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Major Findings:
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The City’s Average Score for 2008 is 1.8, compared to 1.9 for 2007, meaning that, overall, the city had less litter.
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Four of the City Council District scores actually increased, meaning they had more litter than before.
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One district, District 3, remained the same and continues to be the most littered district.
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The remaining seven City Council District Scores either remained the same as 2007, or their scores decreased, meaning they had less litter than before.
By far, the worst area we saw is in District 3 in the English Avenue area, on Hollowell Parkway and Law Street, near Maddox Park. We will suggest this area for the City’s Earth Day Cleanup to get the tires picked up as well as the debris that has been dumped into the creek at this intersection. This area needs education on litter abatement and motivation of the local residents to keep their area clean.
We noticed, too, that litter still accumulates around MARTA bus stops, particularly those in the right of way where there are no trash receptacles. KAtlB has been working with MARTA and the Department of Public Works to get trash receptacles at all bus stops, and to have them emptied regularly, and the areas maintained. And, even with the Governor’s Litter Initiative in effect, litter is still a big problem along the rights of way of expressways and their accompanying exit and entrance ramps
We saw many miscellaneous illegal signs, though not as many as before, thanks to the good work of the Department of Public Works, the City Solicitor’s Office and the Environmental Court, all of whom have worked with Keep Atlanta Beautiful to bring illegal sign posters to court.
Graffiti was prevalent everywhere. Keep Atlanta Beautiful is working with the Department of Public Works, The Atlanta Community Tool Bank and Home Depot in putting together a graffiti prevention and abatement program. Funding for this program is through Keep America Beautiful and Waste Management. An important part of this program will be to assist in rewriting the city’s Graffiti Ordinance.
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Measurability and accountability are hallmarks of Keep American Beautiful (KAB) and its affiliates. Because Keep Atlanta Beautiful is an affiliate of this national organization, we use its methodology for measuring litter, which is designed to make litter-prevention work easier and reported results more credible. The results of the Litter Index are intended to help quickly and reliably assess the litter situation in our city and to achieve long-term, sustainable results with litter abatement programs. Each KAB affiliate is required to perform the Litter Index annually and report the results to KAB to remain an affiliate “in good standing.”