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News covering policy and issues related to city and county governments in the Ozarks.

Help Spiff Up The City During Clean Green Springfield In April, May

Michele Skalicky

A major cleanup effort will get underway soon in Springfield.  Clean Green Springfield will be held during April and May.  The event will include cleanup and beautification opportunities, including neighborhood cleanups, roadside trash pickups, plantings, stream cleanups and more.

In May, the city will offer chances for residents to dispose of things like tires, mattresses, appliances and electronics at no charge.

Citizens reported to the city’s Citizen Resource Center more than 1000 complaints about trash and debris in the right-of-way and more than 2000 trash-related nuisances on private property in 2019, according to a news release. 

Environmental Services staff members are currently creating a litter index and have completed a trash assessment analyzing Springfield streams, the news release states. They found on average 155 pieces of trash in a 100-foot stream section (628,324 total in Springfield area streams). Nearly 60% of trash found in streams is plastic, and, on average, there were 14 cigarette butts found in the stream (57,797 cigarette butts in Springfield area streams).

More than 50 partners and more than 600 individuals responded to a March survey conducted by the city and said they liked the idea of a “clean up and green up.”

The City of Springfield is dedicating around $80,000 to the effort.

You can find details, including dates of cleanup events that are planned and ways to sign up, at CleanGreenSGF.com.

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.