South Burlington Green Up Day Photos 2015

You've got South Burlington in your hands.
Keep her Green and Clean-
Pick up Litter.








South Burlington Green Up Day 2015 collections:
2.3 tons of bagged trash
1.47 tons of tires (137 tires)

For 2016 Green-up Day photos click here. 

South Burlington, VT photos.

   South Burlington is a small dot on the blue planet; can you spot her? 

South Burlington Green Up Day: A Family & Friends Tradition. 

SB Green Up Day 2015 was a great event. How is that you ask? First, the weather was fabulous – Thank You SBLT for arranging glorious weather. Then again, South Burlington friends and family turn out for Green Up Day rain or shine, hot or cold - to show they care about keeping our city Green and Clean. Besides, citizen volunteers of all ages contribute sweat equity to make it so. I extend my personal thanks to all who picked up litter in SB on Green Up Day. May your example and tradition live long and prosper (Sorry Spock). Secondly, every single bag of trash that came into the City Hall drop-off site on Green Up Day was accompanied by smiles-which as we all know are contagious!

As in years past, after dropping off their full Green Up Day bags; folks attached a small round green sticker on a map of SB at the street location where they cleaned up litter. See my website photo showing how well you all saturated SB with your clean-up. I think every neighborhood was well represented. Bravo.

Were you thinking “what's up” with the little bouncy earth balls and earth chocolates that folks were holding up in their hands?  Let me explain. 

The slogan for this year is “You have South Burlington in your hands. Keep her Green and Clean- Pick up Litter. The SB Rotary club with Tom Chittenden leading the charge, designed and acquired signs, and purchased the crowd-pleasing bouncy balls (yup even the adults liked them), and chocolates (which everyone seemed to like). Thus, folks held up SB in their hands, albeit represented by a very small dot on the bouncy ball.

In addition to the SB Rotary, the following helped with SB Green Up Day as well: Clean Green, Vt. Coffee, Trader Joe’s,  Branch Out Burlington, Healthy Living, Suburu Burlington, Aubuchon’s, Leonardo’s Pizza and Tuckaway Steak House. Much obliged for contributions from each. Special Thanks to the Healthy Living employees for their time, and the wonderful food.

The SBLT Unusual Trash Find contest drew some exceptionally interesting and yes, unusual finds from our public areas this year. Most came with a story as well; from the Creed CD perhaps thrown out after a lovers’ quarrel to a really shocking find, and even some hilarious finds like the glass unit I thought was a candle holder, but some folks tell me it is used to smoke weed … hmm!

Not able to participate at this year’s SB Green Up Day event. That’s ok there is a year-round opportunity. You can always view the Green Up Day photos on my website, pick out your friend, neighbor, or family member who did participate, and congratulate them on having fun at a job well done.

Thank You all again for finding ways to help keep our community Green and Clean including supporting and participating in SB Green Up Day, and SB Adopt a Block program-open to citizens and businesses. Congratulations to Trader Joe’s for being the first Adopt-A-Block sign-up by an SB business. They pledged to clean up litter periodically year-round in the woods and waterways behind the store.

Stay up to date on SB Green and Clean events by liking my community FB page @ VT Litter Stories.

South Burlington 2015 Green Up Day collections:
2.3 tons of bagged trash
1.47 tons of tires (137 tires)

          SB Councilman and Rotarian Tom Chittenden, not only created signs and gathered materials for our 'You've Got SB in your hands campaign'. He and his daughters also picked up trash for Green-up Day. 

Thank You SB Rotary Club for sponsoring and running with my Green Marble campaign which morphed into Chocolate earth balls, and Earth bouncy balls - great call Tom. 

Bouncy Earth balls with SB located on them (you have to look really close) - to represent our precious earth, our SB home on earth, and to represent the FUN that Green Up Day is in SB-VT.

And Chocolate Earth balls represent the sweet taste that litter picking leaves in your mouth and within your spirit. Instant gratification!

Sarah Dopp, president and founder of SBLT (South Burlington Land Trust). Sarah and other SBLT members manage the SB Green Up Day event including insuring bags are obtained from Green Up Vermont, arranging for vendors, running the unusual trash contest, and more. 

                             Thank You Trader Joe's for bagels and toppings.

      Thank You Healthy Living - lots of great food and drink. 

                    Folks placed small round green stickers on the map at the location where they cleaned up litter in South Burlington. 

