Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Keeping your house clean
• Part 2 of 3: Helping in your neighborhood
• Part 3 of 3: Organizing a clean-up campaign
• Tips

Creating a cleaner and more beautiful world starts in your neighborhood. Once you are able to keep your own home neat and tidy, you can go the extra mile to work on beautifying your hometown with friends and neighbors. With an organized clean-up effort and some thorough rework, you can create a more beautiful world for everyone to live in. Help tidy up your home and neighborhood and keep it that way.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Keeping your house clean

1. Put plants in your garden. One way to decorate your home is to plant trees or flowers around your home for a better view. It doesn't have to be a big show. A bed of brightly colored flowers and some small shrubs can really enhance the natural beauty of your home.
   • Besides looking good, plants also absorb carbon dioxide from the air and create oxygen, which makes for a favorable atmosphere.
   • Make sure to prune branches from shrubs and trees if they interfere with public roads and paths.
2. Mow your lawn. Long grass doesn't look good on a lawn, so help your neighborhood by keeping your garden neat and short. Mow the grass regularly to keep it from getting too long and trim the borders with pruning shears.
   • To do this thoroughly, also clear the weeds and remove unsightly brown patches. Don't ignore those parts of lawn care.
3. Keep the sidewalk in front of your house tidy. In most cities, owners are responsible for keeping the sidewalks clean and tidy. Make sure to remove clutter so that people can easily pass in front of your house. During the winter it is important to keep the sidewalk in front of your house free of snow.
   • Many municipalities, especially cities, will fine residents who fail to keep their sidewalks clean and tidy. A little bit of effort on your part will not only keep your neighborhood clean, but will also prevent you from paying a fine.
4. Keep the drainage to the sewer clean. The utility of sewerage is to drain rainwater to prevent flooding and to collect that water in local waterways. Do not let waste and other debris clog the drain. You do not want this waste in the drain to prevent clogging and to allow drainage to local rivers and canals. Here are some other ways to keep them clean:
   • When you dispose of the trash, make sure that the lids of the bins are properly closed and that they cannot fall over.
   • Do not blow or rake leaves and other garden waste onto the street.
   • Avoid using salt or sand on your driveway. When the snow thaws, the sand and salt will go down the drain and pollute the waterways.
   • Avoid using fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides on your lawns. When it rains, they can also end up in the sewer.

Part 2 of 3: Helping in your neighborhood

1. Clean up waste. Litter, waste that people throw on the ground, is an eyesore. Worse, it can harm children, animals and the environment. If you see trash lying on the floor near you, don't assume someone else will clean it up. Be proactive in taking care of your living environment.
   • Consider a cleanup day where you and your neighborhood friends clean up the garbage.
   • Pay attention to lawns, shrubs, and gutters. This is where most of the waste tends to collect.
2. Clean up dog poop. If you have pets that you walk, especially dogs, make sure to clean up their poo. Nobody wants to see, smell or accidentally step into it. Bring a plastic bag to clean up, and make sure to dispose of the bag in a trash can. Leaving pet waste lying around can spread disease and increase the number of flies.
3. Create a communal garden. Just as plants can beautify your home, a communal garden is a fun way for you and your neighbors to add some greenery. Gather some people in your area who are interested and available to help take care of a community garden in the neighborhood. Find out what kinds of plants you want there and find an open space where you can plant things.
   • Make sure the plants are well cared for. Work together as a community to care for the garden; Don't rely on just one or two people to keep things thriving.
   • Herb and fruit gardens are a great way to give back to the community. In this way you can help neighbors with food on the table.
4. Adopt a road. Roads and similar areas can sometimes lag behind the clean-up effort. Help ensure that trash and other debris is cleared away from the roadside by tackling that region as a group. Your business, social group, or other organization agrees to clean up a section of the road in exchange for posting the group's name as a sign to indicate that you have done the cleaning job.
   • Every province, municipality and city has a specific set of rules for adoption and what it means. Make sure to check the process before applying and cleaning up a bit of the road.
   • Some cities also give groups the opportunity to also take care of bus shelters.
5. Report graffiti. Graffiti (daubed walls and other public places), is illegal in many places and an eyesore for most people. If you notice this type of art on a public building or structure, report it to the local authorities.
   • If you see graffiti on a local business or other private property, talk to the owner about cleaning it up. You may even be able to do this yourself.
   • If you see someone applying graffiti, don't talk to that person about it. Notify owner or local authority.

