Bob Levine agreed to post more signs like this one at litter “hot spots” in city parks. He doubts that’ll work.
Levine said as much on Wednesday evening, at the monthly meeting of the Board of Parks Commissioners at the Edgewood Avenue headquarters of New Haven’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees.
Levine, the city’s parks director, said “No Littering” signs are not only ineffective, they can be a kind of litter themselves, cluttering up the landscape with unheeded messages.
The commissioners disagreed with Levine, arguing that more signs might help prevent trash. Against his instincts, Levine agreed to add eight to 10 “No Littering” signs to trouble spots on Edgewood Park along Edgewood Avenue and at Criscuolo Park in Fair Haven, two problem areas identified by commissioners.
Trash talk was not on the official agenda on Wednesday, but it was on the minds of several commissioners. Georgia Miller was the first to bring up the issue. She asked Levine if the city can fine litterers.
“You gotta get caught,” Levine (pictured) replied. It’s hard to catch them in the act. Levine agreed that people routinely drop trash on the ground even when there is a trash barrel nearby.
Littering is prohibited in New Haven parks by Section 70 – 5 of the Municipal Code. Signs indicate that litterers can be fined up to $1,000.
Commissioner Kevin Walton took up the issue later in the meeting. “Can we go back to the point of littering?” he said. “It’s clearly a problem in Fair Haven.” Walton mentioned Criscuolo Park specifically and called for a “public awareness campaign.”
Levine said that littering awareness programming is done in the schools and through little league programs, “but we don’t have an organized campaign.” The Department of Public Works used to have such a program, he said.
Commissioner Migdalia Castro asked about posting more “No Littering” signs.
Levine said that such signage is expensive and ineffective. “It’s like posting signs that say ‘Pick up after your dog.’ People either do it or they don’t,” Levine said. “It’s amazing to me that someone would really not know that you shouldn’t litter.”
Castro replied that some signs, like “Buckle Your Seat Belt,” can be effective for people who just need a reminder of the right thing to do.
“Do you need a sign in a bank that says ‘No Robbing’?” Levine asked. He added that his rhetorical question was meant to be “tongue in cheek.”
“How can someone not know it’s the wrong thing?” he asked, before agreeing to place more signs in Edgewood Park along Edgewood Avenue and in Criscuolo Park. The Edgewood Avenue location was mentioned as a problem area by Miller. People often park there on sunny days for easy access to the playground.
After the meeting, Levine said he would probably have four signs added to Edgewood Avenue, and four to six in Criscuolo Park.
Still, Levine didn’t think signs were going to be a good addition.
“You know that song? ‘Sign Sign, everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery breaking my mind’?” Levine asked, referring to the Five Man Electrical Band hit from 1971. “That’s how I feel sometimes.”
Does adding more signs work to stop trash? “Or does it just create visual litter?” Levine asked. He argued that signposts almost inevitably get bent or twisted, creating an eyesore. His policy, he said was to try to “minimize sign density” in all the city’s parks, so that people can enjoy the landscape.
A Thursday afternoon visit to the Edgewood Park along Edgewood Avenue found one “No Littering” sign. Nearby in the grass were napkins, cups, plastic bags, and fast food wrappers. A dirty diaper and cigarette butt lay in the street just a few feet from the sign.