New Yorkers Keeping the City Clean

By Y.M. Lowy

The Sanitation Foundation, together with the city’s Department of Sanitation, has launched a new effort called Don’t Do New York City Dirty. The goal is to cut down on litter and remind people to take care of their streets. The campaign kicked off with a public art show in Manhattan.

The art show, called The Dirty Truth, runs this week and features giant sculptures made to look like everyday trash.

Acting Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan said city workers clean thousands of miles of streets and handle 24 million pounds of trash every day. But they can’t do it alone. He said littering isn’t just against the law — it’s a bad habit that hurts the city.

Even though 83% of New Yorkers say they’re proud of their city, nearly 40% admit to littering. The campaign hopes to change that.