An expected 20,000 volunteers will hit the streets and parks throughout the Pittsburgh region this weekend for a semi-annual litter clean-up in conjunction with Earth Day on Sunday.
Boris Weinstein, founder of Citizens Against Litter, which helps organize the clean-up effort in Washington, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Butler, and Beaver counties, said 250 communities and groups have already signed on to help out.
Of those 250, 84 are city neighborhoods and 57 are Allegheny County boroughs and townships.
These clean-up efforts are not new to the region. Weinstein said the same groups have done spring and fall clean-ups for six years. He said Pittsburgh is one of the best metros at planning and executing litter clean up.
"I think we do a very good job in organizing all the neighborhoods as well as the areas in Allegheny County and other nearby communities," Weinstein said.
Most of the groups will set out Saturday morning to remove trash and debris from their communities, but Weinstein said clean-ups will go on all weekend with a goal of collecting 250 tons of trash.
"It's going to be people out everywhere. Each community is responsible for identifying the areas in their neighborhoods for clean-up," Weinstein said.
Weinstein said he can hook anyone up with their local clean-up groups. He can be reached by phone at 412-688-9120 or through email at boris.weinstein@verizon.net.
He said there are two important elements to making Pittsburgh and its surroundings less cluttered with trash.
"We need better education and awareness that we have a litter problem, and that people have to change their habits to get their litter situation under control," Weinstein said. "But at the same time, we have to keep cleaning it up, because if we don't we'll be swimming in the stuff."
