Resources
Stewardship Resources
Bufflegrass & Invasives
Tucson Clean and Beautiful is part of a collaboration with the City of Tucson, Pima County, University of Arizona, and the Desert Museum to bring buffelgrass and other invasive plant species to a manageable level on Tucson’s iconic A Mountain and Tumamoc Hill over the next five years. Help Save Our Saguaros and fight back with hands-on restoration efforts against buffelgrass, fountaingrass and other invasive plants that threaten our unique Sonoran Desert landscape in Southern Arizona.
Project Leader
Here are some tips for organizing safe cleanups and becoming a successful project leader:
- Follow our general Adopt-a-Park project guidelines and additional safety guidelines for Adopt-a-Street or Adopt-a-Wash projects.
- Share additional safety recommendations regarding heat stress, rodents, snakes and insects with volunteers as appropriate to your site and project day conditions.
- Provide TCB with your group’s volunteer report after each project (online or printable/scannable).
Here are ways that Tucson Clean & Beautiful will assist you with your project:
- Cleanup supplies: TCB will provide trash bags for all projects and other cleanup supplies, such as gloves and litter grabbers, depending on availability. Advance notice is appreciated when requesting cleanup supplies. Please submit a supply request for your project using the TCB Supply Request form.
- Bag pickup: TCB will arrange a pickup for collected litter if disposal options are not available near your adopted site.
- Maintenance issues: TCB will contact appropriate City and County departments for maintenance issues you observe at your adopted site.
Note: TCB only coordinates and supports cleanups taking place in public areas – not on privately-owned property.
Tucson Clean & Beautiful also encourages groups to identify ways to help improve water quality and reduce stormwater runoff and associated erosion. Visit the Water Harvesting and Conservation directory page for additional contacts.
For more information, email [email protected] or call (520) 791-3109.
Other
For community projects not qualifying for assistance as an Adopt-a-Park & Public Areas site please check with these entities for additional resources that may apply:
- City of Tucson Planning and Development Services – Code Enforcement inspectors and programs assist with private property maintenance matters including inspection of vacant and neglected structures, illegal dumping, weeds, junk cars, improper roadside/utility pole signage and more. Call (520) 791-5843 for more information. For illegal dumping in progress, call 911 immediately.
- City of Tucson Environmental Services provides roll-off container rental and waste disposal, for private residential and commercial property cleanup efforts. Fees apply. Roll-off dumpsters also available to registered neighborhood associations and groups of neighborhood volunteers. Call (520) 791-3171 for assistance. Other waste hauling options are also available for city and county residents and businesses; see additional listings in the TCB Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Environmental Directory.
- City of Tucson Police Department assists with enforcement regarding junked or unlicensed cars parked along roadsides or easements, as well as neighborhood watch programs. Please call (520) 791-4444 for general non-emergency police department information.
- Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona (CHRPA): Assists with emergency home repairs as well as adaptive and safety modifications for people with disabilities. (520) 745-2055
- Good Neighbor Ventures, through its Neighborhood Community Action Group Program offers residents, schools, churches and neighborhoods tools and skills needed to identify their needs and bring in resources to empower their area. (520) 514-5740
- Graffiti concerns may be reported to local jurisdictions for removal, or for code enforcement.
- Habitat for Humanity: Neighbors helping neighbors maintain their homes. A Brush With Kindness is a program helping families to maintain the exterior of their homes. Through exterior home repairs, individuals can live in safe, decent homes and restore the pride and dignity to their community. (520) 326-1217 ext. 23
- Pima Council on Aging provides service referrals for qualifying senior citizens and disabled residents needing one-time community service assistance with cleanup of their property. Ongoing landscape and other property cleanup assistance continues to be the responsibility of the property owner. Repeated outside cleanup assistance may not be available, though neighbors may plan volunteer projects to continue supporting senior neighbors through a Neighbors Care Alliance program. (520) 790-7262
- Shoes and other debris on power and other above-ground wires: Call Tucson Electric Power at (520) 623-7711 (or your local power provider) and give the nearest occupied (electric service) address as well as cross-streets and description of the issue, to request removal of the shoes or other debris from the lines.
- Stray shopping carts within City of Tucson limits should be reported to (520) 791-3171 – email [email protected] or via the MyWaste App for mobile devices. For areas outside City of Tucson limits, Arizona Cart Services provides pickup service for shopping carts for many retailers. Call toll-free, 1-800-THE-CART (1-800-843-2278) or report stray shopping carts to the nearest store.
- Tucson-Pima Arts Council provides assistance with review of murals and other public art projects to beautify and improve neighborhood public areas and other community-sponsored projects. Call (520) 624-0595 for more info.
Where Else Can My Group Volunteer in the Region?
Litter and beautification efforts are a regionwide issue and there are a variety of entities addressing this concern. Sites that are not listed with the Tucson Clean & Beautiful Adopt-a-Park & Public Areas program may be available through these programs:
- Arizona Department of Transportation Adopt-a-Highway, call (520) 388-4232
- City of South Tucson, call (520) 792-2424
- Median Green (Green Valley)
- Pima County Adopt-a-Roadway, call (520) 724-6410
- Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center (invasive plant removal efforts), call (520) 626-8307
- Town of Marana Adopt-a-Roadway, Adopt-a-Wash and Neighborhood Cleanup, call (520) 382-2500
- Town of Oro Valley Adopt-a-Roadway and Adopt-a-Wash, call (520) 229-5070
- Town of Sahuarita Adopt-a-Roadway, call (520) 822-8800
For more information, call (520) 791-3109 or email [email protected].
Waste Reduction
Master Recycler Training Program
The Master Recycler training program is a great way to learn about the many recycling, reuse, and waste reduction options available in Tucson. Co-hosted with The City of Tucson Environmental Service and other partnering community agencies, courses are held throughout the year at a variety of community locations and last approximately 18 hours over the course of 5 weeks (includes both weekday evenings, and Saturdays).
Master Recyclers are then asked to be key contacts within the community, attending outreach events, sharing information with their neighbors, friends, and community groups, and participating in recycling related events.
Program and sign-up is scheduled to begin spring of 2024.
For more information, email [email protected] or call Tucson Enviornmental Services at (520) 791-5000.
Recycling Directory
Published since 1986 by Tucson Clean and Beautiful as the premier community-driven source for recycling resources, sustainability & environmental stewardship for Tucson and Pima County area residents. Please contact the listed entities for more information on products and services offered, as some facilities may have changed their policies and no longer accept certain items.
