Sunday, July 10, 2011

Help Clean Up Our Neighborhood

ward 6 mtg_071911

15 comments:

Michael said...

Wonderful idea! The Friends of Edgewood has a monthly cleanup on the first Saturday. Kids and adults attend. It's fun and beneficial!

Michael Henderson
www.edgewooddc.org

Anonymous said...

Great idea. I hope they start by picking up the trash around Sherwood and the block between it and 7-11. They got the address wrong for Sherwood, it should be 640 10th St NE (10th & G).

inked said...

Anon 6:09,
I'm assuming you live nearby since you know the address. Hopefully you'll be at the meeting. As you live nearby, perhaps you could jumpstart the effort by picking up some trash with your neighbors.

JohnnyInDC said...

Travel & Leisure Magazine just ranked Washington, DC as the 15th Dirtiest City in America, so we defintely have our work cut out for us. I'm constantly amazed to see people dropping trash onto the sidewalk who seem totally oblivious to the fact that there was a trash can right next to them. The day I see a policeman actually issuing a $75 fine for littering, will be the day I'll begin being optimistic that people have begun taking pride in the Capitol of the Free World.

real h st said...

Big problem with "Anonymous 6:09" -- "I hope THEY start..." -- wrong attitude! I am a member of the rec center and I am happy for volunteer opportunities to improve the neighborhood for everyone, instead of just dissing our neighbors and local business owners. Thanks for the info, inked!

Anonymous said...

We never had trash before the 7-11? Sort of curious why this business is named and the others are not.

JohnnyInDc said...

The area we're talking about has LONG had a problem with trash. Usually McDonald's wrappers and Rite Aid bags dropped by careless passersby. The addition of the 7-11 has only added to the variety of trash. The fact that the residents of those townhouses often come and go out their back doors, unfortunately, allows trash to build up rapidly in front of their units.

Anonymous said...

As one of the organizers of this meeting, just wanted to clarify that a neighborhood process has proceeded and resulted in this meeting. We are making efforts to deal not only with trash but health and safety problems in the immediate neighborhood of 7-11. 7-11 has been presenting some serious issues for its neighbors, and agencies and elected officials have been helping us to address them. We definitely need 7-11 to start being a good neighbor, and that it why we have invited them to the meeting; some actions on their part could make the area much better for residents (and their customers). We also hope to achieve ongoing and lasting neighbor involvement in making the neighborhood safer, heathier and more beautiful. We are looking only for positive changes, and hope to work with all neighbors and businesses - nobody is being singled out unfairly. -- Kerry
(Feel free to send an email to contact information listed if you have any questions.)

Anonymous said...

I also should have clarified that this process has involved neighbors of the 8th St/Maryland Ave NE 7-11. Sorry for that omission! --Kerry

Tiredof711 said...

The combination of the 7-11 on the corner of 8th and Maryland plus an alley that is in a serious state of disrepair has led to a real health crisis in the neighborhood. Overflowing and oozing trash from the 7-11 provides a massive food source for rats who then live in the cracks in the alleyway itself. Luckily, the neighborhood has really come together and ANC commissioner Holmes has been very helpful. Would be great for Councilor Wells to throw some weight behind a solution to the alley given the fact that DDOT has been completely MIA (and he is chair of the public works committee). Thank you for all the great work!

Mary said...

Around 10pm last night, I drove into the alley from 8th St NE. (note: I live on MD Ave NE and I love our neighborhood.)

I stopped my car to watch the scurry of rats, tails and backsides darting under the metal plate in the alley. My headlights shown on the metal plate. I was dumbstruck at the number of rats I saw. I sat there for a few seconds and watched in disgust. And that’s when I heard it. The NOISE. With my car windows rolled up and the AC on, I could hear the sounds of rats squeaking and squealing. The clearly audible sound was coming from the refuse area behind the 7-11. I turned my head to the refuse area, to see more rats running behind trash cans and sliding into holes. Despite the rats being hidden at that point, the piercing sound of the rats screaming was enough to make my stomach turn.

I recommend to anyone who wants firsthand witness to the rodent issues at 8th and Maryland NE, for them to walk down the alley (on 8th St NE) starting at about 11pm. If the sight of the rats isn’t enough to sway you, I would hope the sound of them will.

I have lived in DC a total of 17 years since 1992. I have NEVER seen (yet alone HEARD) what I witnessed last night.

Regina Zopf, MD, MPH said...

It would be great if we could get 7-11 to stop serving prepared food as I am sure the droppings from chicken wings, hot dogs, etc. are perpetuating this rodent problem.

Anonymous said...

Yep, 7-11 has no right to be serving prepared food. The food ends up all over the neighborhood as litter and rat food. It's ridiculous 7-11 is granted this kind of license.

Anonymous said...

Check out this video of the problem at this 7-11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RLDsNmh3Bk

Anonymous said...

Don't Forget - There is a Meeting tonight (7/19) at Sherwood Rec Center 7:00 PM