Jonothon Lyons, creator of Buddy the Rat, is launching a community litter clean initiative called "Buddy's Brigade: Litter Exterminators."
Lyons and NYC entrepreneur Michael Quinn are hosting a series of volunteer community litter cleanups around New York City with material resource support from the Department of Sanitation.
The first cleanup will be around the perimeter of Tompkins Square Park this Thursday (Aug. 18) at 5 p.m.
Volunteers can meet at the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A on Thursday. You don't need to bring anything: Quinn said that the Department of Sanitation will be supplying all of the necessary resources and equipment. They will also be coming back to pick up the trash, he said.
I truly appreciate people who volunteer to help their community. On the other hand these kind acts mask the real condition of our city, it's neglect of public spaces unless of course it can be monetized by corporate interest. The filth is a reminder of the lack of housing for little to low income people. The scarcities of funds for outreach programs to help people with addictions. As our parks, sidewalks become filthier, rats are a common sight each evening, none of this is lowering rents, slowing down developers and more tenement buildings getting scooped up and added to real-estate portfolios. So who benefits from these temporary refreshes of our parks? I say let the surface rot reflect the rot of those behind the curtain.
ReplyDeleteA city with a $100 Billion budget has money for everything. NYC spends billions every year on homeless services. Where does the money go?
DeleteLove this idea, love the initiative of the residents. Sadly, however, the Park will be a disgusting mess 24-48 hours after the clean up.
ReplyDeleteThe ones behind the curtain aren't rotting. They're partying while they get suckers to do for TSP what our tax dollars already do for every other park in this city, except this one.
ReplyDeleteLet the park rot? Honestly that's about as callous a thought that I've ever heard. "If it's broke, don't fix it!". SMH
ReplyDelete@2:04pm: Where does the money go? Let's just say: Not where we are led to believe it's going.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough one for me. On one hand, the city is utilizing free labor for a service they are paid to provide. On the other hand, since the city seems happy enough to neglect these public spaces, if we don't keep it clean nobody will.
ReplyDeleteThere are more than enough garbage cans in the park and it disgusts me that grown adults have so little concern for the park and others. Leaving garbage behind is a conscious act and speaks to the entitlement and apathy of so many that use the park.
The DOS will be supplying all the necessary resources for us to do the job they should be doing.
ReplyDeleteToo many privileged folks bitchin' about things. Get off your arses and pitch in. You'll find that are are many good folks out there who feel the same as your do and are willing to DO SOMETHING about it.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I was there helping today. Mental note for next time: Don't wear shorts.
DeleteIf y’all have a problem with the city skirting it’s duties. You should protest. There are many forms and if you walk down the street to the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, you will find out that the people who lived in Alphabet City when it was actually cool would routinely kick the city (parks, cops, pols, etc) out of the neighborhood and bar the streets. So if the city can’t be bothered and we have to, then the special interests should not be allowed in. Yeah?
ReplyDeleteWho’s streets?
Defn a budget problem + the fact that workers haven't shown up bc they were often out sick. They need money to hire people and one of the district offices is trying to ask the mayor for a bigger budget. Please also continue to complain via 311, get your case number and send that along to District 2 office like Carlina Rivera's bc they need those complaint case numbers when they ask for money. I'm not making this up. I actually spoke to someone there and they said to do that. Volunteering helps bc it seems like no one else is picking it up. Yes, there are deep issues that need to be addressed as well. It's like Sisyphus.
ReplyDeleteThank you to everyone that showed up to clean up TSP.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs to be filing 311 reports DAILY and send file numbers to Rivera and Epstein’s office.
ReplyDeleteSo many other parks are well taken care of … why does the city neglect such a heavily used park? I never see anyone cleaning anything in there . Garbage cans are constantly overflowing.
I only see one man from another organization I believe called HORT cleaning Ave B . He does a great job by the way, while others in the program stand around and do nothing .
It's crazy that every time you complain to 311 it does NOTHING unless you end that number to community board or rivera. So there are probably hundreds of complaints about shit that go nowhere just because people didn't do this weird extra step that should be done internally.
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