Springfield is more beautiful than ever, thanks to the help of nearly 1,000 volunteers and more than 1,600 participating households who took part in the City’s Clean Green Springfield initiative this spring.

The effects of the pandemic and other factors led to Springfield’s streets and streams being strewn with litter. Trash became piled along highways and in illegal dumpsites. Volunteer programs were suspended, exacerbating the problem.

Both individuals and groups participated in one or more of numerous cleanup and beautification opportunities, including neighborhood cleanups, roadside trash pickups, plantings, stream cleanups and more.

Scott says the effort served as a catalyst for deeper, broader community discussions about community beautification, ownership and pride. Next steps could be new and improved, smarter municipal regulations and practices around trash and the environment; increased numbers of registered neighborhoods; and increased numbers of citizen groups or members of groups dedicated to the beautification cause.

Litter cleanup results

More than 11 tons of litter were collected during the City’s four “Point of Pride” cleanup events and various dump site cleanups. Dodging spring rains, a few hundred people turned up to help clean up at West Meadows, Jordan Creek, Wilson’s Creek at Scenic Avenue and Fassnight Creek at Grant Avenue.

An additional 170 groups or individuals registered for one-time roadway or stream cleanups, reinvigorating the City’s regular Adopt-A-Street and Adopt-A-Stream programs and keeping the litter management momentum going. Individuals, families, businesses and service organizations mobilized to help remove more than 1,031 bags of litter from Springfield roadways, trails and streams, totaling approximately 8 tons.

In total, 19 tons of litter was picked up through Clean Green Springfield, helping reduce a noticeable eyesore in our community, helping to improve water quality and protect the environment.

Trash/difficult-to-dispose-of-items results

More than 200 tons of trash/bulky items in total were disposed of or recycled through Clean Green Springfield special offers, and with the support of additional volunteers.

One thousand six hundred and one households disposed of “bulky items” that could have been dumped if they didn’t have any other resources. These items are now no longer cluttering people’s yards, or dumped illegally, removing an eyesore and protecting the environment.

One hundred ninety-seven mattresses collected over two Mattress Toss event opportunities, served more than 130 Springfield households, weighing about 10 tons.

Public Works engineer Ron Bailey said the City collected 1,560 tires during a Tire Toss event, with over 230 households served, weighing about 23 tons.

Just shy of 400 Springfield residents took advantage of special low-cost or no-cost electronics recycling through a partnership with the Computer Recycling Center. Citizens recycled 250 televisions at no cost to residents. Overall, the Computer Recycling Center collected more than 10,000 pounds of electronics: about 5 tons worth.

Neighborhood cleanups

More than 163 tons of trash were collected during 12 regular spring neighborhood cleanup events facilitated through Community Partnership of the Ozarks. Neighborhood clean-ups served 871 households. Approximately 75 new volunteers provided through Clean Green assisted neighborhoods with their regular cleanup activities, adding additional hands for unloading of items, help with bulky item pickup and cleaning up litter around the neighborhood.

Participation and service hours

More than 1,350 individuals registered to help clean up and green up Springfield, with approximately 900 following through with volunteer commitments. It can be estimated that Clean Green volunteers contributed more than 1,800 hours of service.

The Independent Sector calculates a national value of each volunteer hour every year. The estimated hourly value in 2021 is $28.54. Using Independent Sector’s methodology, the value of the Clean Green Springfield volunteer service was $51,372.

Beautification efforts

Volunteers have also spread more than 130 cubic yards of mulch and planted 155 plants during two beautification events hosted so far. Hatch Family Foundation made a significant financial contribution for the purchase of plants.

Next steps

The City is conducting debrief meetings and the Environmental Services department is continuing a litter index initiative to better understand the origins of this litter and working with the Public Information & Civic Engagement department to develop litter prevention strategies. An additional goal is to grow the City’s adopted street and adopted stream sections.

Sponsors

The City would like to thank the follow sponsors/partners for their continued support of Clean Green Springfield: Community Partnership of the Ozarks, KY3/KSPR/CW; Watershed Committee of the Ozarks; The Hatch Family Foundation; Ozark Greenways; iHeart Radio and James River Basin Partnership.