Neighborhood leaders have begun a campaign to end the Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s distribution of advertisement circulars on sidewalks and curbs across Worcester. After nearly one year, the T&G is still continuing to litter sidewalks across the city.
Residents who no longer want to be cleaning-up after the T&G
can join the “Stop Unwanted Trash” campaign.
What frustrates residents are the T&G’s advertisement circulars, encased in yellow plastic bags which are thrown from moving vehicles, littering curbs, sidewalks and front yards in neighborhoods across Worcester. The circulars are currently a print version of the T&G’s “On the Common” website consisting of just a few announcements or brief stories, wrapped around a slew of advertisements. In a recent distribution, full page ads from Commerce Bank, Herb Chambers Toyota and Diamond Chevrolet easily out-inked the limited number of announcements and soft news. The yellow plastic bags, which only make the front door occasionally, can instead be found deteriorating on sidewalks, curbstones and front lawns from Lincoln Street to Piedmont and Green Island,
Community frustration with the T&G’s distribution was first raised by Worcester Common Ground in the Pleasant/Piedmont neighborhood. Over the course of the past year the effort to end the T&G’s distribution has been taken up by the Pleasant Area Community Team – P.A.C.T. which meets at the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center.
Initially residents attempted to have Worcester’s Health and Code Division deal with the problem, and Health and Code was initially successful in curbing the T&G’s littering. Over time though the wanton distributions have continued and community frustrations have grown.
Seeking to document a city-wide problem rather than merely a problem in the Pleasant St. neighborhood P.A.C.T. has also catalogued the same carelessness in both the Green Island and Lincoln Street neighborhoods.
Pleasant Street residents have launched a campaign to collect addresses from enough neighbors so that the T&G no longer finds it profitable to dump in their neighborhood. At least one City Councilor has offered to help distribute the form to other community groups. Additionally, the P.A.C.T. group has been able to secure the commitment of Worcester’s Code Dept. to issue citations in the future if residents or property owners file a specific complaint.
The letters K.W.C. are emblazoned on City vehicles across Worcester. K.W.C. posters and fliers can be picked-up at City Hall, Meade Street and community centers from Grafton Hill to Camp Street. K.W.C. – Keep Worcester Clean has been the mantra behind the community partnership between neighborhood groups, the Department of Public Works and Health and Code Department for several years now. The T&G once sought to shine public attention on illegal dumping throughout the City and the unsightly mess trash on sidewalks and alleys created. Sadly the T&G’s commitment appears to have waned.
Free your home from T&G trash, download a form and join the “Stop Unwanted Trash” campaign.
Forms may be returned to the Pleasant St. Neighborhood Network Center, or Bernie Whipple at the T&G.
Do they really think this Millbury St. owner will be coming out soon?
Or this Millbury St. vacant property?
Harlow Street
Harlow Street
Austin Street
Austin Street
Austin Street
Piedmont Neighborhood
Stopping trash
Wow - what a great idea. I am enraged every time I arrive at my three-decker home and have to pick up three pieces of trash - 3 plastic bags to throw away, and 3 bundles of paper to recycle. It's an amazing waste of resources to distribute advertising in this way, and the city certainly does not need additional litter.
More sad T&G news
After last week's 100 job cuts at the NYTimes, multiple weblogs are reporting that 60 jobs will be cut at the Boston Globe, and most likely 20 at the T&G.
http://medianation.blogspot.com/2008/02/is-anvil-ready-to-drop.html
Commercial Trash
The T&G trash is also on Vernon street and other locations not cited here as well.
Bands and artist are not allowed to post stickers on light poles but the T&G can get away with this? Another case of Do as we say not as we do. Good luck with your effort.
Update on meeting with T&G
Tony Simollardes from the T&G met with the P.A.C.T. group to address all the concerns and frustrations. Here's what the T&G has offered to do;
1/ The T&G has agreed to cease carrier distribution of the newspaper on the streets in the Pleasant/Piedmont neighborhood where there were concerns about trash. Approximately 12 streets, 500 properties will be changed to mail distribution instead.
2/ During the meeting it became clear that there was no information about opt-ing out of distribution in the circulars being distributed. The T&G has agreed to include a phone # in all future issues so that residents can call and ask to be removed.
3/ Anyone that submitted their addresses to us will be completely removed from the list. If anyone in other neighborhoods would like to be removed from the T&G's distribution list that can email Bernie Whipple - bwhipple@telegram.com.
Feels good, let's see how it goes.
What is worse? Needles or old newspapers?
Will you LAME activists go after the city for the infestation of needles all acroos the city?
It is more important for a child to put up a dirty needle and get aids than a heorin addict!
5 needle....i found in 2 weeks.....all on the street!
I will drop them off in the Mayor's office....I will walk in city hall and DROP them on the mayors desk and leave.
CITY IS INFESTED WITH NEEDELS!!!!!!!
re: needles or newspapers- we tried!
We "lame" activists tried- ever heard of operation yellow box?
also. spell check is awesome.
Just as annoying: those
Just as annoying: those Compare Foods weekly sales papers.