Clean, Green & Golden
Release Date: Monday, April 4th 2011
GOLDEN TRIANGLE BID SPONSORS “CLEAN, GREEN & GOLDEN” WEEK
Spring Cleaning Campaign Focuses on Painting, Landscaping and ‘Flowers for Phones’
The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) will mark spring in the nation’s capital with its annual “Clean, Green & Golden” cleanup campaign April 2-10, featuring the third annual “Flowers for Phones” event.
During the “Clean, Green & Golden” spring cleaning week, the Golden Triangle BID will mulch nearly 100 trees along K Street NW, clean up six parks and sweep and pressure wash sidewalks to remove deep dirt, stains and chewing gum. Light poles, bike racks and newspaper boxes will be spruced up and the Golden Triangle BID’s symbolic yellow flowers will be planted throughout the 43-block community.
The BID’s cleaning crews, who generally work about 25 minutes on a block face, will spend at least an hour per block weeding tree and flower boxes, removing cigarette butts, trash, branches and debris from in front of office and retail buildings to the curb.
“During the colder months, it’s not as easy to paint, power wash the sidewalks and plant flowers, so we double our efforts when the warmer weather comes,” said Leona Agouridis, executive director of the Golden Triangle BID. “Everybody’s outside - tourists, workers, commuters- they’re all walking, eating lunch and shopping. They’re enjoying the spring weather and we want to present the best face of the neighborhood.”
At the same time, the Golden Triangle wants those in the business community to think “green.” “Flowers for Phones” is an incentive project that encourages mobile phone users to recycle their old devices. This year’s event will be held on Tuesday, April 5 and Wednesday, April 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In exchange for these phones and other handheld electronics, participants will be given yellow potted plants and a chance to win numerous prizes from businesses located in the Golden Triangle BID. More than 300 phones, chargers and PDAs were collected last year alone.
The “Clean, Green & Golden” campaign is a continuation of the Golden Triangle BID’s efforts to beautify the central business district, which starts steps away from the White House and includes several blocks of the famed K street office corridor. Since 2000, more than 350 bike racks have been placed in the BID creating parking spaces approximately for 700 bikes. Two murals have been painted on buildings in alleys at 19th and M Streets NW and near the Farragut West Metro Station.
Among the projects planned for the “Clean, Green & Golden” spring cleaning week are:
• Flowers for Phones: Earthworks, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the earth’s natural resources and communities, will assist the Golden Triangle BID with this environmental safety program. Participants can turn in their cell phones and chargers from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Farragut Square Park, Connecticut Avenue and K Street NW, or at Duke Ellington Park, 21st and M Streets NW.
• Landscaping: The Golden Triangle BID will plant flowers at Duke Ellington Park, 21st and M Streets, and spread mulch around parks and the K Street median. The BID will also plant additional trees throughout the city’s central business district.
• Bike Racks: The Golden Triangle BID has been recognized for its commitment to providing a bike-friendly community with an average of 17 parking spaces per block. As part of the cleaning week project, 30 racks will be repaired and painted.
• Light Poles, Newspaper Boxes and Corrals: The Golden Triangle BID will paint or touch up light poles and newspaper boxes and corrals stationed throughout the community. Newspaper publishers and distributors will repair and/or replace damaged newspaper boxes.
• Customer Service: During this week, the customer-friendly Golden Triangle BID Ambassadors will randomly pass out potted plants to pedestrians informing them about the BID’s role in the business community and the services it provides from maintaining the streets and coordinating safety measures to giving directions to tourists.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE BID
The Golden Triangle BID is a private nonprofit organization that works to enhance DC’s Central Business District from the White House to Dupont Circle and 16th Street, NW to 21st Street, NW. The BID’s primary focus is to provide a clean, safe and friendly environment within its 43 blocks of public space for area workers and visitors. The BID has a 23- member Board of Directors representing owners and tenants in the central business district. Its Ambassador program has 35 employees who focus on customer service.
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