Speakers at a Columbus City Council session urged residents to participate in the Cleaner Columbus litter-reduction campaign during Earth Month in April, promoting recycling and discouraging illegal dumping.

The remarks highlighted that Keep Columbus Beautiful provided cleanup bags from SWACO (the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio) for volunteers and emphasized simple actions residents can take, such as emptying trash from their cars at gas stations rather than on streets. "Every piece of litter collected helps to protect our environment, our neighborhoods, and our quality of life," Speaker 2, a resident, said during public remarks.

Why it matters: Organizers said diverting everyday waste from the landfill and reducing illegal dumping helps neighborhoods and the local environment. Speakers pointed listeners to CleanerColumbus.org for information about future events and volunteer opportunities.

During the remarks, speakers encouraged people to spend a short amount of time—"take a half hour to get that block cleaned up," Speaker 1, a resident, said—and to enlist neighbors, friends and coworkers in cleanup efforts. Speakers also suggested practical steps, such as using trash receptacles at gas stations to avoid leaving litter on streets.

Keep Columbus Beautiful and SWACO were cited as partners in the distribution of cleanup supplies. Organizers framed the effort as community-driven and recurring throughout Earth Month rather than a one-time event.

The session closed with an appeal for visible community participation: "Can we get a a yeah for Cleaner Columbus?" Speaker 2 asked, inviting audience support. For updates on volunteer opportunities and scheduled cleanups, speakers directed the public to CleanerColumbus.org.

No formal actions, votes or ordinance changes were recorded in the transcript of these remarks.