Trash-Free Natick in 2014: The First Community in Massachusetts

Hi Friends,
Just trying to get some family, neighbors, friends, and community members fired up about our goal of making Natick the First Trash-Free Community in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by 2014. It's never been done before and we're pretty darn close. Trash is basically a symbol; it's a place to start. No doubt there are many important environmental causes out there, but few compare to the concept of "I respect myself, my neighbors, my community, and all the natural spaces that we share. I'll show my respect for you, wild creatures and the earth by keeping things picked up and clean." Simple as that. And there is evidence from the Safe Step Program Survey that the buddy bins and trash barrels make people feel safer as they walk through the community and its trails.” Hopefully some of these "before" and "after" photos will serve as an inspiration. Many people are already helping; but I could use another two dozen volunteers. Don't forget our Final Fall Sweep of the Coolidge Hill Summit, Sat., 11/16, 9 am - 12 Noon, which is part of the campaign and it represents our eighth initiative in the past three years during which we rake, sweep, pick up by hand, and shop vac all the broke glass on the Summit, which is absolutely exquisite. Everyone in Natick should take that 10 - 15 minute hike to the summit and see for yourself. Pease contact me if you're interested.
One idea is to create an “adopt a buddy bin” unit similar to what we see on the highways (the are 40 bins in Natick). If you are interested in participating in this effort please contact Pat Conway at- bpconaway@gmail.com or 508-740-9949.
Throughout Natick, Wayland, Cochitutate State Park and Framingham, I built, installed, maintained and emptied more then 100 recycle buddy bins that are placed near municipal and BHLF trash barrels. My message is simple: Give people an opportunity to put their plastic, glass and aluminum containers in an appropriate receptacle. Then they lean how to recycle and leave small footprints on the earth. 
BTW, Framingham and Wayland are the next two communities on my list. They will be Trash-Free by 2016.