by WHCA Events Committee
Instead of hosting just one West Hill Action Mob cleanup event for Earth Day, we’re staying active all month. This April, help us make Skyway-West Hill shine: grab a grocery bag, go for a walk around your neighborhood, and fill it up with litter. Will you join us?
✍️ Step 1: Take the Pledge
Can you fill up at least one grocery bag with litter during April? If you’re ready to make a difference on your next walk through Skyway-West Hill, add your name to the pledge:
✨ Step 2: Inspire Others
Let’s inspire more neighbors to get active and give back, and count how many bags of litter we’ve cleared off our streets. After you fill your bag(s), share your efforts with us to be featured on West Hill Community Association’s platforms:
➡️ Pro Tips
- 👟 Be prepared: dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and durable gloves, bring a litter grabber if you have one, and double bag. Stuff a few extra bags in your pocket, just in case you start to feel ambitious!
- 😷 Remember to practice commonsense COVID precautions: avoid crowded areas and stay six feet from others, wear a mask, wash the heck out of your hands afterward (for many reasons).
- 👀 Stay aware of your surroundings: if you get as laser-focused and competitive about litter cleanup as we do, don’t forget to watch where you’re walking, and be aware of traffic (especially if you start attacking litter on the other side of the curb or in a parking lot).
- ⚠️ Be careful what you grab: even if you’re going out with litter grabbers and extra-thick gloves, be careful when reaching into overgrown areas or other low-visibility spots. Use caution around broken glass, sharp metal, and syringes. Don’t pick up items that are too heavy to safely carry back and dispose of.
- 🚮 Plan for disposal: make sure you have enough room in your garbage bin to accommodate what you collect. Separate recyclables if you can. Know where to bring hazardous materials if you found any. Found a major dumpsite? Know where to haul what doesn’t fit in your garbage can. If it’s more than you can handle, call the King County illegal dumping hotline at 206-296-SITE (7483) or file a report online.
- 📸 Document your deeds: share some action shots, photos of your haul, or before and after photos on social media and tag us (@mywesthill on Facebook and Instagram, @WestHillTweets on Twitter) and use the hashtag #WestHillEarthMonth2021.
- 💬 Know the lingo: Picking up litter while walking is known as “plalking” (PLAH-king), while picking up litter while jogging is called “plogging”. Sharing before and after photos on social media are often “trashtagged” by using the hashtag: #Trashtag.
💪 But Don’t Stop There
We’ll be sharing more ways to make the most out of Earth Month 2021 in Skyway-West Hill on social media ALL MONTH LONG. Follow us for tips, resources, and local inspiration.
Hey neighbors! If you like having a more engaged, informed, and vibrant community, you can make a huge impact by joining your neighbors in giving $5 or more a month to the leanest, hardest working all-volunteer nonprofit in the neighborhood.