Every day, individuals do their part in cleaning the environment and preventing pollution, but now city officials want to team those volunteers with others to expand their reach into the community.

The "Be An Everyday Environmental Hero" campaign kicks off Monday in nine neighborhoods where local businesses, civic groups, watershed associations, churches, schools and Scouting groups will be recruited to form neighborhood teams that help each individual become a better environmental steward.

People like Kotaro Koizumi, who sweeps his Pele Street neighborhood near Punchbowl twice a week, or Sharon Miyashiro, who organizes canal cleanings in Makiki, are already everyday heroes.

Their cleanups not only prevent pollutants from flowing into the ocean, but they share their enthusiasm for the environment with children, molding the next generation of stewards.

Koizumi, 75, sweeps his neighborhood because he likes to live in a clean area. But not all of his neighbors appreciate his work, and they trash the area again. Still Koizumi, an architect, said he's out there twice a week, and he's starting to notice a change.

"Before, they just trash it, but now they're starting to clean, too," he said. "There's a spillover."

Miyashiro, a member of the Makiki Stream Stewards, said she noticed the same thing, and over the years of organizing cleanups, the number of participants has grown, especially when the schools created curriculums that included field trips for cleanups and water testing. Not only students would show up, but their parents and family as well, building awareness for everyone, Miyashiro said.

"Now there's a sense of ownership," she said. "There's a sense that we're doing something. We're really improving the community."

Both Koizumi and Miyashiro have worked with city officials for years organizing projects for the Boy Scouts, churches and local groups, said Iwalani Sato, campaign coordinator for the city. They embody the Everyday Environmental Hero concept because of their tireless service to their neighborhoods.

Koizumi planted flowering shrubs on his street at his own expense and agreed to care for an area the Boys Scouts improved last year, Sato said.

Miyashiro took a forgotten stream behind a Jack-in-the-Box on Punahou Street that was used as a dump and where 'o'opu, a tiny native fish, had disappeared, and brought it back to life. After one year of cleaning, the 'o'opu were back, she said.

"We're trying to work with neighbors like that," Sato said. "For the community groups doing cleanups, we're trying to get them to know their neighbors, help educate about the small little action you can do around the home that makes a difference."

The campaign, under the city Department of Environmental Services, will build neighborhood teams in Nanakuli, 'Aiea, Kailua, 'Ewa Beach, Ala Wai Watershed, Kalihi, Waipahu, Waimanalo and Salt Lake, Sato said. They won't be asked to do big projects, she said. "Just everyday things that cumulatively are minimizing pollution."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.