EAST ORANGE, NJ — Mayor Ted R. Green, in conjunction with the East Orange City Council and the Department of Public Works, launched a new marketing campaign on July 9 aimed at discouraging people from littering, a trend that has progressively increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The kickoff for the campaign coincided with the city’s Summer Citywide Cleanup on Saturday, July 10.
The 2021 “Talk Trash, Don’t Throw It” campaign is intended to be tongue-in-cheek, but Green hopes it will catch the attention of those who consistently toss trash on the ground, even when public garbage cans are available. 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,” Green said. “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 were asked to gather in front of East Orange City Hall at 8:30 a.m. to pick up cleaning supplies provided by the DPW. Residents and community groups citywide cleaned 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 also collected debris from all gateway entrances into the city.
Photos Courtesy of George Aquart
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