‘Look, there they are.’ Resident Joop Meijer points to two containers at the corner of Orchideestraat and Rozenlaan in the Kleiwegkwartier (Hillegersberg-Schiebroek). He carries their keys, as he has adopted these containers.
When checking the containers, the lids where the waste is deposited open and close smoothly. There is not a single piece of litter around the bins. Is this thanks to Joop? ‘No,’ says the resident from Orchideestraat, who has been adopting the containers for three years. ‘The street stays quite clean; people are mindful of that.’
He keeps an extra eye out. ‘This has been my neighborhood since I was young,’ he explains. If there is waste by the container, he throws it in. If there is litter, he uses a litter picker to put it in the bin. If the lid sticks, he steps on the bag to make it fit. Or he opens the container from the back to clear blockages. ‘When people put those big light blue garbage bags in, they get stuck quickly. Then I cut the bag open and let the waste fall into the bin. And cardboard, you know. Some people are too lazy to make it smaller and leave it next to the bin.’
Chatting and Sitting Outside
Joop has lived in the Kleiwegkwartier since he was 7, moved a few times, and now resides again on Orchideestraat. ‘This is a close-knit community. In summer and winter, people sit outside together, having a beer or a coffee, and chat. Here, everyone greets each other, which is not the case everywhere. You wont quickly see piles of garbage on the street here. It helps that we pay extra attention. My neighbors also often pick up something that is lying around and put it in the bin.’
Small Effort
The septuagenarian is retired and spent his working life in paper and cardboard sales. ‘They called me “the strange salesman” because I pulled all kinds of pranks. They know me here too. They know I keep an eye on whether it stays clean. I used to sweep the whole street sometimes, like when the leaves fell, but I dont do that anymore. I still sweep the edges by the parking spaces. The neighbor does it too now.’
‘When Im busy, most people are at work. So, I dont get that many reactions. Sometimes I hear, “Isnt the municipality supposed to clean that up?”, and I reply: “Yes, but you made that mess.” Its a small effort to keep your own street clean. We do it together here.’
Would you like to adopt a container too? Visit rotterdam.nl/containeradoptie. Link opens an external page.
Rotterdam Neighborhood News
This message is in Rotterdam Neighborhood News, the digital newsletter of the Municipality of Rotterdam. Want to stay informed about whats happening in your neighborhood? Sign up for the newsletter and view previous editions here. Link opens an external page.
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