Getting your neighbors to go green
Christopher Herz’s book ‘The Last Block in Harlem’ is a good guide for the green community
No matter where you live, there will always be that one neighbor who simply doesn’t give a damn about upkeep of the building. This is someone who has zip zero problems with trash on the lawn, putting recyclables into the wrong bins (whatever is closest gets the garbage), stomps all over the freshly mowed grass, and will let his kids leave chalk and silly string all over the communal area. It happens.
It usually annoys tree huggers, condo association boards and property managers far more than it’ll ever affect the carefree neighbor. But if you’re serious about a neater living environment, you may want to check out Christopher Herz’s book “The Last Block in Harlem” for inspiration. The main character went on a cleaning spree in Harlem and became famous for caring for his neighborhood. Although the actual book is fiction, it can clearly become real life. Take a casual stroll throughout various neighborhoods or a cruise in your car — public shaming and tidy neighbors who unite work well at keeping a condominium and/or apartment in better condition. If enough owners and tenants try to get a multi-unit home in order, there’s a pretty likely chance that most neighbors will follow suit.