Green Starts Here
Community Appearance Index
Ardmore Beautification Council Since 1998, Ardmore (Okla.) Beautification Council, Inc. has been beautifying its community through the Neighborwoods - Share the Shade program, developed to increase the amount of trees in Ardmore. The program has been extremely well received by the community; in fact, 24 trees were planted throughout Ardmore in 2009. Trees are offered for $35, as well as tree care workshops and free tree delivery. Norma Lynne Paschall, executive director of the Ardmore Beautification Council, noted that the idea for the Neighborwoods – Share the Shade program was developed by former Ardmore Tree Board Member John Sullivan, who remembered tree-lined streets in Ardmore. He believes, “If Ardmore wanted to continue to be a small city known for beautiful trees, it needed to assist local citizens by providing a program to educate them about trees and offering them at a reasonable price.” Since the program’s launch, hundreds of trees have been planted in Ardmore. Anyone who lives in the community is encouraged to apply for the program. The only stipulation is that those who receive trees must own property to ensure that they care for the tree for a sustained period of time. Participants in the program have had great success with their trees. If for some unforeseen reason a participant’s tree dies within one year, they receive a free replacement tree if they attended an Ardmore tree workshop. One resident noted, “My wife and I have found the Neighborwoods – Share the Shade program to be the best, most efficient, and greatest service for our community. We have used it to welcome new people into our neighborhood and make our yard more beautiful.”
The Community Appearance Index (CAI)—a refined Keep America Beautiful measurement tool—was designed during 2009 to help KAB affiliates visually assess and determine the state of the community appearance in regard to litter and other appearance indicators. Affiliates will use the CAI results, beginning in 2010, to set goals and develop effective community improvement education programs. The CAI represents an expansion of the Litter Index, which was introduced in 2000. It includes optional indices for graffiti, illegal signs,
The production of the revised CAI instructional materials was made possible through the generous support of Philip Morris USA, an Altria company, and Waste Management, Inc. and was developed in conjunction with Mid-Atlantic Solid Waste Consultants (MSW Consultants).
Cigarette Litter Prevention Program The very successful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP), continued to expand and show positive results in 2009. The CLPP was implemented in 204 locations across the country in 2009, with participating communities reporting an average reduction of 48 percent. Keep America Beautiful has developed and expanded the CLPP with support from Philip Morris USA, an Altria company and, to date, the program has been implemented in 49 states and Washington, D.C. During 2009, a sustainability survey was conducted among 21 communities to determine the longer-term success of the program. These communities reported an average reduction of 47 percent, indicating that successful programs can sustain positive results over time.
Photos courtesy of Ardmore Beautification Council
abandoned/junked vehicles, and outside storage. The Litter Index is used by KAB affiliates to monitor educational efforts and determine if littering behavior is changing over time.
The CLPP uses four proven approaches to address the problem of cigarette litter: • supporting enforcement of litter laws • raising awareness by using public service messages • placing ash receptacles at transition points • distributing pocket ashtrays to adult smokers Keep America Beautiful’s ultimate goal is to expand the CLPP to every U.S. community. The “Guide To Cigarette Litter Prevention,” information about starting and maintaining a program, can be found at PreventCigaretteLitter.org.