Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a Very Clean City!

Five Things that Contribute to Calgary`s Clean Streetscapes

I must say that you've always been a very clean city Calgary, ever since I was born here many eons ago.

Come to think of it, I've always wondered why there were so few pieces of litter - if at all - driving back and forth across the city on roadways here and there... we are pretty lucky, aren't we?

Well, today we are going to explore some of the reasons why Calgary is just so squeaky clean.

Now don't get me wrong, YYC isn't spotless always and everywhere, but in general everyone does their part to keep the environment clean, even on downtown streets where green spaces are few.

Without further adieu, here are a handful of supportive reasons why myself and many others around YYC that I've spoken to would agree that Calgary is quite a clean place to be.

#1 - Hefty Bylaw Fines

Maybe every major urban centre across the world should implement the same financial penalty for littering as outlined in the City of Calgary's bylaws.

Tickets for littering can range anywhere from $500 up to $1000 big ones; this includes dropping a sole cigarette butt on the street!

I would say, however, that it isn’t a fear of pricey tickets that has given Calgary the accolade of being one of the cleanest cities in the world in 2007 by Forbes and also the title of "squeaky clean city" by YYC enthusiasts like myself.

Rather, it's the people who live here and go about their daily lives with a litter free conscience while doing their part, locals who make the choice to keep garbage where it belongs... keep it going Calgary! Check out these 20 Reasons to Love Calgary.

#2 - Blue Cart System

What's another reason why YYC is a squeaky clean city? Well, how about our very convenient recycling programs called the Blue Cart system.

The city provides a large blue cart made out of recycled plastic to every single-family household so home owners can participate, if they wish! Recyclable materials include…

• Glass jars and bottles

• Metal foil and food cans

• Cardboard and paper

• Plastic food containers, bottles and jugs

All residents have to do is throw the recyclables into the blue bin and put it outside on their scheduled collection day.

There’s no sorting because city workers do it for us at designated processing plants.

#3 - Black Cart System

Back in 2010 the City of Calgary rolled out its Black Cart system to accompany the already introduced Blue Cart system, the difference being the type of waste collected.

Black bins were provided to every household and assigned as designated trash bins.

The attached swinging lid on top of the bin reduces the amount of garbage lost once put inside and also makes it easier and more efficient for crews to pick up.

It is also proven that animals are less likely to get inside the bins and possibly tip them over, another functional feature of the bins design.

#4 - Too Good To Waste

Too Good to Waste is an environmentally sustainable initiative by the City of Calgary to reduce the amount of waste being put into landfills by separating and recycling reusable materials such as asphalt, concrete, dry wall, wood and roof shingles to name a few.

According to the city, about 80 percent of material put into a landfill is actually material that could be reused and recycled in some way or another.

Now, select households around the city have an additional waste bin that is green for compost materials, which usually reduces the black bin load by about 50 percent.

Just another test-pilot program that could very well be implemented by the city for every household in the near future. It`s initiatives like these that not only keep our streets clean from free debris and materials, but also shows that most households do their part in keeping things sustainable for a better future.

#5 - Spring Street Cleaning

Another cleaning initiative by the city is street cleaning scheduled for the beginning every spring.

City sweeper trucks remove free debris and other materials such as gravel, dirt and garbage that may have accumulated on the side of major roads throughout the city.

That includes all major neighbourhood boulevards, inner city avenues and pedestrian walkways as well.

Incredibly, over 15,000 kilometres of streets are cleaned every year and after the spring time even more is done as street cleaning continues when and where it is needed until the end of summer.

I Love Calgary

As a born and raised Calgarian, I am extremely proud of the environmentally sustainable initiatives the government has in place that contributes to a very clean outside atmosphere most of where you go.

But the government can only do so much... it`s the people who live here who really have bought into these initiatives and have made them the success that they are today! Keep on going Calgary!