By 
July 27, 2021
When you think about why Huntsville is a beautiful place to live, we hope you think of Operation Green Team. Green Team’s mission is to keep the City beautiful and sustainable through litter prevention initiatives, waste reduction, recycling programs and much more.
Volunteers paint a fire hydrant during an Operation Green Team cleanup event in Huntsville.
Neighborhood cleanups are one of the most important tools Green Team uses to beautify the City. Although Green Team crews work hard every day, it’s the help of thousands of volunteers each year that makes it all possible.
Green Team Coordinator David Worley works with these amazing volunteers every day, but more help is still needed in our community.
“The wonderful thing about cleaning up litter is that people of every age and ability can truly make a difference,” he said. “A little bit of work goes such a long way to beautify our City and it’s so easy to jump in and get involved with any amount of time you can spare.”
Attend a cleanup!
One of the easiest ways to get involved in upcoming cleanups is to visit our Facebook.
Cleanups are held throughout the year in neighborhoods across Huntsville. Everything is provided for your convenience, including trash bags, litter sticks, safety vests and water.
“We have school-age kids, retired adults and everyone in between come out to cleanups around Huntsville all year long,” Worley said. “When we have a good turnout, it’s amazing what all these people can work together to accomplish in just a few hours. Even if you can only stay an hour, come out and join us to make a difference.”
The City’s next cleanups include:
District 1 Community Cleanup & Art Installation Painting
When: Saturday, July 31, from 9-11 a.m.
Where: Dr. Richard Showers, Sr. Recreation Center
Details: Volunteers are needed for trash pickup, graffiti removal, sidewalk cleanup and painting by numbers! The Paint by Numbers Project is open to adults and children grades 4 and up. For more information about the cleanup, please call 53-CLEAN (256-532-5326). Pre-registration is not required to take part in the cleanup. To sign up for a painting spot, email ahudson@artshuntsville.org.
Mae Jemison High School Community Cleanup
When: Saturday, August 7, from 9-11 a.m.
Where: Mae Jemison High School
Details: Meet Green Team and the Mae Jemison Lady Jaguars at Mae Jemison High School on 5000 Pulaski Pike N.W. for Community Cleanup Day. Trash bags, litter sticks and safety vests will be provided. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Call 53-CLEAN for more information.
Start with your neighborhood
Doing your own cleanup can be as simple as grabbing a trash bag and picking up litter as you walk. Of course, you can take it a step further by doing your own cleanup with some friends or even a neighborhood organization!
Need supplies? We’ve got you covered. Call 53-CLEAN to get complimentary trash bags, litter sticks and safety vests from the City. You can also reach out about becoming an Adopt-A-Mile partner for a street that is frequently littered.
“We have some amazing individuals in Huntsville who consistently pick up litter, as well as groups who take on an Adopt-A-Mile route and keep a whole street beautiful,” Worley said. “We have seen a real difference in Huntsville, as people have been picking up as they are enjoying the outdoors.”
Clean what you can
Unfortunately, there may be times when litter is on busy roadways, in bodies of water or someone has dumped a large or hazardous item. For your safety, Green Team recommends calling 53-CLEAN to report the issue instead of putting anyone in danger to remove it.
You can also use the City’s Huntsville Connect service to report issues.
“The Huntsville Connect system is so valuable and unique for Huntsville,” Worley said. “It is useful for people to report littering, illegal dumping or anything the City should be aware of. The people of Huntsville are Green Team’s eyes and ears for litter control.”
The people of Huntsville are Green Team’s eyes and ears for litter control.”
Citizens can also report if they see littering occur from a vehicle window or vehicle that is not properly tarped. Please provide the date, time, location, license plate number and vehicle make/model when making a report.
Joining Green Team for a cleanup – or organizing your own – can help transform a whole area. For more on the City’s Green Team and how you can get involved, call 53-CLEAN or email green.team@huntsvilleal.gov. Green Team offices are open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 3242 Leeman Ferry Rd S.W., Huntsville.
