Keep Mansfield Beautiful recently completed a test of new anti-litter signs and the results were promising.
Here’s how it worked: Thirty days after the 10th annual Great American Cleanup of Mansfield on April 29, volunteers returned to a 1/10 mile stretch of Spring Street. Even though only 30 days had passed since this area was litter-free, 10 pounds of fresh litter had accumulated, including 42 empty Sutter Home wine bottles!
To deter future littering, Keep Mansfield Beautiful installed 10 temporary anti-litter signs. Thirty days later, the signs were removed. Volunteers cleaned up the same area and this time collected less than one pound of trash and zero Sutter Home wine bottles.
Based on these results, it appears that the new temporary signs did deter would-be litterers. Keep Mansfield Beautiful is now testing the signs in a new location. They have also contacted the Mansfield police department to ask that officers be on the lookout for litterers.
Simply cleaning up after those who litter is a not a long-term solution to our state's problem. Enforcement and education are major pieces of the behavior change process too.
Contact us if you would like to learn more about Keep Mansfield Beautiful’s anti-litter campaign.
