Great American Cleanup 2009 Annual Report by Keep America Beautiful

Great American Cleanup â&#x201E;˘

2009 Report

Mobilizing Volunteers and Improving Communities All Across America

Keep America Beautifulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature program, the Great American Cleanup organizes millions of volunteers in locally-directed activities that encourage individual stewardship for the environment and care for the community. Efforts in litter prevention and removal, waste reduction, recycling and beautification result in cleaner, greener, safer and more beautiful public spaces.

Contents Letter

Green Starts Here

National Kickoff Events

2009 Great American Cleanup Highlights

Cleanups are Just the Beginning

Everyday Choices and Actions: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

The Greening of America: Beauty Takes Root

Volunteerism and Education: The Power of People

Measuring Results State-by-State

2009 Great American Cleanup Results Summary

Great American Cleanup National Sponsors

Get Involved

Cover Photography by Jim Olive/www.stockyard.com

Dear Great American Cleanup Friends and Supporters What makes America great? Some might say it’s our stunning landscapes; the rocky shores of Maine, the dizzying peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the amber waves of the Great Plains. Our national parks—Yellowstone, the Great Smoky Mountains and 400 others—showcase this incredible beauty, as do countless state and local parks from coast to coast. It could be our history, reflected in our architecture and monuments that bring our national memories, tragedies, and victories to life in ways that schoolbooks simply can’t. Maybe it’s our 3.5 million miles of rivers, winding through forests and farmlands, backyards and great metropolises, providing recreation, giving inspiration, and all while supporting the livelihood of generations of farmers and fishermen. Others claim that it’s our quality of life—unique in the world—with teeming, vibrant cities and busy main streets, manicured lawns and neighborhood playgrounds, conveniences and lifestyles that would have awed generations past.

From March to June, our efforts, and the efforts of more than 1,000 local organizations, are united through the Great American Cleanup. And the results are awe inspiring. This book provides just a snapshot of only a few of these incredible efforts. Its pages can’t give you the thrill of seeing a project come to fruition. It can’t provide the sounds and spirit of a community coming together on a chilly spring morning to join in the experience. It can’t make you laugh and sweat and work so hard that you forget about time and self. For that you have to get involved. You have to take part. We hope you will. Sincerely,

Matthew M. McKenna President and CEO Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

Many believe it is our democracy, our “great experiment” that rewards individual effort and offers the promise of freedom for all who also assume the great responsibility that comes with it. Of course it’s all of these things. And what binds them together? Our people—young, old, and from all ethnicities and all walks of life. When people come together to rally behind a cause or an effort, we can accomplish anything.

Gail Cunningham Senior Vice President Keep America Beautiful. Inc. Managing Director Great American Cleanup

This is what the Great American Cleanup, and Keep America Beautiful, is all about. This is what we hope our work will preserve and protect for generations to come.

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Green Starts Here Take over 3 million volunteers and participants and 1,000 grassroots organizations, provide them with the tools and motivation to make their hometown a better place, mix in 5.2 million volunteer hours, sweat, grit and elbow grease, and watch as communities flourish with a cleaner environment, civic pride, and enhanced natural beauty. Keep America Beautiful’s 2009 Great American Cleanup accomplished this and more, with more than 30,000 events taking place in 32,000 communities nationwide.

The 2009 campaign theme, “Green Starts Here,” became a rallying call that encouraged communities to declare that being “green” begins at the grassroots. It begins with the actions of individuals. It can start with an educational event, a litter cleanup, recycling drive, graffiti paint-out, planting a community garden or planting just one tree. But it must start somewhere. Great movements begin with small actions.

a cleanup activity that engages local residents to come together for the betterment of their community. It can start with the simple choice to purchase a product based on its sustainability of design. And “green” starts with the simple decision to reduce, reuse and recycle the products that touch our daily lives. Most importantly, “green” starts within all of us, as we make a conscious decision to make a difference.

