Flushing goes clean and green

The downtown Flushing Business Improvement District (BID) knows that litter is no laughing matter. So they’ve teamed up with the Sanitation Department, elected officials and Kooky Cosmo the Clown to make their area clean and green.
At a “Clean & Green” community rally on Tuesday, August 12, Cosmo charmed the children as he helped illustrate the importance of recycling and curbing litter.
Meanwhile the grownups got to talk with Department of Sanitation representatives Iggy Terranova and Jason Chen, who also distributed education materials in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish.
“Flushing is cleaner today than yesterday - and it will be even cleaner tomorrow, thanks to a united community, said State Senator Toby Stavisky, speaking at the rally.
BID leaders and officials know that clean streets and recycling are good business, the group’s Executive Director, Mabel Law explained. “The BID continues to work closely with the Department of Sanitation to keep Flushing clean by encouraging daily recycling habits and promoting responsible consumer choices,” she said.
Assemblymember Ellen Young and Councilmember John Liu’s Youth Action Teams hit the streets of the BID for two hours during and after the rally. They will be out on Tuesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. through August 26.
“We can always do more to clean-up Downtown Flushing,” Liu said, adding, “This effort encourages the proactive participation of our young people who are ready and willing to lead the task of beautifying the neighborhoods.”
The youths will conduct street clean-ups on 41st Avenue and 41st Road around Main Street.
Young observed, “Flushing is an exciting, thriving epicenter in Queens. It is imperative that we keep our beloved neighborhood of Flushing clean and free of pollution.”
“The fact that we’re eco-friendly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the environment,” Stavisky said.
In addition, the Task Force members will conduct recycling education outreach to all businesses within the area, as well as set up information tables at the intersections of Kissena Boulevard and Sanford Avenue and at Main Street and 38th Avenue.
Peter Koo, Program Services Chair for the BID said, “We hope to encourage more and more businesses and community groups to join in these types of collaborative private/public partnership efforts.”
“The ‘Clean and Green’ program will not only keep our streets sanitary, but will also teach our youth volunteers the importance of an eco-friendly environment,” Young said.
Koo’s chain of pharmacies and personal-care product stores, Starside Drugs, co-sponsors the program, along with Washington Mutual Bank.