Taking Steps Towards A Litter-Free PLG

1. Taking Steps Towards A Litter-Free PLG Update from the PLGNA Tidy-Up Committee

2. The Issue Of Litter: A Snapshot • Flatbush is ground zero of a PLG litter problem • The issue is • Cultural/generational: “what else do you do with rubbish but drop/toss it?” • systemic: “It’s not my responsibility” • organizational: DSNY rates PLG highly for cleanliness…more on that later!

3. Team Working On This • Small Group of PLGers met in April as a result of a post on PLG listserv to discuss how to fix the litter problem • Dynishal Gross -- PLGNA sponsor • Jae Carey – group initiator • Sam Lucas – enthusiastic contributor • Skei Saulnier – enthusiastic contributor

4. Multi-Pronged Approach To Clean Up • Any successful approach needs to enlist the help of multiple members of the community: • Commercial: enlist the help of the Flatbush businesses, both individually and as part of a merchants association • Community: engage families and individuals to engender a sense of responsibility and pride • Enforcement: work with appropriate political and governmental bodies to ensure active clean-up and equally active enforcement

5. Enforcement: DSNY Statistics Masking A Problem Scorecard is an inspection program run by the New York City Mayor’s Office of Operations and is a measurement of cleanliness of City streets and sidewalks as well as a source of information for: • The Department of Sanitation used for policy development, planning and evaluation of citywide operations • The Mayor’s Office for tracking and monitoring the City’s cleanliness over time. • Community Boards and other public interest groups to learn about cleanliness conditions in local neighborhoods • Business Improvement Districts (BIDS) to evaluate the conditions of neighborhood shopping and central business districts.

6. Scorecard Rating Scale 1-3 • Acceptably Clean: • 1.0 A clean street. No litter. • 1.2 A clean street, except for a few traces of litter. • Not Acceptably Clean: • 1.5 More than a few traces, but no concentration of litter. There are no piles of • litter, and there are large gaps between pieces of litter. • Filthy: • 1.8 Litter is concentrated in spots; there may either be large gaps between piles of litter, or small gaps between pieces of litter. • 2.0 Litter is concentrated, there are small gaps between piles of litter. • 2.5 Litter is highly concentrated, there are no gaps in the piles of litter. The litter is a straight line along the curb. • 3.0 Litter is very highly concentrated, there are no gaps in the piles of litter. The litter is a straight line along and over the curb.

7. Acceptably Clean 1.0

8. Not Acceptably Clean 2.0

9. Close To “Filthy” 3.0

10. Enforcement Other Outreach • Inviting members of DSNY and our Sanitation District to this meeting • Contacting Markowitz’ office for community outreach • Enquiring about Doe Fund coverage • Application for grant money from Brooklyn Community Association • Information on DSNY receptacle options including Can Sponsor

11. Commercial • Contact BID organizations to get information on trash receptacle options • Approach all the businesses along Flatbush individually about sweeping and picking UP trash rather than sweeping into street… • Develop brochure and materials to hand out to shops with plastic gloves

12. Community • Education materials and brochure to hand out to residents and visitors to PLG with gloves • Litter Free PLG Family “Pick Up” Day • Saturday PM in Summer where families come out and hand out materials and • "Cleanest block on Flatbush“ campaign in the summer (like “Greenest Block”)

13. Next Steps • Today’s meeting is huge progress • Enlisting the help of DSNY is critical • Agree dates for commercial and community engagement • Any new members interested in joining?

14. Thank you! Questions via Dynishal to other committee members please