Part 3 of 3: Organizing a clean-up campaign

1. Talk to your neighbors about a cleanup. Everything you do in your environment is a group effort, so you need others to join in. When you get to know your neighbors, you may find that you notice many of the same issues in your neighborhood. Agreeing what to do is a good first step to a clean-up campaign.
   • At this first stage, you need to think about the roles that some people will play in organizing, advertising, collecting and doing the things necessary to get the action going.
   • Don't be afraid to talk to pre-existing ward groups. Groups like the Boy Scout Association are likely interested in helping to keep neighborhoods nice. Anti-crime initiatives such as a neighborhood watch will likely be willing to deal with the aftermath of crimes such as graffiti.
2. Talk to the local government. Many towns and cities encourage citizens to clean up. Not only can they help publicize your efforts, but some will be willing to provide supplies including brooms, rakes, shovels, gloves, trash bags, as well as paint and painter's supplies for dealing with graffiti, and even a industrial-sized container for landfill waste.
   • Many hands make light work. Ask several people to contact your local government. You can also conduct a survey.
3. Plan your action. You should have a clear idea of ​​what you want to achieve during your cleaning operations. Make sure you are well rested and have a clear sense of how many people are willing to help and what you plan to do.
   • Don't think too big like cleaning the whole city.Instead, focus on removing trash in a demarcated area, such as an alleyway, removing weeds and landscaping for a deserted field, or repainting graffiti. You want something that you and your team can accomplish in a day or a few hours to make sure you get the task done.
   • Think about the location. Make sure you have space for the waste, and that people can easily reach and park at their destination. Be careful not to obstruct traffic or cause problems for other people in the area.
   • Gather your things. Make sure you have the right materials on hand to do the clean-up work properly. If you're going to clean up a location, for example, make sure you have rakes, brooms, shovels, as well as garbage bags for the trash. Consider whether you need heavy equipment, and have someone around who is trained and licensed to use it. In all cases there should be a first aid kit to hand.
   • If you may have to deal with hazardous chemicals, you should definitely have a plan for collecting such waste and delivering it to the right location. Make sure you are familiar with your municipality's collection methods and are well equipped to deal with such waste.
4. Publish what you are doing. People don't know they can help if you don't tell them about the action. Distribute flyers around you, post on social media in your network of friends, and see who signs up to help. The more the merrier.
   • If you want to put up flyers, don't forget to remove them after the clean-up. They are not supposed to linger until they fall off and become litter themselves.
5. Keep the cleaning action. This is when you do what needs to be done for your cleanup. If you have planned the promotion, make sure you are present and get started. Have someone there to coordinate the effort, help people get the supplies they need, and keep an eye on the progress of the action.
   • Don't work alone if possible. When you work, collaborate with people.
   • If there are young children or teenagers with them, make sure they work in groups and have a trusted adult to accompany them.
6. Complete the action. When you are done with the project, make sure you clean up all of the waste that you have caused yourself. The site should be cleaner than before cleaning, and make sure everything is properly disposed of.
   • Once you're done, think about a way to thank everyone who participated. A small pizza or ice cream for everyone, or even just a drink (for all ages) afterwards, can be a fun way to celebrate your success.
   • Think about the next action. Chances are there is always something else in your area you can do to help. Think about what worked or didn't work on this cleanup and find ways to improve it next time.

Tips

• If you're looking for a good time to get people's attention for a cleaner neighborhood, Earth Day (April 22) could be a good choice. Make it the day of your ward team's first meeting, or use it as a day to propose a cleanup.