Earth Month event celebrates South Street’s mural-wrapped trash cans

South Street will get a little more colorful in its move to get a little cleaner thanks to help from the Mural Arts Program’s Litter Critters.In partnership with the Philadelphia Streets Department, 50 of South Street’s BigBelly trashcans will get wrapped in vinyl murals designed by MAP artists Ben Woodward and Thom Lessner and local youth.”It is so gratifying to help young people beautify the city and have a stake in keeping it that way,” said MAP Executive Director Jane Golden. “First our students designed gorgeous wraps for Philadelphia’s recycling trucks, and now the BigBellies will beautify the city streets, as well.”

The dedication ceremony will take place today at 4 p.m. at Second and Lombard streets, complete with kids music and a scavenger hunt for the children in attendance. Magnets designed to look like the BigBelly wraps will be hidden between Front and Fifth streets on South. Teams are encouraged to find all eight magnet designs to win prizes.The 50 wrapped trashcans were already on South Street, but the vinyl wraps will make the receptacles easier to spot for the roaming crowds. The $50,000 wrap project includes the cost of MAP’s children’s education activities, the artwork design and development process, artists, materials and installations. The project is funded by the state.Right now, there are no plans to add more wrapped cans, but these new wraps are expected to last about four years.Today’s ceremony marks the near-end of Earth Month and the city’s amped up greening and cleaning efforts.”Earth Month is an opportunity for all Philadelphia residents to become more environmentally conscious and sustainable,” Streets Department Commissioner Clarena Tolson said. “It’s also a time for us to liven up our neighborhoods. Paring the beautiful Litter Critter artwork by the Mural Arts Program with our sustainable BigBellies is a great way to mark the occasion.”