What is Success?
How do you measure success? One dictionary definition is "an event that accomplishes its intended purpose". If one obtains a raise in
pay at work that seems like success even though over time the desire for another
raise diminishes the accomplishment of the past raise. The ball team’s victory-
the first in a line of failures or the 99’Th string of wins is only good enough
until the next game. Battles won are victories, however, to win a war often means
succeeding in many battles over time.
On Green Up Day
one can keep score in many different ways-each participant or group can
customize how they measure Green Up Day success. Some might count the number of
bags of trash removed from our streets, streams, and green spaces. Numerically,
lbs. bags, distance, or other measures can be qualified. One can judge improvement
in aesthetics. Building tradition by participating in Green up day year after
year with family, friends, co-workers, neighbors is an important measure of
success for many. Building awareness of littering consequences within our
children, encouraging giving back to our community, and instilling a connection
to nature are goals we can use to gauge our success. Was Green Up Day fun, have surprising finds-albeit muddy and mucky and gross sometimes? These are also ways to judge a Green Up Day as successful. Sometimes getting muddy, mucky, while cleaning up yucky things bolsters adults' spirit’s as well as that of young folks!
Was Green-up
Day 2012 in South Burlington successful? Look at the photos below of some of the participants
in Green Up Day in South Burlington, May 5, 2012. I think these photos attest
that for each of these folks –against their own individual intended purpose on
Green Up Day as well as against the community goals-MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
RESULTS:
"The good news about Green Up Day is that many flocks of fabulous volunteers collected 3.32 tons of litter, 2,335 tires, and a cubic yard of scrap metal from the roadsides of Chittenden County. The bad news is ... that there was that much litter to have to collect on our roadsides! There are so many materials beyond regular blue bin items that can be recycled -- a lot of them for free. The best way to find out how to dispose of just about anything you can think of is to visit our online A-Z List. If you can't find your answer there, give us a jingle at 872-8111, or drop us a line at info@cswd.net. " Clare Innes of CSWD.
In South Burlington alone, 3.30 tons of trash were picked up on Green Up Day 2012.
RESULTS:
"The good news about Green Up Day is that many flocks of fabulous volunteers collected 3.32 tons of litter, 2,335 tires, and a cubic yard of scrap metal from the roadsides of Chittenden County. The bad news is ... that there was that much litter to have to collect on our roadsides! There are so many materials beyond regular blue bin items that can be recycled -- a lot of them for free. The best way to find out how to dispose of just about anything you can think of is to visit our online A-Z List. If you can't find your answer there, give us a jingle at 872-8111, or drop us a line at info@cswd.net. " Clare Innes of CSWD.
In South Burlington alone, 3.30 tons of trash were picked up on Green Up Day 2012.
Green Up Day is a family affair and a Vermont - family tradition.
Green is a behavior, a way of life. None of us can do it all, however each of us can do it apart.
Passion and volunteerism are powerful movers. Never underestimate the power of either.
Green Up Day. A challenge sometimes? Yes. Fun just the same-you bet. Found the car Club locking device this year, next year we WILL find the key!
Instrumart industrial instruments values its employees and its employees value their community!
GEE, These GE volunteers and associates look like they won the lottery. They did- the lottery of friendship and the joy of togetherness, giving back to the community.
Connect the dots. One street at a time we will keep our city clean.
Vermont - A Special Place where Green has always been the 'in thing'.
Litter Pickin - You never know what you might find.
Multi-taskers combine Green Up Day clean-up with Fishin.
Thumbs up Folks -
but stick with Spagetti'os for supper.
Mr Pike is a little past his expiration date.
Once these folks hook into litter, it is getting reeled in-guaranteed.
Green Up Day - local community spirit.
Tradition of Green Up Day participation - Priceless.
Keep it simple. Get it done. Vermonters know how to protect the mountains and valleys we cherish.
Too much plastic and other litter does not do an (any) body good.
The day started cold and dreary, the work grimy and yucky. Family pride and many hands along with developing blue skies and warm sunshine made for a great and Happy Green Up Day indeed.
We are in this together. Is there any other way? Friends help each other. Family helps each other. Co-workers help each other. Vermonters help each other. Vermont Strong we are.
We don't need signs telling us Litter Ahead-we just need to pick it up whenever we see it.
Does recognizing the blowup punching clown bag date you as much as it dates me?
The pole item is as yet unidentified - a mystery find. Any guesses?
Hard Work or Heart Work. Green Up day saw some of both, however most of the latter.
Love our Planet-Care for our Planet.
I'll drink to that. Support the wonderful companies whose employees help clean up our community.
And remember if you notice stores and businesses that need an alert of litter on their premise and a gentle persuasion to clean it up- copy print and redeem the Clean Up Coupon available on this site. See right side column.
