Sweeping Into 2025: A Year of Increased Recognition Through Innovation and Environmental Focus
by Ranger Kidwell-Ross, Editor
WorldSweeper.com
Welcome our January/February issue, the first of our bi-monthly newsletters as we move from monthly to once every other month. The sweeping industry is set to evolve throughout 2025. This WorldSweeper newsletter highlights several key developments designed to shape the future of our field.
With climate change and water quality issues so concerning – and given air sweepers' extraordinary ability to be at the forefront of pavement-based pollutant removal – knowledge about the positive environmental impact sweepers can make must become widespread. This newsletter's top article is the transcription of a Zoomcast I conducted that underscores the crucial role sweepers – especially air sweepers – can take in reducing stormwater runoff pollution. I predict the sweeping tests we conduct this summer will show sweepers can be the cost-effective leader in removing all manner of pavement-based pollutants, including microplastics.
If you're a sweeping contractor, I don't have to tell you that third party contracts for national chains have been getting increasingly one-sided. The World Sweeping Association provided a host of information to its members last year on that topic. First, WSA analyzed some of the contracts for members, showing them the 'clauses of concern.' Then, WSA provided its members with a list of those types of clauses and how to spot them. Following that, WSA developed an actual Contract Addendum contractors could use, in order to limit their liability, by modifying or negating any contract clauses they chose.
As you will see in our second article, this Addendum is now being offered to the entire industry by WSA. The organization's central mission is to help sweeping contractors become increasingly professional and profitable. If you are a contractor who is not yet a WSA member you can gain insight into the value the organization provides by investing 10 minutes in listening to the podcast provided as our fourth article in this issue.
You are likely reading this from somewhere that is now experiencing freezing weather. If that's the case you may especially appreciate our investigation about what you can do to mitigate freezing your dust suppression system – or even use in order to be able to operate in sub-freezing weather. Then, as a way to gain information on a (very!) wide variety of other topics of interest to power sweeping pros, we also remind you about the more than 300 videos WorldSweeper has posted in its 17 years of having a YouTube channel.
Finally, since February is Black History Month, we are reprising a couple reminders about how historical black Americans have shaped the course of the power sweeping industry. From Charles Brooks, who was credited with inventing the first self-powered sweeper, to Martin Luther King's widely referenced quote about excellence and sweeping, and much in between, we owe the black American community our gratitude and thanks.
If you are one of WorldSweeper's advertising sponsors, thank you for the critical part you play in supporting 'Earth's Largest Power Sweeping Resource.'SM I am honored by your collective votes of confidence in what this organization provides to the power sweeping industry.
Likewise, if you are one of the industry suppliers providing WSA Members with savings on your goods and services, thank you for providing those WSA Member Benefits. Finally, if you sell to the sweeping industry but don't yet advertise with us, please consider doing so.
Good Sweeping,
Editor, WorldSweeper.com
Executive Director, World Sweeping Association
Member, PAVEMENT Hall of Fame
PS If you haven't 'liked' our WorldSweeper Facebook page, what are you waiting for! That's where we offer a variety of industry previews and updates on an ongoing basis.
January/February Newsletter Contents
(Scroll down to read stories or click on links below.)
- Sweeper Tests Designed to Provide an "Industry Upgrade"
- World Sweeping Association Introduces 'Contract Addendum Limiting Liability'
- Ways to Keep Sweeper Dust Suppression Systems From Freezing in Cold Weather
- WSA Creates AI Podcast to Celebrate 13th Year
- WorldSweeper's YouTube Channel Celebrates 17th Year Anniversary
- Reprising a Special Report for Black History Month
Sweeper Tests Designed to Provide an "Industry Upgrade"
WorldSweeper's Editor, Ranger Kidwell-Ross, is in the process of designing a street sweeper testing process for a Sea Grant/NOAA project administered through USC Sea Grant and the City of Santa Barbara. Roger Sutherland, who has designed and conducted a variety of sweeper tests over the past 40 years, will be the co-designer.
Last December Ranger invited all manufacturers of street-class sweepers sold in America to a Zoomcast webinar on the project. This included a presentation by Sutherland, as well as two stormwater pros who explained how some states are now providing MS4s much needed pollutant removal credits based on their sweeping programs. All of that is made possible due to recent studies that show street sweeping is up to 700% more cost-effective in picking up pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus than the next best method, which involves catch basin upkeep and filtration.
Also presenting was Seth Brown, Director of the National Municipal Stormwater Association (NMSA). Once this summer's tests are concluded and results are known, it is thought that working with NMSA for its ability to get the info distributed throughout the US stormwater community will be very helpful. The test results, when they reenforce previous studies, should promote a higher recognition of the value of pavement sweeping for pollutant removal.
If you want to learn more about this process, you may use the link to read the entire transcript of the webinar, including access to PDFs of the presentations used by participants. If you'd rather just listen to a 15-minute AI-
generated podcast based upon the presentation you'll find that link available at the end of the transcript or below.
Take a look at the webinar information. If you'd rather just listen to the podcast, click here.
