Cities can sometimes start to look tired and disheveled, especially if there’s mess everywhere and minimal investment. But organizing a city cleanup is an excellent way to turn the situation around. Getting local volunteers together who care about the state of the urban environment can help you get a lot done in a short space of time.
If you are considering organizing a city cleanup project, this post is for you. In this step-by-step guide, we explore everything you need to know to plan and execute a successful event.
Identify Your Focus Area
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to clean up the entire city in one day. Therefore, it is wise to identify your focus area first: where you will concentrate your efforts.
Most volunteer cleanups begin in areas with highly conspicuous eyesores, like underneath highway interchanges or streets covered in graffiti and litter. Tackling these first delivers maximum impact and proves to people that joint community action can make a difference.
Talk To Officials
At the same time, it is worth talking to local officials and telling them what you plan to do. Make sure you have permission to be in the area and fulfill various local regulations.
For example, some cities will insist you have a first aid-trained individual on-site if you have over a specific number of people (say 50). Authorities might also require you to fill out a risk assessment form (or something similar), proving you understand the potential hazards that could occur on the day.
Set A Date And Time
Once you jump over the various bureaucratic hurdles, the next step is to set a date and time for the cleanup. Ideally, you want people to be free, not busy at work.
The best days are usually on the weekends – Saturday or Sunday. With these, you can ask people to help from sunrise to sunset.
Holidays are also an excellent option, although time may be limited due to family constraints. For example, you could get people out on Labor Day or in the run-up to Thanksgiving dinner.
Evenings are another possibility, but light can be a problem during winter. On the flip side, shorter commitments (i.e. 2 hours) may attract a larger crowd and have a bigger impact.
Also, consider the weather. Most volunteers (even the keenest) don’t want to work in the wind, rain, or snow.
Collect Your Supplies
Collecting the supplies you will use for your city cleanup project is one of the most exciting steps. Preparing this in advance will help you and the other volunteers work more effectively on the day.
Start with the essentials, like gloves, grabbers, and trash bags. Dust pans, brushes, and brooms are also helpful if you need to clear away debris.
You may also need a hedge trimmer if you’re working in a park or other public space with out-of-control greenery. Cutting it back and making it look more presentable can change the character of an area.
Also, think about the protective gear you and other volunteers will need. Some locations with drug problems will require extra protection to prevent infected needles from causing harm.
Advertise The Event On Social Media
The next step is to tell people about the event and how they can get involved. Most communities do this on social media since it’s cheap and can reach local people. Facebook, X, and Instagram tend to be the best platforms for this.
Depending on the size of the community, you could also use local boards or newspapers. These can be highly effective if residents don’t spend much time online.
Collaborating with local businesses, organizations, and institutions is also a possibility. Using these to get the message out can help attract more people and create a sense of accountability.
Assign Roles
Assigning roles is one of the most challenging aspects of organizing a city cleanup. You need to establish a structure, but you also want to avoid putting people off.
The best way to do this is to put people into teams for specific tasks. For example, you might have a group of people on trash, another on managing hazardous waste, and a third for scrubbing graffiti off the side of buildings and public infrastructure.
Then, you can appoint team leaders. These people aren’t “bosses” in the traditional sense, just individuals you can liaise with to provide instructions. They should have more knowledge about the aims and goals of the cleanup so they can answer other volunteers’ questions.
If kids are involved in the cleanup, you will also need to consider what you want them to do. Putting them in danger could discourage volunteers from joining future cleanups. One option is to simply provide a temporary creche while the adults continue cleaning the streets.
Dispose Of Collected Waste
Once that’s done, the next step is to dispose of the collected waste. Finding somewhere to put it all is essential if you want the cleanup to succeed.
Usually, this requires working with local sanitation services. Nearby dumpsters can transport trash to recycling centers or landfills.
You can also arrange pickups with local waste management services. Most cities are happy to oblige since you’re providing most of the labor and they don’t have to spend much themselves.
You may find that waste disposal professionals are willing to work for free if they feel the cause is good enough. Private companies could offer skips and collection services as part of their community spirit.
Record The Impact
Don’t forget to record the impact of the volunteer cleanup operation. Writing down the figures and measuring what happened can be an excellent way to inspire a second and third cleanup in a different location in the future.
Remember to take before and after pictures of the affected area and post them on social media. Use them as proof that volunteer efforts can work and have a meaningful impact.
Also, don’t forget to publicly thank everyone who was involved in the cleaning operation. Mention them by name (with their permission) and post their contributions on social media.
