GUIDE FOR ORGANIZING AND CARRYING OUT A COMMUNITY CLEANUP BLITZ

GUIDE FOR ORGANIZING AND CARRYING OUT A COMMUNITY CLEANUP BLITZ

THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING AND FALL ARE OFTEN SYNONYMOUS WITH BIG SPRING CLEANUP OR SHORELINE CLEANUP. AS THE SNOW MELTS ON MUNICIPAL PROPERTIES, IN PARKS, ON SHORELINES AND ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES, AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF TRASH AND DEBRIS OF ALL KINDS APPEARS. AND IN THE FALL, AS WATER LEVELS DROP, THE SHORELINES ALSO TEND TO REQUIRE A LITTLE TIDYING UP. GATINEAU INVITES COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND RESIDENTS TO GET INVOLVED BY ORGANIZING THEIR OWN CLEANUP EVENT. THIS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU MAKE YOURS A HIT. 2

ORGANIZING A CLEANUP BLITZ CAN HELP: make a neighbourhood cleaner and more attractive, rally a neighbourhood around an environmental cause, foster interaction among residents, promote outdoor physical activity, and you make the most of a fine day! CHOOSING THE SITE It is very important to choose the right site if you want to get the maximum possible number of volunteers. When choosing a site, be sure to take the following criteria into consideration: the significance of the site to the neighbourhood s residents, the amount of trash on the site, the proximity of the site, and access to the site. Rating high on these criteria will improve the chances of getting a good turnout of volunteers. CHOOSING THE DATES You can have a cleanup blitz any day of the year. However, if you want to take advantage of Gatineau s support, it is recommended that you carry it out on the dates proposed by Ville de Gatineau for the spring or for the fall. Check www.gatineau.ca for the dates picked by Gatineau. 3

FINDING VOLUNTEERS Volunteers are the key to a successful cleanup blitz. In order to reach as many of them as possible, it is recommended that you send out invitations to the people you are targeting. Remember to mention the date of the event, its location and the start time. Different ways to reach volunteers: letters to local residents, going door-to-door (and leaving a letter for those who don t answer), e-mails to the members of a group, association or organization, social media (Facebook, Twitter and others), neighbourhood information bulletins or letters. MATERIALS For a spring or fall cleanup, you should dress appropriately for the weather. Waterproof boots are usually required because the sites are sometimes wet. Ville de Gatineau can help by providing plastic gloves, garbage and recycling bags, shovels, rakes and even wheelbarrows. However, for your convenience, it is recommended that you bring your own materials. DELIMITING YOUR AREA Before your cleanup activity, we recommend that you determine which area will be cleaned so that you can better direct the volunteers on the cleanup day. You should provide participants with a map of the area. The areas that are to be cleaned and the drop-off points for the trash should be clearly identified on the map and around the site. 4

SUPPORT PROVIDED BY GATINEAU Gatineau is offering help with the Big Spring Cleanup and Fall Shoreline Cleanup. MATERIALS The following materials will be provided by Gatineau. Given that some are in limited supply, it is best to reserve as soon as possible. If the materials you want are not available, you can ask the volunteers you contact to bring their own. Given that the gloves provided by Gatineau are plastic, it is strongly recommended that volunteers be encouraged to bring their own for their own comfort. Plastic gloves Garbage and recycling bags Shovels (limited quantities) Rakes (limited quantities) Pick-up sticks (limited quantities) LOGISTICS Gatineau can provide logistical support for your Big Spring Cleanup. Do not hesitate to contact us to find out what type of support could be useful to you, depending on the size of your event. The list of residual materials that will be accepted during a cleanup event is provided in the checklist section of this guide. Compiling the results Picking up the residual materials: trash, recycling, and large objects. 5

THE DAY OF THE EVENT On the day of the event, greet the participants so you can give them instructions on the cleanup. You should group the participants into small clusters and assign them to the different areas that are to be cleaned up. You can also give the participants a map of the area indicating where the trash should be left once it has been picked up. As well, the participants should indicate on the map where there are large objects to be picked up, and how many bags they filled. Participants could also be given safety instructions, such as not picking up syringes or sharp objects, and not venturing into the water. REGISTRATION REQUIRED In order to take advantage of the support provided by Gatineau, we ask that you register your cleanup project on the Big Spring Cleanup or Fall Shoreline Cleanup Web sites at www.gatineau.ca. You will then receive the materials you need for your activity, and your information will be recorded by Gatineau s Service de l environnement. Also, you could win a participation prize. 6