Participating organizations took the “Green Starts Here” theme and infused it with local flavor. In events throughout the country, proclamations from public officials, art contests, sustainability festivals, concerts, posters, banners, T-shirts … all carried the message to far corners of the community.

“Green” is a powerful force that returns real, tangible benefits. Greener communities aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, they’re vibrant places, with engaged citizens, more active local economies, higher property values, healthier environments, and improved public safety. They’re better places to raise a family, start a business, or go to school. They’re better places for living life.

In many respects, “green” did start here—with Keep America Beautiful’s efforts to change behaviors in the fight against pollution more than half a century ago. But a more sustainable future can start in a lot of places. It starts with

Thanks to everyone who played a part in the 2009 Great American Cleanup—sponsors, volunteers, local organizations and coordinators—the results highlighted on these pages offer proof of the power of green.

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National Kickoff Event

Green Starts with Waveland Keep America Beautiful in Mississippi for Fourth Annual Gulf Coast Hurricane Restoration Project

Volunteers from across the country returned to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi for the fourth year to participate in the 2009 Great American Cleanup Hurricane Restoration Project in Waveland, Miss., on March 3. The Great American Cleanup selected Waveland for its 2009 national kickoff location because of the hurricane-related devastation it has suffered in the recent past, mainly by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Waveland Mayor Tommy Longo and his community had been going through a rebuilding and revitalization process for more than three years by restoring infrastructure, and replacing buildings and homes. The appearance of more than 1,300 volunteers was a welcome sight for Mayor Longo and Waveland residents. “This will be the single largest project that will enhance and beautify, lift people’s spirits and morale throughout our community,” said Mayor Longo at the kickoff. The Waveland kickoff was highlighted by the certification of Keep Waveland Beautiful, one of many new affiliates certified in 2009.

1,300+

vo lu n t e e r s

Mayor Longo also attended the Keep New York City Beautiful Coalition’s Earth Day kickoff in Times Square to share his story of revitalization and hope. He spoke to the New York audience about how Keep America Beautiful helped transform his community through the Great American Cleanup Hurricane Restoration Project, and invited the packed Times Square audience down to Mississippi for a visit. Chilly temperatures and bright sunshine in Waveland greeted the volunteers, who came to assist Waveland residents by removing litter and debris, planting trees and flowers, and sprucing up parks and playgrounds. The Waveland event kicked off at Veteran’s Memorial Park with project sites throughout the entire city. “All across America, volunteers are going to be cleaning up, greening up, and fixing up their communities,” said

Gail Cunningham, senior vice president of Keep America Beautiful, and managing director of the Great American Cleanup, at the morning kickoff ceremonies. The volunteers, with the help of in-kind donations from the Great American Cleanup National Sponsors, also created a recreational area with gazebos and picnic tables as well as a nature trail at Elwood Bourgeois Ball Park. Moreover, they spent the day revitalizing the town’s Veteran’s Memorial Park, Gex Park, Civic Center, Waveland Cemetery, Martin Luther King Park, the intersection of highways 603 & 90, and staging an eight-mile Litter Walk throughout the city, among other much-needed community improvement projects.

Among the governmental and nonprofit agencies joining Keep America Beautiful in this effort were Keep Mississippi Beautiful/PAL, the City of Waveland, Mississippi’s Hancock County and the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Through this hands-on initiative, Keep America Beautiful hopes to motivate and inspire Gulf Coast residents and all Americans to improve the quality of life of their local environment as part of the Great American Cleanup. The Great American Cleanup will return to the Gulf Coast in 2010 to conduct a restoration project in Pass Christian, Miss.

