How to Organize Events 

Cleaning up trash on your street or neighborhood is a great activity, but to really spread the word, and garner new supporters, nothing beats organizing a local trash-cleaning event!

To make sure this one is a great time for everyone involved, here are some tips for making the cleanup event a success:

1. Be willing to do the activity yourself and enjoy!
2. Share your event publicly or invite specific people. You can use the LitterHero event calendar to share your event. Make the time, place, duration, and equipment explicitly needed by everyone you say about it.
3. Invite people. Do not compel them or excessively control their participation.
4. Make sure the venue is clearly specified (provide clear guidance or references to the meeting point).
5. Have a plan B! Make sure you have a second venue for the event - check the event area one day before the date.
6. Think about group size and composition: We suggest that the size of a group should not exceed 30 people to keep things informal and easy to manage:
   1. think how many people can manage on their own
   2. think where you can park if you are driving
   3. think if the location is safe and child friendly
7. Keep the event simple. Cleaning up the trash is easy. See what you need:
   1. Trash bags, buckets or other containers
   2. Trash Tweezers (highly recommended !!)
   3. Gloves
   4. Rakes
   5. Places to Put Garbage After Cleaning (Call your local municipality or entity, if available bins aren't enough, usually entities want to help!)
   6. Tell potential participants that these are needed, but bring enough to cover half a dozen people who come with nothing.
8. Tell the event to many people, including the press. Get in touch with them and tell them what will happen, when, where and how. Even if you go it alone, it will increase interest, and people may want to join you next time. Having something written that can be “cut and pasted” can increase the likelihood of publication.
9. Remind people and yourself that what you are doing matters when telling incidents and details about how important it is to everyone. Only simple truth will inspire others. You can talk about what you have done so far and the people you have met along the way.
10. Always mention that there is no insurance for the action and that the responsibility is individual.
11. Remember that the weather forecast may change, so please mention that: The event may be canceled or rescheduled, subject to severe weather conditions such as wind or heavy rain.
12. Once people feel that they can make a difference each day, they will probably continue on their own - and maybe even do a project in their neighborhood ...
13. If it's easy enough, bring some food to the other participants as a surprise. Maybe cookies or small chocolates or something - cheap and easy is our motto about it. You can go for a coffee next, if that works better. This promotes socializing after the event and one can discuss ideas.

Organize Your Own Event

Want to promote a local group to help clean up your favorite street, neighborhood, or park?
Ask for help through our network of friends!

Get Started!