CAMDEN, NJ—Earth Week 2023 may have officially ended, but the City of Camden is continuing the celebration through a series of neighborhood cleanups, which kick off tomorrow, April 26, 2023, at 9:00 am in the Cramer Hill neighborhood at 22nd and Harrison Avenue Park. The City’s mayor, Mayor Victor Carstarphen, is leading the charge with the third annual Camden Strong-Clean Camden Campaign.
The Camden Strong initiative began in 2021 and focuses on improving community health, increasing public safety efforts, and minimizing illegal dumping throughout the City.
Currently, 14 neighborhood cleanup events are scheduled throughout August 2023, and residents are invited to partner with local officials and organizations as they kick off the Spring season by cleaning and beautifying neighborhood spaces. “When you talk about cleaning our neighborhoods, it’s always a collaborative effort,” said Mayor Carstarphen at a recent press conference, highlighting the importance of partnership and community collaboration.
The City of Camden and numerous non-profit organizations, including Camden Community Partnership, the New Jersey Tree Foundation, and the Center for Environmental Transformation, hosted a series of free events throughout Camden last week to celebrate Earth Week. Some of the events included tree planting activities at parks, a local food and sustainability festival at Morgan Village Middle School, and the Camden Environmental Summit, presented by American Water. The Summit, which was held in person at the Hilton Garden Inn on the Camden waterfront, provided an opportunity for community leaders, non-profit organizations, environmental advocates, and businesses to educate one another on environmental issues, concerns, and solutions.
Dana Redd, former Camden Mayor and current President/CEO of Camden Community Partnership, shared that members of the Camden Collaborative Initiative have decided that “Loving our Earth” was this year’s theme for Earth Week. In addition to focusing on the theme, she said that City officials and its Earth Week partners, are continuing their efforts to “love the environment and the entire City of Camden.”
For those committed to long-term environmental change in the City, Earth Week helps to shine a spotlight on the work being done 365 days a year. Keith Walker, the Director of Camden City’s Public Works Department, knows that keeping Camden clean is a yearlong priority and a key component for improving the quality of life for Camden residents. “Working together improves the vibrancy of the neighborhoods themselves,” says Walker, “our goal is to remind residents that they are stakeholders in their neighborhood.” Walker, who was born and raised in Camden, believes that keeping the City clean creates more community event opportunities where residents can connect and meet one another. “So many more events are coming to the neighborhoods, including environmental events, music events, arts events, and more,” mentions Walker, “when we work, and residents work with us, it helps to make Camden a much better place that the community can be proud of.”
MRM Recycling and Covanta, in partnership with the City of Camden, will provide free electronic recycling (E-waste) disposal at all of the upcoming Camden Strong–Clean Camden Cleanup events. This service is being provided as part of an ongoing effort to combat illegal dumping and limit environmental hazards to the community. Residents are encouraged to bring any computers, laptops, monitors, printers, or televisions for safe and free recycling.
For more information on the upcoming Clean Ups or to learn more about volunteer opportunities, email: CamdenClean@Ci.Camden.NJ.US or call 856-757-7200.
This story was produced as part of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University’s South Jersey Information Equity Project fellowship and supported with funding from the Independence Public Media Foundation.
