Thursday July 26, 2007
Recruits Community to Join City’s Anti-Litter Team
Mayor Jerry Abramson, joined by former basketball stars Lancaster Gordon and Scott Padgett, today encouraged residents to “Take it to the Basket” as part of Brightside’s new education and public awareness campaign to reduce litter and keep Louisville looking clean and green.
“Making Louisville litter free takes teamwork,” Abramson said. “Whether it’s a fast-food wrapper, Styrofoam cup or even a cigarette butt, taking litter to the basket gives Louisville a huge assist.”
After the announcement, Gordon, who played for UofL, and Padgett, who played for U.K., competed in a friendly game of “Litter HORSE” to see which former NCAA national champion and NBA player could put the most “trashketballs” in the Brightside basket.
Litter in Louisville
Last year, volunteers, street sweepers and cleanup crews collected more than 850 tons of litter in Louisville. Metro government spends about $2 million each year to clean up litter and trash.
After merger, Abramson created a litter task force to address the issue. The Litter-Free Louisville group includes different government departments, as well as citizen groups and individual volunteers.
The city’s efforts at curbing litter begin with picking up the trash that is already on the ground. The team also looks for new ways to prevent litter through education and media relations. In the coming months, task force members will be coordinating efforts to address the issues around enforcement of litter laws.
“Litter is a problem that exists in every corner of this community,” Abramson said. “If we don’t coordinate our efforts and work together, we duplicate services and never make a dent in the real issue.”
Other city anti-litter efforts include:
- Corrections officers available to supervise inmate crews on cleanup patrols.
- Support services for organized neighborhood cleanups - including debris and trash bag collection, sidewalk sweeping and walk-behind vacuums.
- Removing illegal signs from right-of-ways.
- Trash cans for downtown pedestrian traffic.
- Removing litter along highways and interstates – providing extra cleanups in winter when state ceases operations.
- Educating the public on how litter impacts our community and changing behaviors.
Join the Brightside Team and “Take it to the Basket”
Residents can help reduce litter and give Louisville an assist by:
- Placing trash in the proper receptacle – putting cigarette butts in an ashtray, securing paper and other items in your car so they don’t blow out the window and properly sealing garbage containers.
- Carrying a litterbag in your vehicle or on your bicycle.
- Reporting a litterer, by calling Metro Call 311 or 574-5000. If you see motorists throw trash or cigarette butts out the window, get the license plate number and the city will send the litterer a letter warning them of potential criminal penalties.
- Making your church, school or community celebration a litter-free event by contacting MetroCall 311. Brightside will provide signage and trash receptacles, and the organization simply provides volunteers.
- Recycling materials to save landfill space, energy and natural resources. Most litter is recyclable.
- Volunteering for Brightside’s Fall Community-Wide Cleanup on October 27 or organizing a neighborhood cleanup. Brightside will provide free bags and gloves.
- When you see litter, pick it up and “Take it to the Basket!”
About Brightside
Abramson created Brightside in 1986 to unite people in clean and green activities and to beautify the city, creating a sense of community pride. For more information, visit www.brightsideinc.org.