Philly is Trying to Solve a Messy Problem
Marilyn Rodriguez’s character, Trash Monster, was the real star of the party as she floated around guests, blithely ignoring humorous ribbings of “go away” and “adiós basura.” But she was highlighting a serious issue: the stubbornness of the city’s illegal dumping problem.
Hosting what was called an “ironic birthday party,” Clean Philadelphia NOW, a new citywide coalition of antidumping advocates, rallied in Fairhill on Thursday to urge Mayor Cherelle L. Parker to expand her signature Clean and Green initiative to end illegal dumping by 2028.
“The Fairhill school closed in 2013, and not long after that the illegal dumping started,” said Trash Academy co-director Teea Tynes. She said she was optimistic the problem was solved when the area was cleaned in 2022, but the dumping just continued.
“Cleaning is not enough. You have to enforce,” said Lois Williams, co-director of Trash Academy, which is helping to organize Clean Philadelphia NOW.
During the 1950s, Philadelphia was a national role model for municipal cleanliness, but by 2020 Forbes ranked it as the dirtiest city in the country.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s a long-term problem.”
Hearing about this issue shows how difficult it can be to find the right solution. The community has tried many different approaches: block cleanups, special trash cans, reporting systems, and even big fines. Some things help, but the problem returns again and again.
Shari Hersh, co-director of Trash Academy, pointed out that “you create a doable bar” when people are given affordable, realistic ways to dispose of their waste legally. Solutions don’t just mean cleaning up after a mess — they mean creating better systems so the mess doesn’t happen in the first place.
“We don’t accept our neighborhoods are free dump sites,” said Maurice Sampson, Eastern Pennsylvania director for Clean Water Action.
“Go after them, take their trucks, and end the legacy dumping cycle forever.”
The story of Trash Monster and Clean Philadelphia NOW shows that big challenges need creative problem solving. If one way doesn’t work, people have to come together to try new ideas until they find a lasting fix.
I think the community’s determination is inspiring. Problems this large don’t get solved overnight, but every creative step brings the city closer to a real solution. Teamwork, persistence, and smart ideas can make even the toughest problems manageable.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/55_sy4FpL8o?si=MVIOkXt0R4lkHs5P
- https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/clean-philadelphia-now-illegal-dumping-waste-20241007.html
- https://app.pictory.ai/
- https://chatgpt.com/
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