Volunteers came from the Waveland area as well as from states and countries as far afield as Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, Mexico and the Netherlands. Students from Baltimore’s Loyola College spent a portion of their spring break doing volunteer work in Mississippi, making their way to Waveland to lend a helping hand. Keep America Beautiful, its state and local affiliates, and Great American Cleanup National Sponsors and participating organizations have been dedicated to the restoration of communities in the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina. In previous years, Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup coordinated restoration projects in Biloxi in 2006, Gulfport in 2007, and Long Beach in 2008. All of the restoration projects received assistance from local Keep America Beautiful affiliates, with Keep Mississippi Beautiful/PAL Executive Director Barbara Dorr and the Harrison County Beautification Commission team locally spearheading the revitalization programs.

“ The Great American Cleanup of Waveland was the most amazing day of community spirit and participation we’ve ever seen in Waveland. The entire city was transformed.” tommy lon go, Waveland Mayor

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National Kickoff Event

Tennessee: The True “ Volunteer State” North Nashville Undergoes Transformation in Great American Cleanup Effort

in the nation to achieve 100 percent participation in the Great American Cleanup and I challenge all Tennesseans to keep the momentum going for this year’s event.” In addition to landscaping and litter cleanup projects in several North Nashville neighborhoods, the event also featured environmental educational exhibits and a “Green Starts Here” rally and ceremony attended by state and local officials and nearly 350 Nashville elementary school students.

Dark clouds and a continuous threat of rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of an estimated 800 Tennessee volunteers who arrived at Nashville’s Bicentennial Mall on May 14 eager to paint over graffiti, plant new trees and flowers, and pick up litter on downtown streets and sidewalks. Volunteers from East, West and Middle Tennessee were on hand to help landscape schools and public housing developments, upgrade a playground and complete an extension of Nashville’s Downtown Greenway for Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup Tennessee statewide event, hosted by Keep America Beautiful Nashville affiliate Metro Beautification & Environment Commission and Keep Tennessee Beautiful (KTnB). Prior to the event, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen rallied volunteers throughout the state by remarking, “I applaud the volunteers who made Tennessee the first state

At the ceremony, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke and other officials joined Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Matt McKenna to thank the volunteers for their efforts, and numerous sponsors for their financial support and in-kind donations.

“The honor of hosting the event in our state capitol and the statewide participation from over 70 counties was incredible.” E dith H eller, Former KTnB State Leader

McKenna also announced Metro Tree Foundation board member Alice Ann Barge as a 2009 Presidential Volunteer Service Award winner, the first such recognition by President Barack Obama. National Sponsors of the Great American Cleanup that participated in volunteer activities and the education

showcase at the Bicentennial Mall included American Honda Motor Co., Inc., The Glad Products Company, The ScottsMiracle-Gro Company, Pepsi-Cola Company, Solo Cup Company, University of Phoenix and Troy-Bilt® Lawn and Garden Equipment. In total, there were more than 30 booths representing a range of environmental programs. Great American Cleanup National Sponsor ScottsMiracle-Gro donated truckloads of growing media and other gardening products and Keep America Beautiful flower and nursery partner Encore Azalea donated mature azalea bushes to the overall effort. Former KTnB State Leader Edith Heller was thrilled. “Tennessee pride was washed sparkling clean at the Nashville Great American Cleanup Spotlight,” she said.

Mural painting, landscaping, Litter Walks and cleanups abound in Nashville. Community Mural Art Project: Connecting Art & Graffiti Mural artist Michael Cooper and art students from Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet, Pearl-Cohn and Big Picture high schools painted a mural honoring the 14 Fisk University Freedom Riders near the 26th Avenue block of Jefferson Street and I-40. Metro Action Commission/Head Start School Greening Project Volunteers completely re-landscaped the exterior environment with new trees, shrubs and plantings. Located at 1634 5th Avenue North, the facility serves Metro residents who need temporary help with rent and utility bills. The Head Start pre-schoolers participated in the lunchtime rally and ceremony at Bicentennial Mall. Historic Cheatham Place, 1564 9th Avenue North New trees and annual bedding plants were installed around the Community Center and at the stone entrances of this housing development. Volunteers also refurbished the playground equipment and grounds. Hope Gardens Community Center and Gardens, 10th Avenue N & Jackson Street Areas around the Community Center were cleaned up, along with weeding, new plantings and litter collection in this historic neighborhood bordered by Jefferson Street, Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Herman Street and I-40.

