Windy weather blows trash around the city of Brotherly Love

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Cold winds whipped across the region Monday, throwing tree limbs onto parked cars and power lines.

But the mess didn't stop there.

Monday happens to be garbage and recycling day in some neighborhoods. Well, then gale force winds hit full garbage cans, you can imagine the results.

As far as sanitation workers go, you can't thank them enough for the work they do in such blustery conditions.

"And on windy days like this, like when you got a whole lot of recycling and boxes - sometimes the wind will just take a whole box and blow it out into the street," one sanitation worker explained.

It's a known fact that some little nooks and neighborhoods in the city are funkier than others. Some of those areas weren't clean before Monday's wind swept up garbage and sent it flying all over the city.

But, that's beside the point.

Garbage and recycling day fell on Monday for residents just north of Spring Garden. People put their trash out and headed out for work. The wind gusted up to 50 miles per hour, and chaos ensued in the streets.

Garbage was strewn everywhere.

"It would be nice if every tenant could just go around and pick up trash. Don't worry about just picking it up for yourself - just pick it up," one resident explained.

FOX 29's Hank Flynn decided to take matters into his own hands. He got started on Brandywine between 10 th and 11 th Streets, where cans and bags were scattered everywhere.

One person can only accomplish so much as plastic bags and trash tornadoes continue to make their way down the street.

Then, Hank moved on to Green Street, where he filled cans and put them against the wall, with no guarantee they would stay standing.

Hank couldn't get through to the streets department, but Licensing and Inspection says to tie down everything you can in conditions like these.

Josh Hill was on his way to class and he says that the only people who can clean up our neighborhood is us. After all, he says, it doesn't just disappear.

"This trash, is gonna end up somewhere. Like, if it just blows off, it's not like it disappears once it gets from out of my vision. It's on the street somewhere, it's in the sewer, it just messes everything up," Josh explained.

The windy weather may be gone for now. But, the bigger picture remains the same. We'll always have trash.

Reduce Recycling says that using reusable, refillable packaging helps, as well as avoiding double-packaging, shopping at second-hand stores, and composting. All of those things reduce waste overall - and that gives the wind less to get ahold of and blow around the streets.