{"id":1040,"date":"2014-01-22T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2014-01-22T11:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=1040"},"modified":"2014-12-23T16:11:18","modified_gmt":"2014-12-23T16:11:18","slug":"pittsburghs-trash-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/01\/22\/pittsburghs-trash-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh\u2019s trash history"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Mayor <\/a>
Mayor Pete Flaherty keeps warm a barrel fire at the incinerator, January 21, 1970 (Pittsburgh Press photo) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Pittsburgh <\/a>
Pittsburgh mayor Peter F. Flaherty carries some garbage into the freight elevator of the City-county building, January 12, 1970 (UPI photo) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"The <\/a>
The recycling bin with Luke Ravenstahl’s name on it (Bob Donaldson\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Sophie <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Pittsburgh\u2019s relationship with garbage has been complicated and colorful as far as slogans go. But only a few times it reached a point deserving of Shel Silverstein\u2019s verses from \u201cSarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mostly, Pittsburgh did take the garbage out, and it kept appearing in the wrong places.<\/p>\n

Mayors of Pittsburgh throughout the years used all means to clean up the city, launching all sorts of anti-littering campaigns, organizing volunteer groups and even resorting to family friendly trash talk.<\/p>\n

Former Mayor Pete Flaherty called on residents to clean up the city \u201cFor Pete\u2019s Sake.\u201d City trash cans bore that slogan.<\/p>\n

Sophie Masloff launched an anti-garbage campaign under a catch phrase: \u201cSophie\u2019s Choice \u2014 A Clean City.\u201d She was criticized for the slogan that seemed to be an inappropriate takeoff on the name of a famous movie and book depicting the plight of a Polish woman forced by the Nazis to choose which of her two children should die and which one should live. Some thought it was \u201cgood public relations,\u201d others said it was in bad taste. Mrs. Masloff said, \u201cIt\u2019s just a catch phrase. That\u2019s why I chose it, not for any significance at all.\u201d It was just a slogan, for Pete\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n

Tom Murphy wanted to \u201cde-bug Pittsburgh\u201d and make Pittsburghers aware of the effects of scattering paper cups, plastic bottles and cigarette butts.<\/p>\n

“Do you know what the biggest complaint I get about the city?” he asked the Pittsburgh crowd in 2001.<\/p>\n

“Taxes!” shouted one man.<\/p>\n

“People say the city is dirty,” Murphy continued. “I ask you to pledge not to litter. Don\u2019t throw that candy wrapper or potato chip bag into the street. Pledge not to be a litterbug.”<\/p>\n

There were more catchy slogans: Mayor Bob O\u2019Connor, for example, was for \u201cRedding up the \u2018Burgh.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Luke Ravenstahl was not the first Pittsburgh mayor to put his name on city garbage cans for publicity, his \u201cTaking Care of Business\u201d program stirred a controversy. Mayor Ravenstahl was criticized for spending $252,000 of state grant money for 252 trash steel bins adorned with his name.<\/p>\n

William Peduto will not put his name on trash cans in any form \u2014 William or Bill \u2014 last week he issued an executive order banning elected officials\u2019 names from city property. Mr. Ravenstahl\u2019s name on the steel garbage bins will be no more.<\/p>\n

But litter cannot be banned with an executive order. Pittsburgh is waiting for Peduto\u2019s slogan, in line with the city\u2019s traditions.<\/p>\n

When is Kenny Chesney visiting the \u2018Burgh again?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pittsburgh\u2019s relationship with garbage has been complicated and colorful as far as slogans go.<\/p>\n

Look at the picturesPittsburgh\u2019s trash history<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[946],"tags":[1025,1033,1038],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Screen-Shot-2014-12-17-at-12.12.44-AM.png?fit=1484%2C738&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2003,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2013\/03\/01\/tension-arrests-during-pittsburghs-department-store-strike\/","url_meta":{"origin":1040,"position":0},"title":"Tension, arrests during Pittsburgh\u2019s 1950s department store strike","date":"March 1, 2013","format":"gallery","excerpt":"We found in our files several dozen photographs made during the department store strike of 1953-55.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/tumblr_miyecaiG0p1rr5swxo2_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C905&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1021,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/01\/27\/the-twilight-years-of-pittsburghs-first-baseball-superstar-honus-wagner\/","url_meta":{"origin":1040,"position":1},"title":"The twilight years of Pittsburgh\u2019s first baseball superstar, Honus Wagner","date":"January 27, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"In 1909, Pittsburgh\u2019s slogan was \u201cYou might Ty Cobb \u2013 but you can\u2019t Tie Wagner.\u201d","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/tumblr_mzx8km5Gjk1rr5swxo2_1280-e1418794117464.jpg?fit=1000%2C560&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":274,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/09\/10\/pittsburghs-anti-beatle-association\/","url_meta":{"origin":1040,"position":2},"title":"Pittsburgh\u2019s Anti-Beatle Association","date":"September 10, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Not everyone loved The Beatles when they came to town in 1964.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/tumblr_nbndw1ogC81rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C935&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":625,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/05\/28\/groundbreaking-ceremony-for-mellon-square\/","url_meta":{"origin":1040,"position":3},"title":"Groundbreaking ceremony for Mellon Square","date":"May 28, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Mellon Square has anchored Pittsburgh\u2019s business district since 1955 and hid behind its aesthetic shield one of the largest parking lots in the center of the city.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/tumblr_n68wkxY7mo1rr5swxo2_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C924&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":493,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/07\/07\/the-t-j-keenan-building\/","url_meta":{"origin":1040,"position":4},"title":"The T.J. 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