You’re Invited to Come Clean Gwinnett!

We’d like to cordially invite you to Come Clean Gwinnett. And no, we’re not referring to Gwinnett Recycles’ mission to host a litter cleanup and plastic brand audit in every Gwinnett city by Earth Day (though we’d love it if you join that effort, too). We’re talking about a new Facebook group called Come Clean Gwinnett that’s bringing citizens together to take direct action on litter and blight in their own neighborhoods. The group was formed on Tuesday and already has nearly 250 members!

Litter is everywhere right now. Sure, it’s always a lot more visible this time of year when grass is low and trees are bare, but it seems especially bad this year. It could be because COVID-19 has impeded prison crews from picking up litter as frequently, or because more outdoor recreation has increased littering in parks and greenspaces, or because of the increasing ubiquity of single-use packaging and disposable PPE. Regardless of the reasons for all the litter, we know our community needs help. And we can’t always rely on someone else (or the government) to handle the problem. Why give up our power like that? We’ve each got the ability to make an impact!

In Come Clean Gwinnett, you’ll meet neighbors in your area who want to team up to clean the streets you walk and drive. You’ll connect with resources in the community like Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful that can provide free cleanup supplies like safety vests, grabber tools, and trash bags. You’ll be inspired by litter warriors like Chad Livsey, who has “adopted” eight roads in Gwinnett and already helped collect 276 bags of litter so far in 2021. You’ll find guidance for reporting issues like potholes, damaged cable boxes, forgotten traffic cones, and dangerous sidewalks — all things that bring down our property values and quality of life.

When you get out for a cleanup, you might even have your spirits lifted and make some new friends — that’s how it’s been for Chad Livsey, Glori Hunter, Donna and Dennis Swessel, and me, who created the group together. We wanted to empower everyone in Gwinnett to feel as great as we feel when improving our community.

If you’re looking for a safe, fun, invigorating, and inspiring volunteer opportunity in Gwinnett, look no further than your own neighborhood and Come Clean Gwinnett. Join the group on Facebook and then invite your friends and neighbors to participate, too. Here’s to a clean 2021!

About Gwinnett Recycles: Gwinnett Recycles is focused on helping Gwinnett County, the second-largest county in the state of Georgia, reduce, reuse, compost, and recycle more material and keep waste out of landfills and the environment. Gwinnett Recycles is run 100% independently by citizen volunteers. To connect with us and support our efforts, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, and consider volunteering with us!

About author Laura

Laura A. Hernandez is the founder of Gwinnett Recycles, a grassroots community organization focused on trash, and is a co-founder of Come Clean Gwinnett, a large Facebook-based community group that empowers citizens to reduce litter and blight. After serving for four years as a Mayor-appointed member of the Sustainable Norcross Commission, Laura went on to become the Chairwoman's appointee to the inaugural Gwinnett Sustainability Commission, which she led as chair. Laura hates to see anything go to waste and believes that Gwinnett County's nearly one million residents can make a big impact by reducing, reusing, composting, and recycling right.