HELP KEEP KEY WEST CLEAN

JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS

“So we’re hoping that helps with traffic flow, so if you know certain areas are clogged up you maybe want to wait a few minutes before heading out,” said Turcios.

Negron said similar pilot programs are underway in Tallahassee, Gainesville and Ocala.

“We’re excited to try this new technology down in the Keys. We think it’s going to be very beneficial for the Keys, for the residents and tourists alike,” added Turcios.

Fifteen Ploggers met at The Restaurant Store at the corner of White Street and Palm Avenue for the Friday morning clean up on June 2. They collected 98 pounds of trash, 5 pounds of recycling and a gallon of cigarette butts. Thank you to Richard and Kathy Tallmadge for hosting the volunteers this week with refreshments and coffee. The next cleanup is Friday, June 9 in the back of the city hall parking lot from 8 to 9 a.m. CONTRIBUTED

One hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island.

Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers.

A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls. Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean.

The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way.

Please pick up around your home or apartment complex. Every piece of trash picked up is one less that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community. It is not just the large items you can see easily when you are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference.

It takes committed community involvement to keep Key West beautiful and we are making progress with every cleanup event and every spot that’s adopted. Call Dorian Patton at 305-809-3782 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help.

— Contributed

Join a Friday morning cleanup from 8 to 9 a.m.

Friday, June 9: City Hall – meet in the back parking lot

Friday, June 16: North Roosevelt by Denny’s

Friday, June 23: First State Bank on North Roosevelt – meet at the bank, park in the back lot

Friday, June 30: Nelson English Park at the end of Catherine Street

Ralph Morrow

... a veteran sports columnist, says the only sport he doesn’t follow is cricket. That leaves plenty of others to fill his time.