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‘Don’t Do NYC Dirty’ anti-litter campaign turns city pride into action
By
Giulia Heyward
Published May 16, 2025
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Jeremy Cohen/Sanitation Foundation
By
Giulia Heyward
Published May 16, 2025
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New Yorkers say they love their city and a new campaign is asking them to prove it.
The Sanitation Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the city Department of Sanitation, launched the "Don’t Do New York City Dirty" anti-litter campaign on Thursday, tapping viral New Yorkers to turn civic pride into cleaner streets. The campaign includes TV spots, bus ads and targeted social media content, and kicks off with a public art installation in Cooper Square that turns everyday litter into oversized sculptures.
The installation, dubbed "The Dirty Truth," opened Thursday at noon and runs through Saturday.
“Ten thousand of New York’s Strongest clean thousands of miles of city streets and handle 24 million pounds of trash each day, and we do it with pride," said Javier Lojan, the sanitation department's acting commissioner. "But in a city this size, we need all New Yorkers to do their part. This campaign supports our work by reminding every resident of their role in the cleanliness of the city, and that littering isn’t just illegal, it’s also true loser behavior."
The exhibit runs through Saturday.
Jeremy Cohen/Sanitation Foundation
On Friday, the Sanitation Foundation will also host a community cleanup in the surrounding East Village.
It’s a flashy attempt to shift public behavior, backed by new research showing that while 83% of New Yorkers say they’re proud of the city, nearly 40% admit to littering, according to the Sanitation Foundation.
“Don’t Do New York City Dirty marks a turning point in how we care for the greatest city in the world. This isn’t just a campaign – it’s the foundation of a decadeslong commitment to creating a culture of cleanliness in New York,” said Caryl Englander, the Sanitation Foundation's board chair. “We’re building a movement where Don’t Do New York City Dirty becomes as fundamentally New York as the skyline itself. The Sanitation Foundation is proud to lead this enduring effort that will transform how generations of New Yorkers relate to their city.”
Videos for the campaign were directed by influencer Nicholas Heller, better known as New York Nico, and feature familiar faces like rapper Nems, known to some as the “Mayor of Coney Island;” and Giovanni Lanzo, the internet-famous owner of Luigi's Pizza in Brooklyn.
Other recognizable names tied to the campaign include photographer Jeremy Cohen, the Green Lady of Carroll Gardens, and TV personality Andy Cohen, a longtime supporter of the Sanitation Foundation.
"The ‘Trash Revolution’ must include all New Yorkers, and that’s what this campaign from the New York City Sanitation Foundation is all about — taking pride in our city and ending a culture where some people think it's OK to litter,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
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new york city
sanitation
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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