Contest Time! Name Southie's new litter campaign

It's time to name the campaign. Wait...what's this all about again? Read more here.
Got an idea for a name? Share it on the below form!

Southie Trash Talk: Residents brainstorm about litter campaign

Tired of windblown trash vortexes, dog poop and a general sense of ewwww?

Well then, we have just the thing for you!

Here's what happened: in the past 2 weeks (coincidental with the melting snow), Southie's social media circles have been abuzz with ordinary neighbors of all stripes who are fed up with litter.

Over at the SaveKStreet blog, it's been stated frankly: 
"Has anyone else noticed that the streets of our neighborhood are overflowing with trash? Up and down every Southie street are piles of trash."

OK. OK. So these things happen. The question is what to do about it? 

A bunch of Southie neighbors who shared their frustration via Twitter decided to be proactive -- they got together via Planet Southie's "tweet up" (affectionately dubbed #SouthieTrashTalk) and excitedly agreed to help start a resident-led clean up campaign. Here they are this morning, hash-tagging it out:

#WillTwitterSaveSouthie? This AM's #SouthieTrashTalk w/ @kennycooks @Anna__Wh1te @SaveKStreet @planetsouthie @veemdog pic.twitter.com/NCD7dNvYPI
— Planet Southie (@planetsouthie) March 8, 2014

Some of the ideas that have been floating around:

43 East and West Broadway Stores Sign Litter Pledge

Below is a draft of a letter that the South Boston Youth Ambassadors plan to send to the South Boston Chamber of Commerce.

To: The South Boston Chamber of Commerce
From: The South Boston Youth Ambassadors
Re: October 10 Broadway Clean Up and Shopkeeper Litter Pledges

Dear Chamber Members,

Thank you for inviting us to share more information about our work. Here is one example. On Sunday, October 10, Youth Ambassadors participated in a Broadway littler clean-up spanning the Broadway T station to L Street. Additional participants included over 15 other South Boston residents (including Sister Susan Morris, members of the West Broadway Neighborhood Association and members of the neighborhood volunteer group Planet Southie).

As you know, we have been doing West and East Broadway beautification and clean-ups for quite some time. We are continually saddened and frustrated to see that as soon as we clean up a sidewalk, new trash appears a moment later. It feels especially sad when we see trash littering one of the tree beds that we have just worked to clean, weed, plant and mulch. We share this frustration at our weekly Youth Ambassadors meetings. At a recent meeting we wrote a simple pledge for shopkeepers to sign. The pledge states the following:

I pledge that I will take responsibility to remove the debris in front of my store.

We did not know what to expect from shopkeepers in response. While some of us were cleaning up the sidewalks on October 10, some of us visited each shop along West and East Broadway between the Broadway T station and L Street. We teamed up with adults (like Sister Susan) and entered each store. Once there, we explained what we were doing and politely asked if there was a manager available who might be able to sign the pledge. We were thrilled and surprised by the positive response. Employees at 43 stores signed the pledge. Please note that some stores have been unable to sign the pledge yet because they were not open that morning.* They are (in no particular order):

1. Broadway Dunkin Donuts
2. News Broadway
3. Blue Tierra Chocolate Café
4. Burger King
5. Shell
6. Shenanigans
7. Figaro’s
8. Bailey’s Too
9. Café Broadway
10. Queen Spa
11. Schuberts
12. Donut Donuts
13. Hub Video
14. The Playwright
15. Drogan’s Ice Cold Beer
16. Terrie’s Place
17. Cranberry Café
18. Rite Aid
19. Boston Beer Garden
20. Metro PCS
21. Nick’s Pizza
22. The Blackthorn
23. 7-11
24. Lee Chen’s
25. McGoo’s Pizzeria
26. Amsterdam Café
27. Gaelic Day Spa Salon
28. Three Clover Pizza
29. Tedeschi’s
30. Pat’s Trattoria
31. South Boston Chinese
32. Radio Shack
33. Land of Pizza
34. Gulf
35. Doughboy Donuts
36. District Six Police Station
37. J & J Discount Mini Mart
38. Kim’s Market
39. Broadway Pizza
40. Edible Arrangements
41. Broadway Lock Co.
42. Motivated Fitness
43. Dewberry Dogs

Above is a photo of some of us with the Playwright manager while he signs our pledge. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like to learn more. We would like to explore ways to collaborate with the South Boston Chamber of Commerce in our ongoing efforts to build a cleaner community for all of us to share and feel proud of.

Sincerely,

The South Boston Youth Ambassadors

* Any store wishing to make the pledge is welcome to email planetsouthie@gmail.com to do so and will then be added to the list.

Don't miss Planet Southie's 10/10/10 Broadway Clean Up

At 10:10 am on 10/10/10, members of Planet Southie, the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, the South Boston Youth Ambassadors and others will meet at Broadway T station and then walk down Broadway to L Street, picking up litter and recycling along the way.

• We will carry copies of the Mayor's Climate Change Pledge for people to sign as well as surveys about public transportation.
  
• Youth Ambassadors will be visiting shops along the way, asking shopkeepers to sign a pledge promising to keep the sidewalks outside of their stores clean.
  
• All are welcome! Sign up at the Event Website

10/10/10 is a global day of action on climate change. Events will be happening simultaneously all over the world. More information is at www.350.org.

How to Get Involved Planning the Event: We would love some help! Please email planetsouthie@gmail.com or call 617-962-1735.

Plug In Southie! Our Friday Update

Check out Planet Southie's Friday Update: a neighborhood guide to plugging into a greener South Boston. The update highlights opportunities to get involved in South Boston-based environmental initiatives.

Please email us to subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter: Plug In Southie. 

First Planet Southie meeting a smash!

Wow! We are pleased as punch that 22 wonderful people showed up at our first Planet Southie meeting on Monday, August 23. Please see the Meeting Notes to learn who is involved how to plug into South Boston environmental projects including:

• Anti-litter campaigns
• Community gardens
• Farmers market
• Global warming event on 10-10-10
• Public transportation
• Recycling
• Environmental justice
• Saving the trees in Andrew Square
• Solar power event

There is also interest in asthma initiatives.

We decided to meet the 4th Monday of every month from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Location to be determined (the library is booked).
 
Next meeting is September 27, 2010. See you there!

Stay tuned by following Planet Southie on Twitter and Facebook