Snow still blankets the city, but Reading\u2019s Clean City team said it\u2019s not too early to start planning for the coming spring cleanup season.<\/p>\n
Clean City Coordinator Ryan Bradley rallied City Council\u2019s support for upcoming events and ongoing initiatives at a recent council committee of the whole meeting.<\/p>\n
Organizers are already planning the annual Earth Day celebration and Great American Cleanup, both scheduled for April 18<\/p>\n
The Earth Day celebration in City Park is co-organized by the nonprofit Earth Day Berks County and Reading\u2019s Public Works Department.<\/p>\n
The day will kick off with a citywide cleanup, part of the nationwide Great American Cleanup, said Bethany Ayers Fisher, city sustainability manager.<\/p>\n
An effort of the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful, the annual cleanup is the nation\u2019s largest community improvement program. An estimated 20,000 communities nationwide take part each year.<\/p>\n
Earth Day activities in City Park will begin at noon following the cleanup, she said.<\/p>\n
Bradley said the park will again serve as the central hub for volunteers to pick up supplies. Clean City staff will provide all materials and coordinate volunteers to support citywide cleanups.<\/p>\n
The city already has strong commitments from local schools and colleges, he said, including Alvernia University, which regularly provides 75 to 100 student volunteers each year.<\/p>\n
Bradley also asked council members to identify a park or area within their district that needs to be cleaned and to host a cleanup as part of the day\u2019s morning events.<\/p>\n
Cleanup efforts, he told council, are as much about community engagement as they are about trash removal.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom Clean City\u2019s standpoint, I just want to be able to work closer with council when it comes to community engagement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s Great American Cleanup drew more than 300 volunteers who collected 337 bags of trash weighing a total of 5.6 tons, Bradley noted.<\/p>\n
This year, he said, he hopes to surpass those figures.<\/p>\n
City Managing Director Jack Gombach commended the team and volunteers for their work and the amount of trash collected.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn case you guys are wondering,\u201d Gombach told council, \u201cthat is the size equivalent of one average African elephant of trash being picked up, or five large horses, and that\u2019s just one day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The effort, he noted, translated into an estimated $34,359 in savings for the city.<\/p>\n
The spring events play significant roles in helping to build community, fostering stewardship and responsibility, and educating the public about environmental issues, Bradley said. But beyond those single-day efforts, the city\u2019s Adopt-a-Block program plays a central role in sustaining cleanup initiatives year-round, he said.<\/p>\n
The action plan rolled out in 2022 engages residents in keeping Reading\u2019s streets, sidewalks, parks and playgrounds cleaner and safer.<\/p>\n
Residents volunteer to serve as block captains who oversee and coordinate ongoing cleanups in their immediate neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
Block captains can be individuals, groups or organizations that commit to cleaning litter in their adopted block at least once a week for two years.<\/p>\n
Each adopted block is marked with a sign showing the name of the captain and acknowledging participation.<\/p>\n
With about 150 blocks in the program, Clean City officials said the impact of the ongoing cleanups is beginning to show.<\/p>\n
Ayers-Fisher noted the volume and nature of illegal dumping have changed over time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the six years that I\u2019ve been part of this team, the characteristics of the trash has changed, and actually the tonnage is starting to go down,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing fewer illegal dumps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clean City Foreman Ronald Epps also credited the city\u2019s periodic \u201cDumpster Day\u201d events for residential, non-hazardous, bulky item disposal with lessening illegal dumping.<\/p>\n
The next major citywide event is scheduled for May 16, Bradley said, noting more information will be forthcoming.<\/p>\n
Councilwoman Melissa Ventura said the disposal days help build relationships between residents and city staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery cleanup that we do, you meet someone new, you stay in contact,\u201d Ventura said. \u201cResidents know to contact you when they see illegal dumping.\u201d<\/p>\n
The dumpster program and neighborhood cleanups help instill a culture of responsibility that starts with visibility and education, Councilman Jaime Baez Jr. said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very important to build a culture that cares about the cleanliness of their city,\u201d Baez said.<\/p>\n
For more information or to volunteer for Earth Day 2026, visit https:\/\/sites.google.com\/view\/earthdayberks\/join-us-on-earth-day?authuser=0<\/a>.<\/p>\n