CHECKLIST PAPER, CARDBOARD GLASS, METAL PLASTIC PLEASE RINSE RECYCLABLE 7

LIST OF RESIDUAL MATERIALS TRASH The following items belong in a black garbage bag Stickers Diapers Waxed or plastified paper and cardboard Metallic or carbon paper Painted paper Photographs Tarps (pool covers, car shelters, etc.) Lighters Binders Polystyrene or Styrofoam containers Compact disks Straws Disposable razors Cassette tapes (audio and video) Stretch wraps (like Saran Wrap ) Cellophane packaging Hoses and objects made of PVC Fibreglass Perfume bottles and beauty product jars Dishes, porcelain, faïence, pottery, ceramics, pyrex, etc. Flat glass (window, mirror, drinking glass, etc.) Tools, nails, metal shavings Toys Pool supplies (pool covers, ladders and pumps) Rope Textiles Cigarette butts Diapers and sanitary products (dental floss, sanitary pads, Q-Tips, etc.) Soiled pet litter or pet droppings Styrofoam 8

LIST OF RESIDUAL MATERIALS RECYCLABLE Place in a clear recycling bag if the materials are clean Paper and cardboard Clean paper and cardboard (newspaper, periodicals, magazines, phone books, books without covers or bindings, flat or corrugated cardboard, etc.) Rinsed milk and juice cartons Paper coffee cups (without lids) Plastic Containers, lids and other plastic materials with one of the following symbols (rinsed and caps removed): Plastic bags (stuffed into one) Metal Aluminium plates and foil Tin cans Lids and caps Aluminium cans Pots Hangers Empty and dry paint cans Containers with metal covers or bases (like Nestlé Nesquik ) Glass Bottles and jars (clear and coloured glass) MATERIALS THAT MUST NOT BE INCLUDED WITH HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE Call Gatineau to arrange for a pickup Animal carcasses 1 Automobile hulks 1 Large metallic objects 2 Materials accepted under the municipal residential electronic and computer equipment recovery program 2 Hazardous waste, including household hazardous waste (HHW) 2 Tires 2 Rubble and plaster residues, chunks of concrete, masonry or asphalt 2 Light bulbs, fluorescent bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs 2 Small electrical appliances 2 Batteries (car and other) 2 Household hazardous waste containers (propane, solvent, motor oil, etc.) 2 Aerosol cans 2 Extinguishers 2 Fireworks 2 Construction materials 2 Extension cords 2 1 Contact Gatineau for pick-up 2 Bring to the municipal ecocentre 9

SAMPLE ATTENDANCE FORM SITE: DATE: NAME OF THE PERSON, NUMBER OF QUANTITY OF FAMILY OR GROUP PEOPLE TRASH COLLECTED 10

CHECKLIST SITE: DATE: MEETING PLACE: BEFORE Choose the site Choose the date Choose the meeting place Get volunteers (send an invitation) Indicate whether the event will take place no matter what the weather Send out a reminder to volunteers about the event Prepare appropriate clothing Get the materials provided by Gatineau Find additional materials for the blitz Register the cleanup blitz on the municipal Web site Prepare a map for the cleanup (be sure to indicate where the trash should be dropped off) Refer volunteers to the Guide for the development and organization of community cleanup blitz Prepare a first aid kit Prepare a list to register volunteers on the day of the event DURING Identify where the collected trash should be left Register the volunteers who show up Distribute the materials Provide instructions to the participants Give the participants a map of the area that should be covered Form small groups and spread them out throughout the areas that should be covered Provide instructions on sorting the materials Provide safety instructions Arrange a meeting place for the end of the activity Collect the maps with participants comments AFTER Submit a brief report on the activity to the Gatineau official in charge Number of volunteers who showed up and of bags filled, and location of any large objects that were not collected Return any unused materials provided by Gatineau 11