April 28, 2017 at 6:27 p.m.
Clean up to show community pride
Editorial
In the old Soviet Union, it was called “subbotnik.”
Here, we call it clean-up week.
There are obvious differences, but the concept is largely the same: Community action to spruce up the neighborhood, particularly at the arrival of spring.
The biggest difference, of course, is that unpaid volunteer labor in Soviet times wasn’t so much volunteered as commandeered. And yet it needs to be pointed out that in the years since the Soviet collapse, the idea of the community coming together to work on a clean-up project has continued long after the iron fist has been eliminated.
Here, clean-up week depends on volunteers.
And that’s where you come in.
Portland’s clean-up week begins Monday. That’s the day city crews will start picking up items left at the curb or in the alley and haul them away.
Pick-up will be on the same day as the normal trash pick-up day for Portland residents.
But next week, virtually anything goes.
And having the opportunity to have things hauled away should provide all of us with the spark to clean out the garage, prune those bushes that need to be cut back, and drag out those long forgotten things from the attic.
The thing the Soviets got right is that there’s a direct correlation between the visual appearance of a community and its pride in itself.
A junky-looking town reflects a lack of self-esteem. A spruced-up community is one that believes in itself and believes in its future. It’s a place that cares about itself and it’s a place others would like to live.
Ball State University economist Michael Hicks will tell you that the future for towns — large and small — is making themselves attractive to new residents, having the right amenities, showing civic pride.
In other words, there’s a direct dividend coming back to you for taking part in clean-up week. The better the job we do, the more attractive we are and the greater the economic payback.
The Soviets never thought about that, but that’s no reason we can’t have a “subbotnik” of our own next week. — J.R.
Here, we call it clean-up week.
There are obvious differences, but the concept is largely the same: Community action to spruce up the neighborhood, particularly at the arrival of spring.
The biggest difference, of course, is that unpaid volunteer labor in Soviet times wasn’t so much volunteered as commandeered. And yet it needs to be pointed out that in the years since the Soviet collapse, the idea of the community coming together to work on a clean-up project has continued long after the iron fist has been eliminated.
Here, clean-up week depends on volunteers.
And that’s where you come in.
Portland’s clean-up week begins Monday. That’s the day city crews will start picking up items left at the curb or in the alley and haul them away.
Pick-up will be on the same day as the normal trash pick-up day for Portland residents.
But next week, virtually anything goes.
And having the opportunity to have things hauled away should provide all of us with the spark to clean out the garage, prune those bushes that need to be cut back, and drag out those long forgotten things from the attic.
The thing the Soviets got right is that there’s a direct correlation between the visual appearance of a community and its pride in itself.
A junky-looking town reflects a lack of self-esteem. A spruced-up community is one that believes in itself and believes in its future. It’s a place that cares about itself and it’s a place others would like to live.
Ball State University economist Michael Hicks will tell you that the future for towns — large and small — is making themselves attractive to new residents, having the right amenities, showing civic pride.
In other words, there’s a direct dividend coming back to you for taking part in clean-up week. The better the job we do, the more attractive we are and the greater the economic payback.
The Soviets never thought about that, but that’s no reason we can’t have a “subbotnik” of our own next week. — J.R.
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