The Quartierverein Schwamendingen and the IG pro Zurich 12 carried out a “Fötzele campaign” for the first time. Around 30 people took part. But there are other active groups in the fight against mountains of waste.
“It was fun for me,” said David after his return from the Fötzele campaign. He would do this again anytime despite the rain. Together with Walter Oertle, managing director of IG pro Zurich 12, he separated pet, cans and glass from the rest of the waste into the bags provided for this purpose. At the end he got a sandwich and a drink. “He wanted to take part in this action. So I just went with him, »said his grandmother.
A good 30 people of all ages were out and about with tongs, rubbish bags and gloves on Luegislandstrasse, Herzogenmühlestrasse, Winterthurerstrasse and Saatlenstrasse. The collection material was made available by Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich ERZ. It was a pleasure for everyone involved. “With this campaign, we can only make people aware that they throw the rubbish in the bins,” concluded Maja Burri, President of the Schwamendingen Quartierverein. Parents and schools are responsible for education. Oertle was also cautious. “But we have to do something.” Last year, IG pro Zürich 12 organized a panel on the subject of littering. It quickly became clear that there is no magic formula against littering. Whether the campaign will be carried out again in the future and how often will now be decided in a discussion between the district association and IG pro Zurich 12. Both of them can imagine. The two clubs drew attention to themselves on Schwamendingerplatz with a homemade garbage monster that was set up next to the table. The rubbish bags were later picked up by ERZ at Schwamendingerplatz.
Littering remains a nuisance
Littering is not only a nuisance in Schwamendingen, but throughout the city. More people than usual noticed it, especially during the lockdowns as a result of the corona pandemic. “The reason was that, in addition to the well-known facilities such as those around the lake basin, remote places, even outside the center, are more frequented than before,” shares ERZ on request with. The city cleaning had adapted to the circumstances. “The city cleaning department recognizes new hotspots on their tours through the city or they are reported to them by the population, for example via the app/website “Züri wie neu”, states ERZ. “If necessary, the city cleaning can react at short notice and also permanently adjust their tours.” Due to the change in catering habits – sometimes due to the restaurant closures – the waste disposed of in and around the public waste bins had increased, above all in volume. Salads, pizzas of all sizes, whole menus were delivered in elaborate packaging, which was then disposed of in public spaces. The masks, which were also incorrectly disposed of in public spaces, were conspicuous and annoying. As a result, however, the volume of waste has changed only insignificantly. “Today, however, the extent of littering in public spaces is again at a similar level as before the beginning of the pandemic,” summarizes ERZ.
About 30 cleaning actions with private individuals
The Schwamendinger are not the only ones who carry out such littering campaigns. In Zurich North, these are the neighborhood associations Seebach and Affoltern, who help to keep their neighborhood clean. “The city cleaning department carries out around 30 cleaning campaigns with private individuals every year – one of these was the campaign at the end of April on Schwamendingerplatz,” says ERZ. ERZ also supports the “Clean-up Days”, campaigns by the “Trash Heroes” or the “Züri rännt” plogging events with material, logistics and the taking back of waste.
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