Thunder Bay anti-litter campaign inspires people to show their civic pride

Don't be trashy that's the message of a new anti-litter campaign launched Wednesdayby the City of Thunder Bay to mark Civic Pride Month.

The new initiative will use billboards, videos and social media to educate people about using garbage cans not city sidewalks and streets as a place to throw trash, said councillor Rebecca Johnson..

"Why are you throwing something out of your car? Why don't you just keep it in your car until you get to the next place? If you've got to get gas, they've got containers there," said Johnson, who also chairs the city's Clean, Green and Beautiful committee.

"If you've got to, take it home. Plastic bags are a huge issue in our community. I mean, it goes on and on and on and our city looks dirty. We don't want that."

People are being asked to share the ways they take pride in their city and environment by posting images and stories through social media using #NotTrashyTBay.

Johnson says the goal of the Don't Be Trashy campaign is to have a cleaner, greener Thunder Bay by this time next year.

"I would like to be able to stand up here next year at this time, when we go into our Civic Pride Month and say 'You know what? I can't believe how clean the city looks in the spring," Johnson said.

"That would be huge to be able to do that."

'Just stop'

The cost of the program is about $20,000.

The Clean, Green and Beautiful committee has been around for over a decade, and has completed a variety of projects to make the city more attractive, including adding public art displays around the city.

But litter continues to be an issue in the city, Johnson said.

She said she's hopeful people will pick up the slogan and take it to heart.

Littering is not "what the community wants anymore, nor did we ever want it," Johnson continued.

"But now we're going to try and centralize it and say 'Don't do it anymore. Just stop. Put in the garbage cans'."

'We're going to get there'

Johnson said she acknowledges that it will take time, and education, to change the mindset around littering, but she remains optimistic.

"It's a campaign that you do slowly, bit by bit, a day at a time," she said.

"Anything that deals with social change takes time, but we're going to get there."

Billboards, videos, radio, print, online and transit advertising, as well as branded window clings and reusable shopping bags will be distributed around the city to reinforce the message.

The clean, green & beautiful committee is working with EcoSuperior on this campaign.