Reggie Gibson Makes A Clean Sweep

Mr. Gibson, it angers me that people are such pigs and have so little respect for their environment.
You on the other hand are heroic. Hats off! And thanks NHI for profiling Mr. Gibson and the contribution he is making to improving the City for all of us. If only we had 1,000 Mr. Gibsons.

Thank you, Mr. Gibson!

Yes, I second Carl Goldfield. This is heroic work. To most people it may seem like a small thing to tidy up this stretch of road, but it’s a big thing because Mr. Gibson cares enough about his community to do it daily, not just on Earth Day.
How can we get more people picking up our streets and fewer trashing them?

Very nice work by Mr. Gibson.

To they litterbugs just stop.

It is people like Reggie Gibson who are truly inspirational to me. He has overcome so much, and is working so hard to give back to his community. And he is so right, when you start making the world a kinder and cleaner place, and other people join you, then you make your little corner of the world a better place. The city should hand out trash cans on wheels and outdoor brooms with long handle dustpans and trash grabbers so older people don’t have to bend over to pick up trash. I bet if everyone who wanted these items could get them from the city, not only would the city be a cleaner place, it would also create stronger community ties and safer neighborhoods.

Kudos and salutations to Mr. Gibson.

What is the main cause of littering?
One of the reasons that people litter is due to lack of public garbage bins, or overflowing bins that do not get emptied regularly. By increasing the number of available trash receptacles and the frequency that they get cleaned.

Who is most likely to litter?
Along roadways, motorists (52%) and pedestrians (23%) are the biggest contributors to litter. Research also shows that individuals under 30 are more likely to litter than those who are older. In fact, age, and not gender, is a significant predictor of littering behavior.

So The problem I see is that public works need to step up.

Mr. Gibson deserves our thanks and a medal. Thank you!

Shockingly, I find myself (half) agreeing with Threefifths. The city could provide more trash cans (though these are often "overflowing" because people have illegally filled them with their household trash, not their intended use.) But let's not eliminate personal responsibility. People who dump or throw trash around mostly aren't looking for a nearby trash can. They just don't care.

I would love for New Haven to have a city-wide "clean up" day every spring, where each alder was responsible for leading a group of local volunteers to clean up their neighborhood.

First, all great comments on this feed and Mr. Gibson is a Godsend point, blank, period. He reminds me of all the ol' skool heads who lived in New Haven throughout the city (some that still live here), that actually, wait for it.......TAKE PRIDE IN WHERE THEY LIVE. That is sorely missing in many of our Elm City districts/communities. Directly contributing to many of the issues we have from violence, to clean streets and our public school system.

I will disagree some with @Threefifths in that it's more so partially a public works issue. Yes we do need more trash cans etc (all great points) BUT...I have five family members that live in the area. When I visit their side of the city, we often go to Kimberly for Kevin's Seafood, C-Town etc. Most of the people hanging out around that general area do not care about throwing trash in a trash bin at all. Me and my family members have seen many of them willingly throw trash on the ground.

When you say something to them, they get super corny, defensive or even become aggressive. The funny caveat is, many in our community complain when the police are called by the concerned citizens/neighborhood watch to walk the area and attempt to deter these mainly unproductive citizens from loitering, saying it's harassment smh. So there are layers to this problem and different variables that are valid.

We have to address them all across the board (which is not an easy task) if we want to create better neighborhoods for our fellow citizens, especially the youth. It's a slow burn but has to be continual to the point where it's a way of life. That's the only way to move forward.

Thank You, Sir, for your civic responsibility, and I take my hat off to you, but you just shouldn't have to do this. It seems the entire city of New Haven is a landfill these days, inhabited by sub-humans who need to be trained to do the most basic things like keeping their environment safe. Added to this is a Public Works department that doesn't seem to function, and the city is well on the way from the third world into being a fourth world city with bike lanes.

elmcitybornandraised Apr 9, 2022 8:54 am

I will disagree some with @Threefifths in that it's more so partially a public works issue.

It is a public works issue. They have a street sweep.

People are just lazy. That's the main problem with litter. Always when I go hiking I'm amazed in the middle of the deep woods how often I find myself picking up trash.

So thankful that there are people who are care about where they live. Those of us who do this regularly do it because it is the right thing to do and if we didn't do it, we would be inundated with filth. I call it an illness because you have to be ill to not want to have a clean environment. I am amazed that people who see this right in front of their homes do nothing. They step over it and wait for someone else to clean it up. The human mind that is aware of the need for order will always step up to do what is right. Thank you, Reggie.

Lack of trash bins is a reason people litter, but it's not an excuse. There IS a difference.

Yes to more trash receptacles and hand grippers so people don't have to bend.
Maybe Yale Corp could fund a modern day version of the Civilian Conservation Corp. to clean up one neighborhood at a time.
Of course we'd like to see more City services, but we live in a time of increasing taxes and reduced services.
I remember my grand mother and all her neighbors sweeping and even hosing down not just their front stairs, but the sidewalk and even gutters in Boston. They brought an attitude that everyone was responsible for the street's cleanliness and we are.
Here in the Heights we are fortunate to have a couple who regularly walk around and collect trash as an act of love. How can you NOT be inspired by that!
Mr. Gibson: you are MY Citizen of the Year. Thank you for your work and your good heart.
We need to be reminded that good people labor unseen in many places.

Some people are out here acting like they haven’t seen a car with McDonald’s trash just being thrown out the window as they finish stuffing their faces. That’s not a problem of too few garbage cans. My street has very little foot traffic, yet most days when I get home from work, the first thing I do is pick up garbage on my curb. It’s a lack of personal responsibility. There is never a valid reason to throw garbage on the ground.

GovLabPHL Releases Behavioral Science Studies on Litter Reduction

Study 1: The Effect of Various Public Waste Receptacle Numbers on Litter and Staff Time

The study involved trash receptacles at four parks and four commercial corridors. The results showed that the effect of differing the number of receptacles on trash was varied and
inconclusive. The study saw both decreases and increases in the amount of trash collected in locations where trash receptacles were increased and decreased. The results did show that when trash receptacles decreased, trash collected as litter increased and staff time spent on collecting litter also increased.

https://www.phila.gov/2018-09-26-govlabphl-releases-behavioral-science-studies-on-litter-reduction/#:~:text=inconclusive.,on collecting litter also increased.

Notice.The results did show that when trash receptacles decreased, trash collected as litter increased.Also notice were Mr. Reggie Gibson is sweeping is the road.This is why you need the street sweep to come by.

Thank you, Mr. Gibson.