I dropped off a Clean Up Coupon to the mgr. at Barnes and Nobles on my bike ride home after Green Up Day at City Hall ended at 3PM. The Mgr. told me litter clean-up on the property was the responsibility of the landlord. So I sought them out, found their office, and left a Clean Up Coupon with them (Judge Associates).
Not only did we participate in Green Up Day - but we are also going to check out the green info. sheet about the South Burlington Land Trust (The folks within this org. coordinated S.B. Green Up Day bag handout and collection site).
SBLT (http://www.sblt.org/) has a stated mission of: Conserving undeveloped land in S.B., help implement open space strategies, cooperate with others to procure land and conservation easements, support agricultural uses of some land, preserve forests, wetlands, and open space for public use and wildlife corridors. (My edited abbreviated summary of their mission statement). See their website for their history, full mission statement, their accomplishments, and how to become a member.
Bernie
Our South Burlington elected officials walk the talk!
The start of a tradition to be handed down to yet another generation. How great is that!
I had fun, how about you?
On May 5, 2012, many people, representing many age groups, joined as a cohesive group to scan the city for litter and to clean it up. These dots represent the areas addressed by those who stopped by City Hall to drop off the littered trash they collected.
Let's keep connecting the dots throughout the year- Creating Community. Community is not static. Community needs to be developed, sought, and nourished. Invite people to and encourage communally beneficial and non-exclusive activity like litter picking; that in turn develops community.
It takes a community and it takes many volunteers to keep the gears oiled and smooth sailing.
Leadership is about organizing, planning, and many hands helping out. Synergy is the result (1+1=3).
Thank You to the organizers and folks tending to the tables at City Hall including the South Burlington Land Trust members Trica King, Sophie Quest, Sarah Dopp, Pat Allen, Barbara Bull, Penne Thompkins, Michael Mittag, Clary Franko, and others. Thanks also to city employees Paul Conner and Tom DiPietro.
Thank You to all of the Green Up Day participants for helping to clean up our South Burlington community. Thank You to all of Vermont's participants for participating in the Green Up Day clean-up.
We knew you would come through for us!
Also, Thank You to those who can clean up litter throughout the year!
Remember, Green Up Vermont (who provides Green Up bags) is a nonprofit org. which does not receive funding from the state of Vermont. http://www.greenupvermont.org/
Therefore, Thank You to Green Up Day business sponsors: Subaru, Casella, GMCR, VSECU, National Life Group, WCAX, 802 Creative Partners, Ben & Jerry's, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Plastic Industry of American Chemistry Council, VELCO, Bond Auto Parts, Burlington Free Press, DEW Construction, Green Mountain Power, Husky, Swish.
Votes have been tallied. The people's top choices for Favorite LITTER BUMPER SNICKER are:
Top Choice: # 7 (With 19% of the votes) :
Litter is nature's cancer. We know the cure.
Second choice: (Tie between #16, #6 with 15% of the votes each)
I Stop (frequently) for litter.
&
What was the world like before litter? Pick it up and find out.
Third choice: (Tie between #10, #17 with 12% of the votes each)
Share in Vermont's Green Up Day tradition. It's good clean fun.
&
Kiss the frog release the prince. Pick up litter save the frog.
Thank You all for voting!
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Trashed Land & Waterways
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Copy,
print, redeem
CONSUMER: Present to the local retailer of your choice.
RETAILER: There
is littered trash on your storefront. I am
confident you will take action to clean up this blight and restore your welcome
mat to its finest image.
The
community and your patrons will thank you for cleaning up the litter on your
store frontage including parking area, sidewalk, greenbelt, and
roadside.
Please
consider this clean-up request redeemable/actionable on a weekly or even daily
basis. Help yOUR shopping district remain CLEAN and inviting 365 days a year.
For
Green & Clean Vermont stories and pictures visit: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/
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CSR;
Corporate Social Responsibility. People want companies to help solve social
problems. Litter is an issue of potential harm and of potential opportunity for business and people. Clean communities represent a Social Value. Collaboration between consumers (People who purchase goods) and the businesses who provide those goods or services can help eradicate litter-solve a social problem important to both parties.
Other cleanup
event and celebration postings:
Ø BTV Bike Path/City Beach: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/11/btv-bike-path-to-city-beach-good-clean_2.html
Ø Red Rocks Beach: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/08/marine-debris-removed-from-vt-waterways.html
Ø Winooski River Salmon Hole: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/10/winooski-river-salmon-hole-litter-clean.html
Ø Preparing for Green Up Day: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/04/green-up-day-2012.html
Ø Green Up Day Posters: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/02/2012-green-up-day-poster-winners.html
Ø Green Up Day 2011 Windjammer: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2011/05/windjammer-employees-on-green-up-day.html
Ø Green Up Day- why we do it every
year: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2011/04/green-up-day-may-7.html
Ø Green Up Day – A VT tradition: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2010/06/tradition-apr-2010.html
Sure looks like a good time was had by all!
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