Community Cleanup & Brand Audit
Fri. April 11th, 9-11:30am
Lunch Celebration: 12-2pm
A hands-on environmental justice initiative that not only removes litter from public spaces but also identifies the biggest corporate polluters through a brand audit. The goal is to hold companies accountable for their contribution to plastic pollution and advocate for waste reduction policies and corporate responsibility.
This event will mobilize volunteers to clean up a designated community area, track waste trends, and analyze which brands are contributing most to pollution.
Returning Waste to Brands (If Feasible):
– If a significant number of branded waste items come from companies with headquarters or locations in Raleigh, we may explore options to return the waste to those brands as a symbolic call for greater corporate responsibility.
– This action would be coordinated carefully with legal and advocacy partners.
Community Clean-Up & Litter Removal:
– Volunteers will collect trash from neighborhood streets, parks, and waterways.
– Teams will be assigned specific zones to maximize coverage and effectiveness.
Brand Audit & Waste Analysis:
– A waste sorting station will be set up where volunteers will sort and document litter by category (plastics, paper, aluminum, brand, multi-layer plastic etc.).
– Volunteers will conduct a brand audit by recording the brand name and year when the packaging was manufactured
– The results will be compiled into a report to identify major corporate polluters and advocate for policy changes or accountability efforts.
Walnut Creek Wetland Center, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh 27610
Parking lot on site.
Comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes, Reusable water bottles, Work gloves (optional).
Trash bags, gloves, and litter grabbers, Recycling and compost bins, Clipboards, tally sheets, and markers for brand auditing, Informational materials on waste reduction and recycling guidelines, Refreshments and snacks.
The brand audit data will be compiled into a report that may be used in corporate accountability campaigns or policy advocacy efforts. Some volunteers may be asked to help with sorting and data entry instead of physical clean-up tasks. If we move forward with the waste return action, legal and advocacy partners will be consulted to ensure it is done appropriately. Spanish-speaking volunteers would be helpful for broader community engagement.
This is a rain or shine event. In the case of inclement weather, the workday will resume on Fri. April 25 (same time).
Contact your team representative for any questions leading up to the event.
For day-of questions, please contact Marinel Ubaldo. Email: marinel@nclcv.org | Day-Of Phone: (984) 683-2476
Learn More About PowerUp NC
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PowerUp NC is multiracial statewide team of community members, organizers, and leaders whose values are rooted in environmental, economic, and racial justice. We are creating structures with low-income communities of color/frontline communities to build awareness and influence the democratic process.