Clean it up
Helping the planet can start right on your street. Here's how to organize your own neighborhood cleanup!
Pick a location
Is there a local road that’s covered in rubbish? Or a nearby beach just swimming in litter? Select a spot that really needs some extra attention.
Get permission
Share your plan with your family. They may have ideas for how you can go about organizing your efforts or getting the word out about your event.
Save the date
Look at your family’s calendar and find a free Saturday or Sunday within the next couple of months. You’ll want to give yourself at least a few weeks to prepare and give notice to your neighbors. Don’t forget to set a rain date in the event of bad weather.
Get the info out
Put out signs or hang flyers with the date, location, and time of your cleanup around your neighborhood. Ask a parent to share the info on your neighborhood newsletter or on their social media page. Be sure to have volunteers RSVP to you (or a parent) with their e-mail address for quick correspondence later on.
Ask for donations
Go to nearby businesses and ask if they can donate to your cause. The hardware store may offer garbage bags, gloves, or tools; your local bakery may donate bagels and other snacks for the morning of the event. Your community waste-management organization may also offer supplies and other types of support.
Give a heads-up
Once you have a list of volunteers, send a brief e-mail reminding them of the date and time with details on where to meet.
Share your work
On cleanup day, be sure to take plenty of pictures (or have a friend snap some) to post online or include in an upcoming community newsletter. (Pssst: Your school or teacher would probably love to see some pics too!)
Show appreciation
When the last piece of trash is all picked up? Give a giant thanks to your cleaning crew. Send out a recap e-mail detailing things like how many bags of trash you hauled away and the number of volunteers you had. Then start planning your next cleanup event!