FRAMINGHAM – Framingham may not be the cleanest city in Massachusetts yet. But Michael Croci, co-founder of Keep Framingham Beautiful, says it may be the one that’s made the most progress getting litter off its streets. “The big thing that has shifted in the community is really just this belief that we can have nice things,” Michael explains as he drives through Framingham. “That wasn’t necessarily the case, across the board, five years ago.”
The change started in 2020. As the city’s Earth Day Festival director, Michael and his team had planned a big celebration. When the pandemic shut it down, they started brainstorming. Could they somehow transfer the energy and excitement for the festival into an activity residents could undertake remotely? In just weeks, they had an idea. They launched a “Clean Up Framingham” Facebook page and made a gentle suggestion-when you’re out on a “pandemic walk,” bring a bag and pick up litter. Residents responded immediately and with enthusiasm. “I always say that we caught lightning in a bottle… Everybody wanted to do something tangible to help the world during this global pandemic.”
Keep Framingham Beautiful
Four years later, Keep Framingham Beautiful , an official chapter of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful , has removed more than 150,000 pounds of trash from city streets. The Facebook group, to which some people post their cleanup photos daily, boasts 3,000 members. Volunteers are impossible to miss. They wear bright yellow t-shirts, hats, and gloves. Visibility helps with outreach and safety. Two hundred and fifty bright signs (in three languages) dot Framingham yards; a reminder that the group is active and always accepting new members. Donations, grants, and sponsorships pay for equipment.
Beyond visibility, the group’s positivity is a major draw. KFB has built relationships with city departments, businesses, schools, churches, and the Framingham farmer’s market. The Facebook group prides itself on an uplifting ethic that bans snarky or negative comments. Volunteer, steering committee member and “gear captain” Marty Dutton credits Michael’s leadership for the tone. “He’s an incredible human being,” she explains standing in a garage full of gear and garbage-grabbing tools. “He wants to do good in the community and this is a manifestation of that. It’s a movement. He’s created something really special.”…