8.3: Launch a countywide initiative to educate and engage residents to protect and clean our environment
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Issue Statement and Context
Residents know that beautifying our neighborhoods increases their quality of life, but it can also be an important safety and environmental cause as well. Our community struggles with illegal dumping, which is a serious crime that can harm the environment and negatively impact neighborhood aesthetics. Dumping things like tires, debris, old furniture, and hazardous materials not only harms the environment and lowers property values, but also results in millions of dollars spent on enforcement and cleanup costs.
This action aims to positively inform and engage residents to take action against illegal dumping by building off the "Let's Clean Things Up" campaign and bolstering existing County initiatives such as Keep Miami-Dade County Beautiful, Adopt-a-Road, and Sponsor-a-Road. The "Let’s Clean Things Up" campaign highlighted the negative implications of litter, tying debris to environmental damage, lowering property values, and possible penalties for illegal dumping.
Detailed Action Summary
Develop a robust public service campaign that empowers residents and neighborhoods to address litter and illegal dumping.
- Educate residents on penalties for illegal dumping (e.g., arrest, fine, vehicle impounded).
- Empower neighborhoods to educate, equip, and – if needed – report fellow residents.
- Build on "Let's Clean Things Up" campaign, which includes programs that emphasize litter education and outreach to neighborhoods and neighborhood cleaning efforts.
- Fund local nonprofit organizations and create place-based initiatives where community members have ownership of the broader project.
- Provide incentives to residents to beautify or improve their neighborhoods on their own (e.g., environmental education grants, Safe in the 305 grants).