Though I was unable to attend last year’s clean-up event due to other obligations, I did participate in the one held this past Saturday.
Councilwoman Janie Jones Brown, with the assistance of her subcommittee members, Sharon Niko and Robin Strawn, started the clean-up day event last year, as a way to observe Earth Day.
This year, those who showed up at the meeting area at 10:30 in the morning for supplies were, Kristen Anne and family, Mayor Dan DePaul, Councilman Pete Mammana & family, Shannon Mammana Wickkiser, Councilman Kenny Decker Jr, Councilman Steve Klaver, Sharon Niko, and Councilwoman Janie Jones Brown and family.
A set of sandals, a deflated basketball, a broken lawn ornament, a fast food bag filled with empty food containers, and a pair of socks are some examples of the trash I found. Most of it was just your common litter of discarded wrappers, plastic bottles, and other items likely tossed from cars.
Then, there were those things that told me some people are just inconsiderate. They either don’t care, or are just too lazy to bend over and pick up what they are responsible for.
At the start of the clean-up, on the sidewalk along Gross Park, was a pile of dog crap. Nothing irks me more than dog poop not picked up along sidewalks, unless it’s actually on the sidewalks. I prefer to believe it was a dog walker who lives in the neighboring borough.
I will say that most people in the borough are picking up litter and debris that ends up in front of, or on their property. Almost all the litter I found was along the roadways where there were no homes, or in public areas, like the parks. Thank you to all those who maintain their little section of the borough!
There were a couple of exceptions I noticed. Trash bins that appear to be permanently left at the curb, never taken back after our Thursday pick-ups, as required by ordinance. On the ground around them was an assortment of items that either spilled from the containers, or never made it into them.
Following the clean-up event I drove around the borough to take a look at other areas. Again, there is much pride in how residents keep their streets clean, though there is always the exception.
A ripped open bed mattress at the curb couldn’t go unnoticed. If the trash haulers didn’t take it last week, wrap it in plastic as required, and put it out again Wednesday evening.
Earth Day is everyday.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
