Kansas City hosts Trash Bash litter pickup for Earth Day

Employees from the City of Kansas City, Mo., will join a statewide Trash Bash effort on Earth Day, April 22, by picking up litter from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the Blue Valley Neighborhood and in areas of the Swope Parkway/Elmwood Neighborhood around the Water Services and Parks and Recreation administration buildings.

Residents are encouraged to pick up trash in their own neighborhoods or around their places of business during the week of April 21-25 and tweet photos during their clean-ups to @kcmo (using #kctrashbash). Photos also can be posted at facebook.com/kcmogov.

Residents are welcome to join City employees in the Blue Valley or Elmwood neighborhood pickups. Volunteers should check in at each location and will receive gloves, trash bags and trash grabbers. The Blue Valley Neighborhood check-in is at 1801 White Ave. and the Elmwood check-in is at the north side of the Parks and Recreation Administration Building, 4600 E. 63rd St.

“Litter and illegal dumping impact most neighborhoods, and many City resources are used to tackle these issues,” said Marleen Leonce, recycling coordinator with the Public Works Department. “Trash not only affects the local environment, water quality and public health, but also neighborhood livability. Trash and litter make neighborhoods feel unwelcoming and unsafe. But picking up litter around your property and taking ownership to keep your street clean is easy and can greatly improve how you and your neighbors feel about your neighborhood.”

These pickup events are being coordinated by KC Green, a City-sponsored program which encourages employees and residents to be more green by offering sustainability education and programs like recycling events throughout the year. KC Green is staffed by four City employee teams (Education & Outreach, Regulation & Policy, Resource Management, and Green Infrastructure) that develop recommendations for additional measures to incorporate sustainable elements into municipal operations. For more information, see www.kcmo.gov/kcgreen.