“The honor of hosting the event in our state capitol and the statewide participation from over 70 counties was incredible.” Following a free lunch for all participating volunteers, Tennessee Titans’ mascot T-RAC, the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s mascot TENNY C BEAR, and the school children led the crowd in a countdown to send volunteers back to their worksites for the afternoon project activities. Nashville’s participation in the Great American Cleanup wasn’t simply a one-day event. The Metro Beautification & Environment Commission conducted 135 events and engaged nearly 20,000 volunteers during the three-month Great American Cleanup program period, cleaning up 200,000 pounds of litter and debris.

200,000

pounds of litter and debris were cleaned up

Graffiti Removal and Lot Cleanup Volunteers cut and trimmed the area around an abandoned pizza building at the corner of Dr. DB Todd/18th Ave & Jefferson. Weather prevented re-painting efforts, but the building was pressure-washed for graffiti removal later. North Branch Carnegie Library, 1001 Monroe Street Built in 1915, this historic structure received a landscaping facelift that included multiple plantings and tree mulch. Volunteers also painted outside doors, railings, light poles and an after-hours book drop box. Buena Vista Enhanced Option School, 1531 9th Avenue North Supervised by professional arborists, volunteers removed dead and decaying trees, planted new trees, annuals and azaleas on the school campus, and also placed woodchips in a playground area. A bench and picnic table made from natural Tennessee hardwoods were also constructed and installed. Downtown Greenway Extension @ Morgan Park More than 100 crape myrtle trees and 75 azaleas were planted by volunteers to extend the greenway at North Morgan Park.

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National Kickoff Event

Big Turnout in the Big Apple Keep New York City Beautiful Coalition Celebrates Earth Day with Great American Cleanup Rally in Times Square The Keep New York City Beautiful Coalition launched its participation in the Great American Cleanup with an Earth Day rally in Times Square. Earth Day events abounded throughout all five boroughs of New York as the Keep New York City Beautiful Coalition celebrated its second anniversary as a Keep America Beautiful affiliate.

York City Beautiful Coalition, read a message from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and was joined onstage by other members of the Coalition as well as Mayor Tommy Longo of Waveland, Miss., the site of the 2009 Great American Cleanup national kickoff and Hurricane Katrina Restoration Project on the Gulf Coast.

Miss America 2009 Katie Stam, a goodwill ambassador who reflects the Keep America Beautiful spirit of community participation and environmental responsibility, helped to usher in Earth Day around the “Green Starts Here” platform. In honor of the occasion, Keep America Beautiful representatives, White House and New York City officials, and Miss America 2009 presided over the NASDAQ Closing Bell.

Another highlight of the event was a show-stopping song by Jennifer DiNoia, who plays Elphaba in the Broadway show “Wicked.” More than 200 students from New York’s High School for Environmental Studies and Holy Cross School attended the event.

Other highlights of the ceremonies included the presentation of a Keep America Beautiful Hometown Hero Award to Karen Washington of the Bronx. Washington, who founded La Familia Verde, a coalition engaged in preserving community gardens in the Bronx, had logged nearly 22,000 volunteer hours in service to her community over the past 21 years. New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, who also serves as the chair of the Keep New

Keep New York City Beautiful Coalition’s recent achievements include its 2008 city street cleanliness rate at an impressive 96.2 percent—the highest rating in 35 years; the planting of 173,229 new trees since the inception of the Million Trees-NYC program; cleaning over 5,200 vacant lots citywide during 2008 through Department of Sanitation efforts; planting nearly 1.6 million flowers in parks citywide in 2008 as well as 37 new greeting gardens and 44 new “green streets” through a Parks Department program; and removing graffiti from 8,613 sites through Mayor Bloomberg’s Graffiti-Free NYC program.

