Though not ranked among the top ten most polluted cities in America, Philadelphia still has a lot of cleaning up to do. Especially when it comes to trash. Each section of the city has its respective trash collection days. The problem is however that the streets are still lined with trash and litter that are left there by the citizens. On a daily basis there is, at a minimum, litter on the sidewalks. Some of which cannot be controlled. A large part of the littering problem is people who purposely throw garbage on the sidewalk because they are too lazy to wait and throw it out at the next trash receptacle.
The other major issue is trash bins. The citizen of the city are required to purchase their trash bins directly from the city, otherwise it will not be collected. The problem with this is that, the trash bins are at a high risk of being stolen. So, instead of buying the expensive, city-approved bins, most people simply place their bags of garbage out onto the street sans trash bin. This allows for stray animals to pick at the garbage before it is collected. This perpetuates the problem of adding litter to the streets.
Philadelphia has organized several clean-up initiatives, but few have had a lasting impact on the city. One of the programs that have had an effect on the city and the population is the clean air council. This council was established to reduce waste and encourage recycling within the city. Until more citizens of Philadelphia become more involved and take a proactive approach, the city of brotherly love could become known as one of America’s dirtiest cities.
Marissa Murtaugh and Ryan Ruth
No comments:
Post a Comment