While I love living in the Richmond District, I can’t help but cringe at the thoughtless littering and vandalism that I see when I walk the streets. On more than one occasion, I’ve had unexpected surprises left with my garbage cans by neighbors, or come home in the evening to see spray painted “art” on my garden fence.
Reducing litter is a community effort and yes, even you can help. By doing your part and setting an example for others, you can help keep our neighborhood looking good.
Below are a few tips provided by Keep Our Neighborhood Clean (KONC), a local community group whose mission is to raise awareness of the growing litter and graffiti problem in the Richmond District and to take action to create a cleaner neighborhood.
KEEP IT CLEAN TIPS
* Pick up litter in front of your house or business regularly. Pick up at least one piece of litter every day. This helps keep the streets clean and also sets an example for others
* Make sure you stop newspaper deliveries while you are away. Not only does this reduce litter, it also increases home security.
* Stop unwanted newspaper deliveries. Receiving the SF Examiner or other paper that you never requested? If you need to stop the Examiner deliveries, contact Mike Costello, VP of Circulation for the Examiner by emailing him at mcostello@sfexaminer.com or call him at 415-358-2834. Give Mike the location of papers that you see on the sidewalk, or tell him you no longer want the paper delivered, and he’ll handle your request.
* Dispose of large items properly by calling Sunset Scavenger (330-1300) or 311 for free pickup of your bulky items. Don’t dump it on street corners or by the curb. And if you see someone who is, pass this info onto them.
* If you do see items that have been dumped or graffiti on a building, call 311, San Francisco’s 24/7 Customer Service Center, to report it.
* Join the Department of Public Works’ Adopt a Street and Graffiti Watch programs.
* Organize a cleanup in your neighborhood, at your school, or on the block where your business is located. Contact KONC for assistance (koncsf@hotmail.com | 752-0185) or just plan it on your own.
KONC invite individuals, community organizations, and businesses in the Richmond to join together to create a litter-free community. If you’d like to learn more or join their efforts, email koncsf@hotmail.com or call 752-0185. KONC is a program of the Richmond District Neighborhood Center.
Sarah B.
Thanks for the great tips! In working with KONC I have found that using the neighbor to neighbor approach works!