Of late, there has been considerable attention on the subject of waste in Harrisburg.
From revisiting past transgressions about the mismanagement of a waste incinerator, to the perpetual trouble of illegal dumping that continues to plague local neighborhoods, to the ongoing debate on how best to facilitate the city’s sanitation program, waste has been on the minds and tongues of many.
When reported in the news, opined in magazines and blogs or peppered among daily conversations, much of the dialogue positions waste in a negative context. And in some cases, rightly so.
Still, what if waste itself wasn’t the issue? Rather, that these assumed problems derive from how we think about waste and how then we act upon those thoughts.
Consider, for a moment, that waste can actually provide an opportunity to make great things happen in our community. That it can bring people together to connect, collaborate and create—all with the aim of keeping our city clean and beautiful. That it can represent the hope of Harrisburg transformed. This is possible if we change the way we think about waste.
Two valuable, local initiatives come to mind that exemplify this view in action: 2Minute Tuesday and The Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup.
Many of us are familiar with the 2Minute Tuesday call to action, which asks residents and businesses to invest two minutes each Tuesday to clean up their outside space. This movement demonstrates an important philosophical position: We all create waste, and as such, we all bear a responsibility for its end. The 2Minute Tuesday mantra also illustrates how individual action contributes to greater community pride. The effort of one person, one business or one organization may not appear to make much headway. But, in concert with others, the results can be remarkable.
Then consider The Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup, a collaborative event where hundreds of volunteers converge on one day, each year, to clean up city streets, sidewalks and other public green spaces. Literally, tons of trash and other littered items are collected by passionate, inspired and committed people who believe in honoring the past, present and future vitality of the capital city. They represent the optimism and action that propel this community forward.
In both examples, waste was not the problem, per se. Rather, it was the consequence of intentional action by people. Where one group viewed something as no longer holding value and indecorously discarded the item to the detriment of their community, others saw the opportunity to make their neighborhood better. Still, there is a silent number who act simply by their non-participation, viewing the “problem” of litter and trash as not their own.
How different are these multifarious perspectives on waste from other challenges we face in Harrisburg? Where one sees waste, the other sees value. Where one perceives hardships, the other envisions opportunities. And some choose to turn a blind eye. All act—one group detracts from progress, another transforms and the third disregards the situation altogether.
The question then remains, how do you think about waste? When you see a piece of trash on the street or sidewalk, will you pick it up or ignore it? When you see an illegal dumpsite, will you continue to pass by or will you collaborate with various stakeholders to plan a cleanup event and empower others in the neighborhood to keep it clean and beautiful?
How do you think about other challenges that Harrisburg faces? And how will you act? This is a principled question we must all ask ourselves.
The following quote by novelist and screenwriter Eric Knight so poignantly frames this perspective: “Waste not the smallest thing created, for grains of sand make mountains, and atomies infinity.”
Knight’s words challenge us to think differently about the world, about our community, about the way we think and about how we act. In the context of waste, how many opportunities do we let slip by because we think of waste as a problem, rather than a resource? Whether it’s repurposed for a new use, recycled into a new product or converted into renewable energy that provides green power to the local community, waste is a resource for our community. It’s about perspective.
So together…
Let us waste not time ruminating on things long past, but create, plan and work together towards a brighter future for Harrisburg.
Let us waste not energy on pointing out all that’s deficient, but invest our time and resources into the continued revitalization of this capital city.
Let us waste not the chance to make a difference in our neighborhoods. Where we see a need, let us each be the solution.
Harrisburg, let us waste not the smallest thing. For these sands of opportunity and progress will be the future mountains of change and transformation in this amazing town.
Kathryn J. Sandoe is communications manager for the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, a community publisher of TheBurg.
