By: Mireaya Medina, Community Outreach Coordinator
Being Beautiful Isn’t Always Easy: How To Cut Back Litter
Having a beautiful neighborhood takes effort, teamwork, resources and creativity. Adding placemaking projects like benches, street murals or trash cans to your neighborhood can build community. However, in some cases, neighborhood aesthetics are not equitable because clean neighborhoods take many volunteer hours and some residents face socioeconomic barriers that can limit or prevent them from participating in cleanup endeavors.
The City of Portland, TriMet and neighborhood business associations are the 3 main providers of trash cans in public spaces. The TriMet Adopt-A-Stop is a great option for bettering your surroundings with a small or large group of neighbors. This year, Ardenwald-Johnson Creek Neighborhood Association adopted a trash can at the bus stop on SE Johnson Creek Blvd. at SE 42nd Ave. (Stop No. 3076)
TriMet provides the trash can and a business or organization helps maintain the stop and remove the trash. The program does not cost anything to the volunteers.
Here’s how to Adopt-A-Stop
Adopting a stop is a one-year commitment.
- Talk with your neighbors and decide which bus stop(s) you would like to adopt. You will know if the bus stop is cared for by a group or business if an Adopt-A-Stop sign is located on the trash can.
- Then discuss who will be the representative of your group. The group representative will reach out to TriMet to inquire about the bus stop or stops your group wants to adopt. TriMet can be contacted by email at AdoptAStopProgram@trimet.org or by calling 503-238-RIDE (7433).
- TriMet will provide your group with trash receptacles for the stops you adopt. Your group has to provide the trash bags, pick up litter and empty the receptacles when they get full. You may host a small fundraiser or have a donation pool to purchase trash bags.
The Adopt-A-Stop program will put up a plaque at each location acknowledging your group as the bus stop sponsor and to say thank you.
Another option for making your neighborhood sparkle is to utilize Neighborhood Business Associations. Woodstock Neighborhood Association, Woodstock Business Association, Reed College, New Season’s and Otto’s are planning 4 new garbage cans for the Woodstock Street Art Project. The community has raised funds at their annual neighborhood cleanup and through art projects to cover the cost of 10 trash cans which will be covered by colorful murals. A local garbage company, City Sanitary, is donating service to maintain waste at the location of the planned Woodstock Street Art Project free of charge.
Follow the progress of Woodstock’s project at https://www.facebook.com/woodstockartpdx/.
If you already have trash cans with service but needs some ideas to spiff them up, check out these beauties.
Jefferson High School Students stenciled the 2Pac inspired “Poetic Justice” cans around the PPS school.
Students also created a hippie flower Angela Davis can.
What Inspires YOU?
Pinterest Ideas
https://www.pinterest.com/AMGarseth/creative-trash-cans/?lp=true
For More Information On Public Trash Cans:
City of Portland BPS Oversees trash can collection services and ongoing maintenance in some areas. Contact: Alfredo Gonzalez
503-823-6111
alfredo.gonzalez@portlandoregon.gov
TriMet Oversees trash can installation, collection services and ongoing maintenance at TriMet stops and stations that hit a certain threshold of riders. Some cans are serviced under collection contracts managed by TriMet. Others are sponsored and maintained by private businesses.
TriMet Customer Service 503-238-7433 www.TriMet.org (click on Support and then Customer Service)
Streetcar Oversees trash can installation, collection service and ongoing maintenance at Streetcar platforms.
Portland Streetcar 503-222-4200 info@portlandstreetcar.org