre and these lots we’ve seen tremendous improvement for two reasons, one being a concerted effort of Worcester residents who get together not only for this event but during the year working in partnership,” he said. “The second reason is the City of Worcester. The O’Brien administration has been very diligent especially in past decade on taking on the issue of illegal dumping.” Fischer mentioned the city manager’s Keep Worcester Clean Initiative in particular.
“It’s a partnership through various agencies,” he said.
Cleanup Makes a Change
Over the last 23 years of helping clean up the city’s public Oliveira has seen the impact of their efforts, not just in the growing number of volunteers and collected garbage, but through how their trash pickup affects litter.
“Having done this for 23 years the number of cites increases, but it’s interesting to watch how much trash is removed. The impact of doing a cleanup every year and making a neighborhood not a dumping ground is that over time trash tends to decrease because it’s not a known dumping ground,” she said. People are less likely to littler when an area is better maintained, and the REC is showing how much residents and community members care.
“The amount of trash is an indicator. We’re always hoping to remove more trash to show how much the efforts are needed, but we’re also not upset by less trash. It means the city and community are doing a better job.”
The Monday after pickup is when this year’s results will be out.
The REC’s events include participation at the Earth Day Festival at the Ecotarium on April 20th from 1-4 p.m.; the cleanup from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on April 21st; and a cookout at Castle Park on April 21st from 1-4 p.m.
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