I'm Chicago, born and bred. So I care about keeping our city clean and beautiful. You'll find me at festivals, school events, and other gatherings, talking about the subject nearest and dearest to me: good solid waste management.

That's a fancy way of saying using less stuff, reusing the things we have, recycling what makes sense to recycle, and throwing away the rest in the right place. You'll also find me asking people to help make Chicagoland even better: getting rid of graffiti and cleaning and sprucing up the places where we live and work. I love the children of Chicago.

They named me and inspired my furry good looks. More than 4,000 children from hundreds of public and archdiocese schools sent in suggestions for my name. Most of them were great: B. B. Clean, Bluie Armstrong, Dr. Bearatone, and more. But the name that summed me up best was "Les Waste." And that's my message to you: less waste. I, Les Waste, can appear at your neighborhood festival, school assembly, company picnic, or other large gathering.