Trip #53 Francis Street, Middle Hill (Hill District), Pittsburgh took place on October 7, 2017, and was published on November 3, 2017.
A stairway full of things no longer wanted, no longer needed. Trash is strewn all the way down and all the way up. I want to understand why this happens.
~
I remember being in the car with my grandma. It’s 1978, and she’s just taken my sister and me to McDonald’s for hamburgers and shakes. We’re eating in the car, driving down the road and when we’re finished, she tells us to throw our bags out the window. We do. It’s fun and funny. We play a game to see who can make their wrappers and napkins and shake cups go the furthest. I like to say this was a once in a lifetime memory, but it wasn’t. We did this all the time. With my grandma, my mom, my dad. All that trash comes back to haunt me know. I want to be angry at the people who do this, but I can’t. I’m just sad. You reap what you sow.
Field Notes: The worst accumulation of trash I’ve seen so far. Really sad. Not as bad smelling as expected, but just so incredibly unfortunate and disrespectful – to everyone who lives near here + nature. 🙁
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