                                      Trains and bikes don't mix. 

 Thank You SB Rotarians: President, Sandy Walsh, members: Marc Teixeira, John Wilking, John Buechler, PJ Pfeienberger, and of course Tom Chittenden,  for meeting, greeting, and assisting folks on Green Up Day at SB City Hall. 

           

     Caring, and contribution builds community. Good food facilitates neighbor meeting neighbor and that also builds community.  

                     Thank You FPF for helping us get the word out to the community about SB Green Up Day. 

FCA- Our guess: Funeral Consumers Alliance of Vermont. 

                               

                    Sunshine and adorable - what more can we ask for on Green Up Day. 

                  Sophie Quest - one of our South Burlington natural environment champions.

You've Got South Burlington in your hands.

Keep her Green and Clean-

Pick up Litter.

Dad, I think I found South Burlington, in my hand.

                                                                                                                                                   

    Ken Atkins and Burlington Subaru/Hyundai framed their litter support. Who says litter picking isn't an artful event. 

                GE Team - Consistent Green Up Day participants. 
Glad to see you all!

                                                   1950 Green & Clean

We're sure to reach ET now. 

Drop me a line whenever you want some company bird watching & CK out my backyard bird photo series (select Table of Contents tab on top and page down to the birds section). Bernie 

                                           

          There has to be a lovers quarrel story behind this Creed CD being trashed alongside the road.

                It's been a cold, cold, cold, cold Vermont winter. This snowflake in May is testimony to that.

                                                      King of Clean

"To me though, Green Up Day is especially about community. There is a certain feeling that you get in your heart when you see strangers, family, and friends coming together helping the planet one step at a time." 

~Alya Fidel, Grade 6 Waitsfield Elementary  School. 

                        SB Green Up Day - A Scarpa Family Tradition.

Bring your children to help pick up litter. You will be planting the seeds for future generations of Green Up Day participants.  

    One of the many Unusual Trash finds. Took this one home for decorative purposes. 

  Now doesn't that entice you to do some litter picking- you never know what treasure trash you might find. I think it might be a candleholder!

                  I've got South Burlington in my hand and it is sweet!

             I have you (SB) in my hands; I will help keep you Green & Clean.  

           Every bag of litter comes with a smile. There must be something rewarding about litter picking!

                 I can see South Burlington - wow it's really small, but really cool too. 

                              Thrifty Sarah works to avoid any unnecessary waste.

               Don't worry SB. These students have you in their hands.

It's a thing-a-ma-ging.

                                         

     When it comes to Green Up Day in SB, let me tell you, Paul Conner is no couch potato. 

                                 OHHHH, this bag of trash is ODORIFEROUS! 

                               

                                 Always be safe when picking up litter. 

                      Some of the unusual trash entries received an inordinate amount of attention. 

 Check out the dots.
 Folks are blanketing the city for clean-up. 
SB we've got you in our hands. We will help keep you Green & Clean by picking up litter.  

               Ah, you are too modest. I give you a 10 for great year after year SB green-up participation! 

        One-piece at a time, and it didn't cost me a dime.
(~Johnny Cash)

                          South Burlington - You are in good hands!

                                                  That bears repeating!

                                               Proud to Serve. 

Treasure Trash - Lucky quarter

It was worth getting out of bed for!

                                                 Oops, a missed note.

                                                      Safely stored for disposal.

                                     WOW! Ten Cents - This is museum material.  

       I can't wait to get home and bounce the heck out of this earth ball. They really do bounce extremely well. 

Earth, the only planet we know of with both life and Litter.  
It is easier to clean our home planet than it is to move. Pick up litter, help keep your community Green and Clean.

These boccie balls will see a second life.

                                                 Giant French Toast? 

                    The unusual Litter Find pile is growing.

 Pick Up Litter year-round, to protect our water, wildlife, and human health. 

                                               
                         A SHOCKING litter find.

                  This litter picking is tiring work, but it's fun too. 

                   South Burlington, we have you in our hands. We will help keep you Green and clean by picking up litter.            

                           

  Yah!  

                                      POE was gracious and super friendly!

      SB you are in the Wright family's hands - they are helping to keep you Green & Clean by picking up litter. 

Thank You Clean Green Sanitation for the use of roll-off trash containers.

