How to organize a community cleanup

Heroes of Elephant Hill Tips for Tackling Nasty Waste

Heroes of Elephant Hill volunteers clear a trail in El Sereno. (Cornell Chuaseco / UT)

Brian Lai , community news reporter
April 14, 2021

Elephant Hill is one of the neighborhood's crown jewels, featuring rolling hills and views of the downtown skyline and the San Gabriel Mountains.

Before: Trash covered the area under a large tree. Photo courtesy of Christian Aeschliman.

After: The area will be cleaned in November. Photo courtesy of Christian Aeschliman.

But not everything on Elephant Hill is picturesque. Some have turned this open space into a landfill. Bottles, cans, carpets, cardboard boxes, containers, broken toys, furniture, machines, and even a boat.

Frustrated by all the trash, the residents trained "Heroes of Elephant Hill" to clean up the 100 hectare park . The group's origins and focus can inspire other residents to tackle litter in their own neighborhood.

After: The garbage is removed from the container so that only the container can be transported. Photo courtesy of Christian Aeschliman

Before: A full garbage can remains on the hill. Photo courtesy of Christian Aeschliman.

"It depressed me that nobody cleaned it, that nobody was interested ... It gave me the impression that nobody was interested," said Christian Aeschliman, 44, from El Sereno.

I've wanted to do this for years.

El Sereno residents said they learned that the town's plumbing department didn't go up the hill to collect rubbish because their trucks couldn't access it. Ministerial officials could not be reached despite the telephone and e-mails .

A pile of trash is waiting for you to pick it up after cleaning up Heroes of Elephant Hill. Christian Aeschliman and William Gonzalez pose in the photo. Photo courtesy of Christian Aeschliman.

To restore the hill to its original splendor , Aeschliman started a community clean-up campaign on Instagram and Facebook. He invited his friends and family to help clear the rubble off Elephant Hill and publish his findings online for the world to see. In November, they managed to collect about 7,000 pounds of trash, according to the group's Facebook page. On February 13th, they collected thousands more.

"When I do it myself, I feel a little better, but you really have to multiply your influence to have an impact," said Aeschliman in an interview. "After cleaning our first hill, which was completely filled with trash, it was so good.

Aeschliman gave tips for people who want to organize a cleanup:

Choose cleaning dates and times that are suitable for most people, such as B. on the weekend.

Use social networks. Reach residents of different ages and on various social networks such as Facebook and Instagram.

Consult with the city and local elected officials for help, or find out if they know anyone who would like to get involved. The Los Angeles Community Beautification Office provides tools and supplies for people performing a cleanup.

Don't worry if no one seems to be attending the first or first two events. Talking about how the cleanup went on social media and posting photos can help you raise a bigger crowd for the next event.

Show the volunteers the difference they have made. See how many bags or kilos of garbage are collected. Post before and after photos. Transformation can motivate people to volunteer again and recruit others to join the cause.

Use the MyLA311 app to notify the city of any garbage bags that need to be picked up after cleaning . This app can also be used to report illegal landfills, trash, or piles of trash.

For those who wish to participate in a cleanup, rather than to beautify office , which is beautification of the community of the city always looking for volunteers.

This story was published on Eastsider LA .

Community News produces articles on obscured areas and small towns in Eastside and South Los Angeles. Email comments, corrections, and suggestions for stories to [email protected]

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