the intangibles

I know some might see this as a lower priority issue. I see this as low-hanging fruit with high impact / far reach.

Keeping places clean means they stay clean. This tends to increase safety, or the perception of safety, because people are more likely to want to spend time in an area that is clean versus littered. The more foot traffic in an area, the less opportunity for crime, due to there being a lot of witnesses.

Investing in this means job creation, decreased crime, increased economic activity, improved walkability, positive impact on environment

Sounds like Broken Windows theory? Well, despite it’s controversy, there may be something to it. Social psychologists have studied this behavior and find that even a single piece of litter leads to the environment becoming more littered.

Municipal

Goal: To contract with the City of Denver to assign neighborhood ambassadors to clean up specified blocks in a given region on a routine schedule.

The role of neighborhood ambassador would be paid.

Community

Goal: To build a community of volunteers through hosting cleanups, fundraiser events (race, auction, etc.).

To shift littering norms where the dominant norm is anti-littering.

To foster relationships between small business owners and local patrons.

Decrease crime, increase property value, increase economic activity, improve walkability (safer, cleaner, more accessible), increase happiness, encourage innovation

Local

Business

Goal: To partner with local businesses interested in offering volunteer perks for attending cleanup events.

Merch

Goal: To sell stickers, t-shirts, prints, zines, etc. to supplement funding programs/events.

Grants

Goal: Secure grant funding to help with startup costs, events, and social psychological research.

Job creation

Neighborhood Trash Ambassadors - Capitol Hill

  • Description: Assigned to neighborhood and picks up litter, manages installations and maintenance of trash bins

Budget Items

  1. Labor: 8 part-time workers for 25 hr/week @ $25/hr; April thru Nov (8 months) = $173,335.

  2. Purchase trash bins for neighborhoods

  3. Supplies for workers — Get photos/links/prices for items

  • trash pickers

  • trash bags

  • trash rings

  • gloves

  • vests

  • t-shirt

  • trash bins/dumpster fees

  • scales

  • counters

  • Compost Collective membership

Municipal Connections

Contract with the City to handle litter reports. Add Litter Topic to 311 - those create work orders that get sent to

Local Business

Need to reach out to Wild Corgi. Propose they offer drink tickets for cleanup event participants

I create flyer to get volunteers to sign up. QR code.

They join an email list for potential contributions (through donations, sales - stickers, t-shirts, zines, etc.)