🗑️ Is Albany getting trashier? Plus, your weekend events guide!

Today in The 518

• Hey Albany, what’s up with all the trash?

• Guilderland Restaurant Week, plus one of the best sushi places in America

• Your full weekend events guide + Feel Good Friday

Is Albany getting trashier, and what can you do about it?

We love living in the city and can deal with the honking, shouting, and even the occasional shooting. But one thing we absolutely cannot stand is the constant accumulation of trash on our streets 😡

A Reddit thread this week asking how the litter situation in Albany compares to other cities reminded us that we’re not the only ones who find littering infuriating. Here are just a few reactions:

“For its size, Albany absolutely has no business being as dirty as it is.”

“I’ve watched people throw their McDonald's crap on the ground when standing literally 10 feet away from a trashcan here. And in Troy it's more like 5 feet.”

“Albany has always been terrible but it's gotten progressively worse and taken a steep nose dive in the last 6 months. It's PHYSICALLY disgusting from trash on the streets to dilapidated buildings and the social climate of it is also horrifying.”

Ah, the social climate. Let’s talk about it. For decades, social scientists have studied why people litter and there are several consistent theories:

Litter begets litter: When people sense that an environment isn’t clean or well taken care of, they’re more likely to litter themselves. It’s akin to the Broken Windows theory.

Lack of public resources: One of the biggest factors affecting the amount of litter is simple: Are there enough trash cans available and how often are they emptied? (Btw, Karley was recently outraged to see a sanitation worker leave a big pile of garbage on the street because he couldn’t be bothered to pick up the trash that had spilled out of the bins. Isn’t that his literal job?)

Environmental racism: Studies have proven that the poorest neighborhoods are common sites for illegal dumping, toxic waste or municipal dumps. We recently saw a man stop his car, grab a big bag of trash from his trunk, calmly drop it on the sidewalk and then drive away. Who does that?!

Sense of ownership: The majority of people in our neighborhood are renters. We can clearly see that there’s more littering when people don’t feel a strong sense of ownership over their environment. This might be due to a lack of resources—litter may be the last thing on your mind when you’re struggling to make ends meet.

So, what can any of us do? First, don’t litter, obviously. Second, the more trash you pick up—even if it’s not YOUR responsibility—the less trash you’ll see. Personally, we have a couple of those grabber claws and clean up our street a few times a week. Third, we try to get to know our neighbors, renters and homeowners alike, because the more people feel like they belong in a community, the more likely they’re going to take care of it. Be kind to your neighbors! And join clean-up events, like this one in Washington Park on Saturday.

“Everything good, everything magical, happens between the months of June and August.” —Jenny Han

After a string of storms, this is looking like the BEST possible weather for a summer weekend, so get out there and soak it up!

Troy destroys native-plant garden

Dara Silbermann is claiming the city of Troy had no justification for destroying her “living fence,” which required months of cultivation and $3,500 worth of native plants and materials. A former professional farmer and educator, Silbermann disputes the city’s claim that she violated its weed ordinance. The Times Union has the full story.

One of America’s best sushi spots

If you thought the sushi at Guilderland’s Akanomi was amazing, you’re not alone. The restaurant earned a spot on Yelp’s Top 100 Sushi Spots of 2024, ranking 28th in the U.S. Read their Yelp page for first-hand reviews. And here are the TU’s picks for best Japanese restaurants in the Capital Region.

Guilderland Restaurant Week

Btw, now through Monday, 11 Guilderland restaurants are serving up three-course meals or other specials for $24.24. Find participating spots here. Meanwhile, TikTok star Dylan Longton’s Pretty Alright Breakfast Club diner opened this week in Voorheesville.

60 cats rescued in Schenectady 😿 

A welfare check on a resident on Campbell Avenue led to the discovery of 60 felines in one man’s house. They were all taken to the Humane Society for treatment, and will be available for adoption once they’re cleaned up and recovered.

Sisters raise $6K turning lemons into lemonade

In honor of their late grandmother, sisters Quinn, 9, and Vivianna Estrom, 7, presented a $6,000 check last week to St. Peter’s ALS Regional Center. They raised the money by running a lemonade stand over Memorial Day weekend. Their grandmother passed away last year from ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, and received support from the center.

The sisters initially wanted to raise $200, but far exceeded their goal. “Proud is an understatement,” said mom Kristin Estrom. The sisters plan to continue their fundraising efforts annually to support the center and raise awareness about ALS. More at WRGB.