Photo by Erin Nelson.
Jim Johnson, a Homewood resident, picks up trash behind the Publix shopping center on Green Springs Highway on Feb. 28.
About seven or eight years ago, Jim Johnson started cleaning the street in front of his home, picking up trash to keep his front yard looking nice.
Then, it expanded to his street. From there, Johnson, now 81, started asking other people to join him, picking up trash on the streets in front of their own homes.
Now, the “Clean Streets” group includes between 20 and 25 people, Johnson said.
Once a week or so, those in the group will clean up their assigned street, usually near their home, Johnson said. He manages the group over email, and people can join and leave as they need to, he said.
A beautification board member told Johnson to expand the group when he first told them about his solo efforts, he said. So he began collecting names and emails of those who offered to help keep Homewood trash-free.
“I love Homewood and it makes me prouder of the city to have the streets clean,” he said. “I really enjoy doing it because the exercise is great.”
Johnson said he exercises a good bit and also bikes.
If a city suffers from broken windows, debris and more, people won’t care about trash, Johnson said, and the opposite is also true. If residents keep up with trash, it keeps the city looking clean, he said.
“I love Homewood and I think we’re all in this together,” he said. “I want to see the city put forward its best face.”
The Palisades area has been “really bad,” Johnson said. And even in places that are cleaner, it isn’t a one-time solution, Johnson said.
“It’s a continual effort,” he said.
Johnson is now seeking more volunteers to help him.
“I can’t make a dent in it myself,” he said.
There is a benefit not just to the look of the city, but to its residents, to have clean streets.
“It makes life better to not live around trash,” Johnson said.
Those interested in joining Clean Streets can email Johnson at imker14@gmail.com.
