Congress Heights getting cleaner?

I totally share the disgust for all the trash in our neighborhood. In response to one of the Advoc8te's articles on neighborhood revitalization, a Congress Heights neighbor said she loved the houses in the neighborhood and bought a beautiful, renovated house, but she can't stand the trash. I have the exact same problem, and I'm starting to think that all the litter in the neighborhood is my biggest pet peeve about Congress Heights.

Having said that, I think Congress Heights has gotten cleaner as of late! I think it's improving. I've seen more street sweeping trucks in the past couple of months than I've seen my two years living here. The trash that was illegally dumped a block or two away from my house was picked up by DC only two days after I called 311! Shepherd Parkway, one of my favorite places in the neighborhood (I'm being serious!), has also been much cleaner recently. There was even someone there this morning picking up litter from the city when I went to go play there with my baby. Usually I do that while my baby plays! I was thrilled.

We live in such a beautiful neighborhood. When the neighborhood is clean, it looks fantastic. And it's been looking fantastic more and more often. I don't know if there's been a change at the federal, city, neighborhood or individual level, maybe all of the above? I hope it keeps keeping on.

I want to start a community trash pick up. Maybe next week. I know Shepherd Parkway group picks up trash in the park, but we don't have a community group to pick up trash in the neighborhood. Anyone up for picking up trash with me?

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UPDATE: Maybe I spoke too soon.  Yesterday there was a whole team of Congress Heights DLSBD street cleaners on MLK. At least one was cleaning the playground and the rest of the park the day before. However, when I went to the park with my baby today, it was completely trashed again. What a shame and a waste of resources!

What I don't get is how people feel comfortable throwing their trash on the ground. You are standing in pools of trash. You might as well be standing in a landfill. How does that not disgust people? And how is that seen as acceptable?