World Sweeping Association Introduces 'Contract Addendum Limiting Liability'
The contracts being presented to sweeping contractors – especially by third party vendors – often include clauses that put them into untenably liable positions. Many months ago, WSA members were advised about the items to look for and actions to consider. Then, last November, due to the critical nature of the information, WSA made some of the previously members-only information available via this newsletter.
Some months ago, WSA members were also provided with a Sample Contract Addendum they could submit as a response to contracts they wouldn't otherwise sign due to the potential liability they represented. A number of WSA contractors responded positively with having such an Addendum to offer instead of just rejecting the contracts – and work – they were being offered.
Because this topic is so critical to US sweeping contractors, whether or not they are members of the World Sweeping Association, it was decided the Addendum should now be shared with the entire industry.
Check out the Contract Addendum WSA members have long had available to them. You may also want to look at the 'Eight Steps for Evaluating Contract Risks' offered by RISK Management online
Ways to Keep Sweeper Dust Suppression Systems From Freezing in Cold Weather
Along with the onset of frigid winter weather we've seen around the country, we received an inquiry about what might be added to dust suppression systems on sweepers to A) keep them from freezing, and B) allow for operation in sub-freezing temperatures.
To find out, WorldSweeper did a literature review to see what information was available on that topic. The results included several substances in addition to the propylene glycol we were already familiar with. We've put that compilation into a PDF file that you can access below, as well as added the PDF into WorldSweeper's extensive Fleet Management section. Prior to using any of the substances referenced, be sure to check with your sweeper manufacturer as well as your state and local regulations.
Check out the possibilities.
WSA Creates AI Podcast to Celebrate 13th Year
The World Sweeping Association provided information about what the Association offers to its members and had that transformed into a 10-minute long, AI-developed podcast. The initial idea was to show WSA members one of the many projects that AI might be able to assist them with their own businesses.
A number of other compilation podcasts having to do with the vast amount of information available on both the WSA website and WorldSweeper are in process and will be released in the near future. To listen to the entertaining overview information on WSA's benefits of membership, click on the graphic, above, or here. Either will open the podcast in a new browser window.
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WorldSweeper's YouTube Channel Celebrates 17th Year Anniversary
As often happens these days, one of our software alliance programs notified us of our anniversary with them. In this instance, it was that WorldSweeper.com had been providing content on its YouTube Channel for 17 years. So, that spurred us to review the channel to learn more about our collected content.
We were proud to discover that we've provided well over 300 educational videos to the power sweeping industry. These have spanned from short individual interviews about products of interest to those in sweeping to webinars of up to 1.5 hours on specific topics designed to help those watching to run their businesses better, more effectively and more profitably. If you haven't been a regular viewer of the targeted sweeping industry videos on WorldSweeper's Channel, this might be a good time to check them out!
Check out WorldSweeper's extensive YouTube Channel.
Reprising a Special Report in Honor of Black History Month
Here are two of the many examples why black history
deserves to be celebrated by the power sweeping industry.
First Self-Propelled Sweeper in the U.S. Patented by a Black Man
Charles Brooks earned a rightful place in history with his first U.S. patent for a self-propelled sweeper. Since that time, there's little doubt that no one in the industry prefers operating one that isn't self-propelled!
If you want to know more about Charles Brooks remarkable invention of a self-propelled street sweeper in March of 1896, including drawings and a brief video, check out the article on Brooks in WorldSweeper's expansive History Section.
See more on Charles Brooks and his invention.
MLK Jr.'s 2nd Most Famous Quote: Has it Inspired Your Sweeping Excellence?
On April 9, 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered words that may have significantly influenced the evolution of the sweeping industry into its current esteemed position. His profound statement, second only in fame to his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, eloquently elevates the profession of street sweeping:
"If it falls your lot to be a streetsweeper, sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted pictures. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets like Beethoven composed music.
Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say here lived a great streetsweeper who swept his job well."
A lesser-known yet equally impactful sentence precedes this quote: "Set out to do a good job and do that job so well that nobody can do it any better." This powerful call to excellence is also included in the free downloadable certificates we offer.
In today's United States and many other countries, operating a street sweeper is a high-tech endeavor, with machines valued at over a quarter million dollars. It's imperative that operators receive thorough training, whether through our website or other means, to ensure both safety and proficiency.
For over 18 years, WorldSweeper has proudly featured MLK Jr.'s inspiring quote on our homepage, believing it can play a role in fostering a positive transformation within the industry. Maybe it has: Observing a skilled sweeper operator at work today can be as captivating as watching a meticulously choreographed dance.
We invite our readers to download a frameable certificate featuring the complete quote, available in either block print or script, via the links below. Although the full transcript of MLK's speech on April 9 remains elusive, his words from an April 26, 1967 speech, delivered to a predominantly young, black audience at a high school, continue to resonate and inspire.
Download a print ready PDF of the certificate on the left side of the header... or, download the PDF for the right side image. Note: If you would prefer a certificate without the 'new preface words,' click here.
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