We got a note today from a reader who said he’s noticed an increase in the amount of litter on Wallingford streets. He issued a challenge to other Wallingfordians to pick up one piece of garbage every time you’re out on a walk. If litter bugs you, read on…
I live in the area around 40th and Wallingford, and walk the area daily with my dog. In recent weeks, my girlfriend and I have noticed a considerable increase in litter accumulating on the streets and near the sidewalks. We usually walk as far East as Corliss, North to 44th, South to 36th and East to Ashworth on our walks. And the increase in litter seems to be everywhere, but is of course more concentrated closer to 45th, 40th, Wallingford Ave, and near the Wallingford Playfield.
It could be it was there all winter and the dark and wet distracted us from it, but I don’t think this is the case. We’ve lived here a little over a year and I don’t recall it being like this.
We make an attempt to clean up on our block, if we see cans, obvious refuse etc… we will pick it up. But it does not address the larger problem. I try to pick up discarded cans and bottles when I see them on our walks, as they are a particular eyesore.
So I think I’d like to issue a challenge to our neighbors. Try to pick up one piece of litter on every walk. Start with the big things. Cans, bags, bottles and the like. Once that is out the way, the smaller bits will stand out more. Having lived in other large cities where neighborhoods are not so well kept, I can attest to how people can become numb to litter if it is left to accumulate. I don’t want to see this in Wallingford.
Thanks for your efforts! I live on 34th near Wallingford and I am always picking up litter around my block. I am on the path to the transfer station and I think it adds to the small trash bits. Let's everyone do our part!
I live on 45th/46th. We have one older man who is part of the problem. He makes it a point to litter. He pulls down signs, hub caps and band posters as he is jogging home from work and just makes piles of trash on the sidewalk strewn about.
We're having troubling nabbing him and getting him fined. Any ideas? We've tried talking to him… but he doesn't communicate.
If the guy is doing it at roughy the same time every night, and travels roughly the same path, it would be worth letting the local Police precinct know. I suspect they'll appreciate that you've made efforts to speak with the guy about it already. If he is pulling off hubcaps, that is clearly vandalism, and they should take action.
I know my specific litterbug works at UW because I followed him to work to confront him infront of his boss and he still wouldn't speak. Could be that be the same guy from the forum posts? burks@uw.edu?
Its sounds like they have a little team of 4 trash vigilantes. Its not cleaning up the city if they just rip off the posters from the pole and throw them on the street…
My guess is, that it might be this fella (see wallyhood link from last year):
http://www.wallyhood.org/forum…
The Wallingford Chamber of Commerce paid “Street Keepers” last Dec to clean from Bagley to Stone. Over 50 large garbage bags were collected! People need to STOP throwing their crap on the streets! The will be a community clean up in April. Look for info on MyWallingford…….
I know I've seen him too. He's destroyed Wallingford Art Walk posters. He needs to be stopped. Not sure how to do this…citizens arrest? Take a pic of him and let's put a “Wanted” poster of him on the poles. 🙂
Just be glad you don't live by the Wallingford Post Office. Besides creating a tremendous employee parking problem (even though neighbors were promised zero impact before it was built), and the noise of employees yelling their greetings at 7:10 each morning, and making as much noise as possible when loading their truck at 3:30 AM each morning, every foot of their lot, shrubbery, and sidewalk is constantly covered with trash, which they refuse to remove. I pray daily that P.O. funding will be cut enough for them to close this disaster.