Not taking things to litter-ally: 'het VuilnisOproer' (VO)
translated: The GarbageUproar does not solve the litter problem itself.
What it does do, is connecting people pursuing a similar goal: a clean(er) living environment in the New-West district of Amsterdam.
We want to connect these people physically and online.
Connected we can get support and learn from each other.
BuurtBlikVangers (BBV) (translated: neighbourhood trash watchers) are our ambassadors. They know best about the litter situation of their own neighbourhood and can be called on by the VO or municipality about this subject.
Some also organise their own litter cleaning activities and have a huge positive impact on their neighbourhoods.
The VO supports this with a website, organizing meetings, app groups and newsletters. Also by support activities with promotion, participation and cleaning materials.
Although we have "Riot/Uproar" in our name, we work constructively with the municipality and not against them. We believe there is more to be gained from this than saying what the municipality is doing wrong. We also try to analyse together what is going wrong, why and how (simple) solutions are possible. Our brainpower (170,000 inhabitants) is great and we are the constant factor in New-West. We have true ownership of our neighbourhoods.
For the most part the polluters are the citizens and the municipality cleans up a lot of litter already. In doing so, the municipality needs the citizen's input and ideas on when and where things go wrong and why. Together, we want to see a more efficient municipality, so that the streets really become cleaner.
Except for one person, our secretary, we are all volunteers. The members of GarbageRiot see it as volunteer work in addition to their regular jobs. It sometimes seems that we are not making much progress, because progress can take a longtime, establising trust and the needed relationships.
Some projects we're currently working on include:
- Creating local work-teams in New-West.
- Help change the policy of the municipality through their hotspot approach
- Looking into mowing over trash, issues with abandoned shopping carts
just to name a few...
Join us for free by becoming a member, and help increase our influence. Also you can join by cleaning your surroundings (only if you feel like it;)
If you want to read more about our ambitions, please read our 10-point action plan (sorry only in Dutch) and let us know what you want to participate in.
And this is me explaining the trashbins in Amsterdam New-West ;)
In Dutch
