Birmingham trash cleanup initiative has collected 1,644 bags of litter and more

Birmingham Cleanup
Birmingham Cleanup in Druid Hills, July 2021. Photo via Birmingham City Council Facebook page

On June 21st, as part of Birmingham’s 150th birthday celebration, the city launched the 99 for the 150th  Taking Pride Where I Reside initiative. 

The goal?

Set in motion an aggressive summer clean-up schedule to address overgrown lots, pick-up trash and remove illegal dumps neighborhood by neighborhood throughout the Magic City. The clean-up drive is a group effort between the city, citizens and community partners.

Earlier this week, the initiative’s organizers provided a progress report.

During the first month, the “Taking Pride Where I Reside” initiative has: 

  • Serviced 33 neighborhoods
  • Collected 1,644 bags of litter
  • Cut grass in 1,038 locations
  • Removed 1,613 tons of bulk trash and illegal dump piles
  • Repaired or replaced 342 street signs
  • 73 zoning enforcement cases in process
  • 33 condemnable structures in process

Summer of Cleanups

Birmingham Cleanup
Birmingham Cleanup in Druid Hills, July 2021. Photo via Birmingham City Council Facebook page

For the week of July 12-17 – the city and local volunteers are working in the Roebuck, Roebuck Springs, West End Manor, Collegeville, Central Park, Arlington West End and Oakwood Place neighborhoods. They are also working in the Cahaba Valley area off Highway 280 near Lake Purdy.

For the week of July 19th, the initiative will begin work in the North and South Titusville, Jones Valley, Powderly, Hooper City and  Crestwood South and Crestwood North Neighborhoods.

Keep Birmingham Beautiful is planning several additional cleanups this summer, but you don’t have to wait for them to come to your community. The city encourages communities and neighborhoods to organize and spearhead their own cleanups. It is easy to do. Simply send an email to KBB@birminghamal.gov or call 205-254-2662 for details.

Recycling

Bham Recycle
Bales of recyclables at Birmingham Recycling and Recovery in Avondale. Photo via Pat Byington for Bham Now

It has been a busy month for the city pertaining to preparing Birmingham for its 150th. The Take Pride Where I Reside initiative coincides with the addition of a citywide curbside recycling day each month. As we reported in June, Birmingham is now picking up recyclables twice a month every first and third Wednesday.  

What’s next? The city’s goal is to clean up all 99 neighborhoods.  With two months to go, they are off to a good start.

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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