East Orange, N.J., July 9, 2021: Mayor Ted R. Green, in conjunction with the East Orange City Council and the Department of Public Works, today launched a new marketing campaign aimed to discourage people from littering, a trend that has progressively increased during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The kick-off for the campaign coincides with the city’s Summer Citywide Clean Up which will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2021, between 9am-1pm.
The 2021 “Talk Trash, Don’t Throw It” Campaign is intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but Mayor Green hopes it will catch the attention of those who consistently toss trash on the ground, even when public garbage cans are around. The campaign will also reinforce the fact that littering is against the law and violators can face up to $2,000 in fines.
“We are serious about keeping our city clean, but we know that it will take all of us working together to sustain it. Listen, we’ve all seen it. Someone is walking down the street and they toss their garbage on the ground. Or they toss it out of their vehicle with no regard for the environment or our city. Yet, these same people would not dare litter in other communities,” said Mayor Green. “Everyone has to play their part and having pride in our community is a huge part of our progress.”
For Saturday’s cleanup, all participants are asked to gather in front of East Orange City Hall at 8:30am to pick up cleaning supplies provided by DPW. Residents and community groups citywide will be cleaning up throughout the city, including along Freeway Drive, in business corridors on Main Street and Central Avenue, in vacant lots and community gardens, and around churches, schools and parks. In addition to cleaning up in identified areas, DPW employees will also be collecting debris from all gateway entrances into the city.
The Mayor’s Spring and Fall Cleanups are an annual tradition that began about 15 years ago, however, the Green Administration has enhanced year-round city clean-up efforts through bi-weekly “Mayor on the Block” events, which sends Mayor Green and members of his Quality-of-Life Task Force into targeted neighborhoods twice a month.
Mayor Green began this initiative as an opportunity for his administration to “bring government to the people,” and not just during election time. Staff from Police, Fire, Public Works, Code Enforcement, Health and Human Services, Constituent Services, Public Information, and Employment and Training accompany Mayor Green as he talks to residents, shares information and addresses concerns on the spot.
The Mayor on the Block engagements and the Citywide Cleanups are just a few of the many tools in the city’s campaign to keep the city clean and green. Others include adding a dedicated team to address vacant and abandoned properties (VAP) throughout the city. Since deploying the team, more than 60% of the city’s VAP properties have been put back on line.
The city also recently received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Neighborhood Preservation Program to purchase a mobile unit as an extension of its Small Tools Library, which loans tools to residents to keep up their private properties. The unit houses lawnmowers, snowblowers, rakes and more.
New for 2021 is an Essay and Poster Contest open to East Orange children in grades K-12. Students are invited to show their creativity and commitment to the environment by coming up with art and an essay that promotes keeping East Orange clean and green. In addition to gift card prizes, winners also will be featured in the 2022 Solid Waste & Recycling Handbook that is mailed to more than 20,000 households. The contest runs through August 30, 2021.
For more information on our clean-up initiatives and programs, please call the Department of Public Works at 973.266.5330.
WHO: East Orange Mayor Ted R. Green, East Orange City Council, Residents and Community Stakeholders
WHAT: East Orange Summer Citywide Clean-Up
WHEN: Saturday, July 10, 2021
8:30am@East Orange City Hall • 9:00am Clean-Up begins
WHERE: Ampere Parkway
South Munn Avenue near Newark Border
Ward Place
Glenwood Avenue and Dodd Street
Park Ave/Park St Entrance
Freeway Drive East (between Steuben and Grove Streets)
Winthrop Wall (South Oraton Pwy to Grove Street)
9th Avenue Sidewalk (So. 16th to Steuben St)
173 No. 14th Street
Orange Border Freeway Drive East
Old Sanford Street near Central Avenue
Daycare by U.S. Post Office at 40 North Munn Ave
Davis Place (Under path by stairs)
Halsted Street and Freeway Drive
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