Spring has sprung, and as people head out to local parks and trails the city asks residents to do their part and help keep Cambridge clean by using a clean-up request form.
Residents can complete an online form when they see litter, and trained city staff will coordinate clean-up in the area as quickly as possible.
Chris Ziemski, manager of park operations at the City of Cambridge, said it’s a good idea for people to be involved and that citizen input is extremely helpful.
“The municipality does what it can, but it’s great to see community involvement. The public eye is very helpful. Having the ability for people to go onto the app and pinpoint a location, is spectacular," Ziemski said.
Residents and businesses can easily and quickly report an issue through the city’s website, as well as the exact location though the online map.
The app asks residents to identify and locate the litter issue, including drug-related debris, garbage, graffiti, vandalism, and encampments.
“From our end, with encampments, it’s the notification that someone has taken up some space somewhere. The municipality works in conjunction with regional social services, police services, and by-law. This triggers a collective response,” Ziemski said.
“The intent is to assist individuals who are looking for somewhere to live because they have no where to go. This can guide people to services that are available and can also help to provide a safe space for the general public. If things such as needles are left behind, municipal staff are there to clean up and make sure the site is clear of any concern.”
Ziemski said issues with litter often arise due to a misunderstanding of a person’s actions, or not knowing what possible solutions they might have.
And when it comes to spring clean-up and dog waste, for some, it is not easy to deal with.
“In the winter, we reduce the number of garbage receptacles. One of the main reasons, is that in the winter, receptacles have to be accessible,” Ziemski said.
“We get calls about this, but people need to know that many areas where receptacles are found in the summer months, are inaccessible during winter. So, with dog waste, we don’t want to see it going to the landfill and the landfill does not want to see it either.”
The green bin is an environmental solution to dog waste.
“We have a facility that takes green waste that is heated, treated and broken down which creates a usable product that doesn’t get buried in the soil. It’s efficient and everyone has access to it. Some people don’t like to carry their dog waste bags home,” Ziemski said.
“But we hope people understand that as responsible pet owners, collecting dog waste and putting it in the green bin is all part of that.”
The city is in the process of changing all ‘stoop and scoop’ signage to include information about using green bins.
We have noticed that people are seeing the benefits and I am starting to see a difference,” Ziemski said.
Litter can also come from recycle boxes.
“Especially paper products or plastics blowing away on a windy day. A simple solution is to bundle it. You can stack your paper, plastic, and glass bins, and place them on top of one another. Everything is then covered and will not blow away,” Ziemski said.
“Litter is also not a stationary product. We can clean an area and within hours, an evening wind can bring more litter from a different location.”
The Cambridge Community Spring Clean-up is scheduled for April 23.
“This is a big awareness piece that helps people gain understanding and to see that every individual is responsible for their own litter,” Ziemski said.
“This is an opportunity to see how much impact every person has on the environment.”
To report litter, see the city clean-up request form here.
