Boris Weinstein, 82, is passionate about litter prevention. It’s been like a second career for him since his retirement, and he easily spends 2,000 hours a year on his anti-litter work. And like many leaders, business or otherwise, he’s been able to use his passion to inspire and motivate others.
Weinstein first dabbled in litter cleanup as a junior commando in World War II, gathering material for the war effort. Later, in his professional advertising career, he came up with the slogan for Mayor Pete Flaherty, “For Pete’s Sake,” which was used on waste containers.
When he retired and was walking his dog four times a day through his Shadyside neighborhood, he noticed the same litter in the same spot day-after-day.
“It became very apparent that my approach was wrong. I was thinking big, when I really should have been thinking small,” Weinstein says of the public service campaigns he had helped develop.
“I started just concentrating in my own community, and I blocked off an area of about 40 streets and for 16 days I kept a diary of sorts. I went out for an hour, an hour and a half every day — and lo and behold my area was cleaner.”
Weinstein created a plan for getting rid of litter, which he called Citizens Against Litter, where one person can make a difference, and people who care can pick up for people who litter and don’t care.
The nearby United Jewish Federation in Squirrel Hill noticed Weinstein’s efforts in Shadyside and asked for his help. This cleanup coalition, or Redd Up Coalition, which organized volunteers who picked up litter on a regular basis, grew to include Homewood, Point Breeze North and Point Breeze South.
A grass-roots network of leaders
A strategic thinker, Weinstein wanted to go citywide. So, in 2006, he put together a two-year effort to organize a network of leaders who could engage their own neighborhoods for volunteer cleanups.
He kept the movement going by staying in constant communication.
“My work with the network leaders — it’s a constant situation,” he says. “I’m in contact with them through email, through telephone, through my monthly newsletter.
“Through them we’re able to organize significant cleanups, and we’re able to get the volunteers out. And I think that this is what sends a message to people: That if Boris can do it, and Boris continues to do it and doesn’t let up, we also can get involved.”
Weinstein says when motivating and inspiring volunteers and residents, he’s found that the constant, consistent connection is key.
“The notes that I get from people, and I do get them regularly, say, ‘You’re an inspiration to me,’” he says. “I think I’m an inspiration to them because I’m always in their face. They appreciate that it’s on my mind, letting them know and reminding them when we’re having the campaigns.”
Controlling litter with a community effort
Today, Weinstein helps coordinate large-scale cleanups, called Redd Ups, twice a year for 200 to 250 communities in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and surrounding areas, with around 15,000 volunteers per cleanup.
This year’s spring Redd Up, scheduled for April 25 to 27, falls around Earth Day.
The University of Pittsburgh partnered with the fall Redd Up, putting 3,300 students in more than 75 city neighborhoods, townships and boroughs in 2013.
“I’m out to prove that picking up litter can be done by people in the community, and it doesn’t have to cost money,” Weinstein says, who also spent a number of years as a member and chair of the Clean Pittsburgh Commission.
In February, he received the 2013 Iron Eyes Cody Award, the top volunteer honor of Keep America Beautiful, but he’s not done yet.
Along with continuing to coordinate Redd Ups, Weinstein has been advocating a one-year neighbor test to address what he calls the four causes of litter — every day litter, illegal dumpsites, open and overflowing waste containers, and unclean storefronts. He wants city departments to do a thorough job of enforcing existing ordinances, which he believes will help eliminate and control litter.
And he still enjoys being part of cleaning up Pittsburgh.
“I’m still excited when new communities respond to my solicitation. I’m surprised and excited when I get unsolicited dispatches from people who say they want to participate,” he says. “I can’t get out from under it. I don’t want to. Obviously, it’s in my blood and I just want to continue.” •
How to reach: Boris Weinstein and Citizens Against Litter, (412) 688-9120 or www.citizensagainstlitter.org