In addition to Clean Green, Vt. Coffee and Trader Joe’s, we also had Branch Out Burlington, Healthy Living, Suburu Burlington, Aubuchon’s, Leonardo’s Pizza, and Tuckaway Steak House help in one way or the other. ~Sarah Dopp SBLT
Thank You - Each of you!

                                           Finally time to put that to rest! 

    Paul has a Litter Story to Tell of his own, about the CD.

Thank You to our gracious host: The SBLT members who managed the prep work and staffed Green Up Day at SB City Hall including Sarah Dopp, Barbara Bull, Karen Ryder, Sophie Quest, Betty Milizia, and Ann Pugh. 

                       

The Folks at Trader Joe's in SB work periodically to clean up any litter in the woods and culverts near the store.  (And I note that every time I visit the store - at least once a week, there is no litter on the storefront!)

Thank You, Shawn, Heather, Juliet, and Laura. 

We protect what we fall in love with through caring, contribution, and community. 

Thank You all for participating in SB  Friends & Family Green Up Day and for enacting our 2015 slogan " You have South Burlington in your hands. Keep her Green and Clean-pick up litter. Bernie

 South Burlington Green Up Day collections:
2.3 tons of bagged trash
1.47 tons of tires (137 tires)

Most Unusual item contest winners: Colin Dupee for finding a blue glass bong. Second prize to Jamie Mittendorf, for mangled bicycles. Third prize to Grant Taylor (5 bocce balls, a vacuum cleaner, and a deer leg). Fourth prize to Jon Hughes and family for finding a large electrical transformer.

Keep abreast of SB Green and Clean events, news, and photos: 'Like' my  VT Litter Stories Facebook page.  

Consider joining the 2015 SB Adopt-a-Block campaign. See details @ http://bit.ly/1hxNQ6G or select the Adopt-A-Block tab on top of this posting ./ web page.

View new SB community photos and stories every week on my website
 http://www.litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/ . View the table of contents tab for sections on Backyard flowers, backyard birds, SB Parks, community events, and more. 

Clean Up Coupon available for printing - click here,
or select the clean-up coupon tab on top of this web page.

Read full details on Clean City Litter Control Ordinances Proposals. Click here.
OR watch the presentation on CH 17 @ https://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/south-burlington-city-council-272  It starts at timeline 59:20. What is your opinion on these proposals? Email me @ bernie

See (photos) images of participants from past SB Green UpDates on the web @

2014  http://bit.ly/1kK9cTj

2013  http://bit.ly/NDzgmz

2012  http://bit.ly/1eyLffI     

I feel energized when others engage with our SB natural environment (parks, beaches ...), meet and greet and help keep our city clean year-round be it G.U.D. or neighborhood adopt a block or other, and when I can share the beauty of our community (backyard birds, flowers, and the uniqueness of each of our SB neighborhoods).

~Bernie 

Thank You to the 2015 Signature Corporate Sponsors, Stafford, and Aiken Partners for supporting Green Up Vermont.

See a full list of Green Up Vermont sponsors 

Vermont's Green Up Day history: 

Vermont was the first state to designate a day to clean up the entire state. Started in 1970 by Gov. Deane C. Davis (pictured above with a troop of Cub Scouts on Interstate 89).  Green Up Day 1971 was also officially recorded in the Congressional Record, thanks to US Senator George Aiken. Click here to download a PDF version: Congressional Record PDF

That first year, the results were far beyond expectations. Four thousand truckloads were reported hauled by the Highway Department comprising over 20,000 cubic yards of trash removed from the Interstate and other state roads, and another 20,000 cubic yards, or more, were removed from town roads. Ninety-five percent (95%) of the 2,400 miles comprising the Interstate and other state roads were cleared and an estimated 75% of the 8,300 miles of town roads.

45 years later, Green Up Day continues to thrive! In 1979 the Green Up endeavor became a private undertaking through the establishment of a private, non-profit corporation called Vermont Green Up, Inc. In 1997, it began “doing business as” Green Up Vermont. Its efforts now reach out to promote the Green Up ethic and spirit year-round through its slogan, “Live the Green Up Way Every Day!”

Funding for Green Up comes primarily from private businesses and individuals through charitable contributions. As well, Vermont’s towns and the State provide a portion of funding support. Each year the Legislature appropriates a small grant through the Agency of Natural Resources, and each year Green Up Vermont requests a contribution from every town, based on the town’s population, with the amount ranging from $50 to $300. ~ Green Up Vermont