It seems
that March and April are typically the trashiest months on the calendar. Since
there are, obviously, far fewer cleanup activities during the cold winter
months, as springtime rolls in the melting snows often reveal a kaleidoscope of
various forms of detritus along the sides of our streets, highways, and wooded
areas. That’s why we asked the Parks Department to close some thoroughfares and
do clean-ups earlier this year – it’s more than a little disheartening to see a
winter’s worth of refuse built up along the sides of our roads.
And it’s a
sad reminder of just how inconsiderate some Staten Islanders can
be.
However,
the simple truth is that the vast majority of borough residents do not litter,
and as widespread as it appears, this problem is caused by a relatively small
number of individuals who simply aren’t concerned about their community or
their neighbors. They are ignorant, uncaring, or both, and their laziness
harms the quality-of-life for the rest of us.
It is,
frankly, embarrassing when people visit me from out of town and mention our
litter-strewn streets and highways. It shouldn’t be this way, but it is – and I
remain determined to do something about it. As I said, the overwhelming
majority of Staten Islanders are not part of the problem. A cadre of
inconsiderate jerks, from all walks of life, are.
We were
hopeful, but realistic, about our ability to win hearts and minds simply by
asking for cooperation, simply by appealing to the better instincts of those
who may not have been aware of the impact of their actions on our borough. Unfortunately, this has not worked, so now I
am asking the NYPD, the Parks Department, and the Department of Sanitation to
resort to stronger measures: issuing more summonses to individuals who are
caught littering. I don’t relish taking this approach, believe me, but I am
hopeful that the summons and fine method will finally get through to this small
group of selfish individuals.
Having said
that, we cannot forget that we all have an important role to play in keeping
our community clean. I am calling it the “I AM MY BOROUGH’S KEEPER” approach.
Although we
are not all the cause of the problem, I would like to see us all be a part of
the solution. This means taking it upon ourselves to pick up litter from the
ground near our residences; it means going the extra inch, foot or yard, even
if the law only requires us to clean 18 inches from the curb. It means having a
serious conversation with our friends or neighbors when we see them littering.
It means taking the initiative to set a positive example on our block to the
best of our abilities, instead of just shaking our heads and angrily blaming
government. It means volunteering to join a cleanup effort, or organizing our
own.
Until the
time comes when we live in a litter free borough, each and every one of us has
a role to play in the cleanup effort. I know it’s frustrating to pick up
after someone else, because, in a certain sense, it is simply unfair for those
who do the right thing to fix the problems created by those who don’t.
However, if
we all start accepting the role of being our borough’s keeper, responsible in
our own way for its upkeep, maintenance, and beauty, we will inevitably see this
in a different light. When we realize our simple actions are multiplied by the
actions of others doing the same thing, when we know that our efforts are
having a real effect, we will further encourage others to do the same.
Litterers
got us into this mess one gum wrapper, one can, one bottle, one bag at a
time. We need to get out of it the same way. If enough of us take
care of our little corner of our borough we can beat this.
Government
cannot solve all problems – we know this. Concerned citizens taking
responsibility for their community are much better at it, as we saw in the
immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, when concerned citizens took the
initiative and fed, clothed, and comforted those affected by the storm far
better than government did.
I am asking
everyone to join me in this “I am my borough’s keeper” campaign and take
whatever steps you can take to help keep our borough clean. All of us working
together can have a real and positive impact.
Your
Council Members and we here at Borough Hall have “Clean Teams” responding to
litter complaints on an almost daily basis. Volunteer groups will be out
there during the summer. Enforcement agencies will be summoning litter
offenders who have turned a deaf ear to our pleas for cooperation. We
will continue working together to educate our youngsters about the damaging
effects of litter on our quality of life, hometown pride, and
self-esteem. And finally, if you, your friends and your neighbors will
step up and be your borough’s keepers, you will be the force multiplier I
believe that will put us over the top.
There needs
to be a paradigm shift. For a hard-core group of individuals, asking politely
is simply not working. Begging, pleading, or cajoling has no impact on them. It
is now time to try another method – hit them in their wallets.
Finally, to
you good folks out there who choose to get involved, who choose to see
themselves as their borough’s keeper, you have my thanks and my pledge to help
increase your numbers and to recruit new borough-keepers every day. Let’s
work together and watch this effort snowball. Don’t wait to see if others
are willing to get involved – it begins with you.
Please join us in this battle. It is OUR borough, and it is worth it.
Finally, I ask that anyone wishing
to start a volunteer cleanup effort contact staff member Anthony Esposito at AEsposito@statenislandusa.com. We’d like to know about your volunteerism,
and if necessary will help to supply you with gloves and other materials needed
for your effort.