Greater Saint John is a model for the balanced integration of industry and business, residential living and natural habitats. Saint John is the most industrial city in Atlantic Canada and, at the same time, one of the most natural and beautiful. However, litter continues to detract from the beauty of the city and reduces the potential value of the rich natural capital of our environment. Overall, it lowers the quality of life for residents and impairs community pride. The economic impacts are less tangible, but it is widely believed that tourists will be less likely to visit a city with a reputation for an abundance of litter. Prospective new residents will be discouraged from settling in an area that has garbage in the streets.

In response to this, the Greater Saint John region has seen a demonstrable increase in the number of community groups, businesses, schools and citizens initiating ‘clean-ups’ of their neighbourhoods, public spaces and shorelines.  This increased activity not only reflects a surge in community pride, but more importantly it demonstrates the willingness of individuals to take action and remedy the environmental degradation associated with littering and illegal dumping.  However, despite good intentions, many of these initiatives fail to fully capitalise on the energy and enthusiasm of its participants. A lack of materials (gloves, pails, garbage bags, etc.), coordination, or advertising of the event, all pose barriers to the cumulative success of what are ultimately grassroots community events.

The Green Network is a partnership of the Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Saint John, the Fundy Regional Solid Waste Commission and the City of Saint John. The Green Network, which is funded largely by the Province of New Brunswick’s Environmental Trust Fund, encourages individuals, community groups, businesses and schools to take real action (against the environmental degradation of littering and illegal dumping) by organising community cleanups throughout the region. The Green Network will also assist in the organisation, advertising and coordination of cleanups by providing some materials (i.e. gloves and/or garbage bags), information on safety and on sorting the garbage into recyclables, and by coordinating disposal of the garbage collected.  The Green Network will develop a web of volunteers to assist in future cleanups, disseminate information about pending events, and to garner a broader base of community support.