PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Cleaner streets and a community to be proud of — that’s the goal of a new cleanup project in Prince George’s County.
A new initiative to clean up communities in Prince George’s County means more mowing, street sweeping efforts and removing litter. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced the new initiative on Twitter this week and community members are all for it.
Ronnell Barnes has lived in Prince George’s County his whole life. He says the government shouldn’t have to pay for the mess that others are making.
“Trust and believe this is not what PG is supposed to look like,” Barnes said.
Community members I spoke to are excited about the project. Lifelong Prince George’s County resident Lynette Gravely-Campbell said she would even help with the efforts.
“I just want everyone to be proud of where they are,” Gravely-Campbell said. “And it doesn’t matter if you’re in a big fancy home or an apartment, be proud of where you live and pick up the trash around your area.”
The litter and mowing blitz runs for the next four months on main roads like Marlboro Pike and also in more rural parts of the county. Some community members say it’s a step towards preserving the county for the next generation.
“Even my kids, they see some type of litter on the ground, especially like around the house and in our community,” BJ, a lifelong Prince George’s County resident said. “They want to pick it up and you know, put it in the trash and it’s not even their trash. So that actually encourages me.”
Others hope their neighbors truly embrace the effort.
“The government’s not the ones throwing the trash outside like it’s us as a people,” Barnes said. “So maybe like one weekend, or one weekend out the month, the community can come together, we can just try cleaning up, help out with it a little bit.”