[Noisebridge-discuss] Solutions? (was OMG Problems!)

[John Magolske]

* Shannon Lee <shannon at scatter.com> [091018 12:22]:
> On Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 12:01 PM, John Magolske <listmail at b79.net> wrote:
> > While it would be good that a cleaning person not be adverse to
> > picking up bottles & half-eaten burritos, I feel strongly that
> > members should not leave these items around, and that we as a
> > group should try to find constructive ways to help each other not
> > be so sloppy
> 
> The "leaving your goddamned bottles around is a MORTAL SIN"
> discussion is just another example of a social problem which is
> harder than it looks, and which can cause immense problems when it's
> tackled naively.

Agreed. For example, I have definitely found myself getting upset over
the situation of bottles & food leavings being scattered around the
space. Yesterday I was talking with Jim about shelving & such, walking
to this corner & that in the space. Then, at one point I thought, oh,
where's my Club Mate bottle?? I did find it, but if in that 20-minute
separation a hyper-vigilant someone in cleaning-mode had grabbed the
half-full bottle & tossed it, I would've been upset about that too.
This made me think of one possible solution:

Those foam rubber "beer-can-chiller" thingies with a Noisebridge logo
and a field for $USERNAME. This would make it easy to help drinks get
reunited with the drinker, and also make it easy to avoid accidentally
drinking someone else's drink (think cold & flu season). Might not
be everyone's choice... So, how about an elastic band of some sort
with your name on it? Something to identify the bottle/cup/etc. Also,
we've discussed the possibility of having Noisebridge mugs printed
up...could they have a matte section somehow where an individual could
personalize it with their name? Even if it were a sand-blasted section
on the bottom, something to make it easy to identify in the event it
gets misplaced or forgotten. These sorts of things could help serve as
a feedback loop, and perhaps be part of a solution.

> The solution to this problem is to approach it as a Task To Be
> Handled (eg, cleaning up) rather than as a Behavior To Be Enforced.
> We can either form a Janitorial Crew, who handle this on a volunteer
> basis, or we can hire someone to do it. In the past, we've hired
> someone; I think we should do so again.

>From my experience with rodent infestation, I found it critical to
not leave any food about whatsoever overnight. Food at 2169 will need
to be cleaned up on a daily basis. I think we can accomplish this if
we make it a priority and engage creativity + effort. A janitorial
service will not be a solution unless they come in on a daily basis.

Personally, I think periodic "Time out! All hands on deck!" cleaning
sprints could work. It's generally a good thing ergonomically speaking
to take periodic breaks from sitting hunched over a computer or
desk anyhow. To do this together in a community-building way while
addressing the state of the space would only be that much more
fun! Also, this sort of arrangement would have recently-abandoned
food & drink items in closer space-time proximity to the otherwise
preoccupied eater/drinker -- they'd likely be a part of the clean up
crew & would have the opportunity to eat or otherwise re-purpose said
items, preventing them from becoming landfill or rodent chow.

I'm thinking one or two 5-minute communal cleaning sprints per day
would go a long ways towards keeping the space in good shape. Perhaps
the "All hands on deck" alert could be announced via the sound-system
in a seductive voice that draws people to the task at hand (as apposed
to, say, a stern, cold, machine-like type of voice).

Anyhow, those are just some ideas, I'm sure other folks have more...

John


-- 
John Magolske
http://B79.net/contact