Great American Cleanup Highlights

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Cleanups are Just the Beginning All throughout America this past spring—from small, rural towns to large urban centers—green started with individuals teaming up to eliminate graffiti, plant gardens, collect recyclables, educate their fellow neighbors and empower others to spread the core principles of Keep America Beautiful. But at the very heart of the Great American Cleanup are community cleanups. It comes with little surprise, then, that many communities made cleaning up their primary focus during the Great American Cleanup. In 2009 alone, 64 million pounds of litter and debris were collected by volunteers throughout the country.

One of the most impressive results came from Keep Philadelphia Beautiful (KPB), which, in 2009, collected more than 1.63 million pounds of litter, debris and bulky waste. More than 100 community organizations participated in helping to pick up trash throughout the city. Twelve recreational park sites and 1,500 neighborhood blocks were cleaned and beautified in the process, according to Phoebe Coles, executive director of KPB, which helped to coordinate Philly Philadelphia Mayor Michael Spring Cleanup, one of the Nutter (left) is joined by largest one-day volunteer Councilman Darrell L. Clarke programs in the country. at the Philly Spring Cleanup. One of Keep America Beautiful’s newest affiliates, Keep Slidell (La.) Beautiful, organized 52 events this spring. As a result of its efforts, 13,440 pounds of litter were picked up. Bill Mauser, the executive director of Keep Slidell Beautiful, recognizes that cleaning up his community only happens if volunteers show their support. Mauser noted, “We encourage everyone to volunteer. Come out make a difference. It’s a total community effort.”

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful in Tampa, Fla., collected over 68,000 pounds of litter. The organization, which has been conducting community cleanups for more than 19 years, always finds something “interesting” during its cleanup events; in years past, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful volunteers have stumbled upon items as large as a pool table and a piano. With everything that occurs during Great American Cleanup events, it can sometimes be hard to focus on the fact that each one of these small—or large—cleanups succeeds in improving not only individual communities, but the whole nation from coast to coast.

“Toss, No Mas”: Keep Clovis Beautiful Reminds Individuals Not to Litter and Cleans 73 Miles of Streets Along the Way In Clovis, N.M., community members gathered together, sporting T-shirts that read, “Toss No Mas.” Indeed, the slogan underscored the significance of Keep Clovis Beautiful’s 2009 Great American Cleanup—engaging individuals to take greater responsibility for their local environment by saying, in effect, “no more” to litter.

islip, ny

brookhaven, ny

natchitoches, la

This year was a particularly successful year for Keep Clovis Beautiful. More than 300 volunteers came to support cleanup efforts within the community. The results were impressive: over 250,000 pounds of trash were collected, with 73 miles of streets, roads and highways being cleaned and beautified. Keep Clovis Beautiful serves as a great example of how an organization, regardless of the size of the city or town it represents, can work with its community to cover such a broad area. Seventy-three miles of streets, roads and highways are now that much cleaner.

Total Miles of roads, streets and highways Cleaned Per Year 2004

96,932 176,000

2005

165,000

2006

178,000

2007 2008 2009

144,000 102,000

Keep Vermilion County Beautiful Cleans Acres of Park Land Keep Vermilion County Beautiful’s Executive Director Lynn Wolgamot, who is based in Danville, Ill., described the terrain of Vermilion County as “very different.” After all, the area includes Kickapoo State Park. Ironically, only a year ago, Kickapoo State Park was among 11 state parks in Illinois in danger of being closed because of the flagging state economy. In large part, because of the efforts of Keep Vermilion County Beautiful, the park remains open. Keep Vermilion County Beautiful was among the many partner organizations in and around Danville that were involved in the “Kickin’ It at Kickapoo” project, which was inspired by the Ken Burns’ PBS series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” Youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Danville participated in a series of activities at Kickapoo and then were being taught how to create video public service announcements to persuade others of the benefits and joys of Kickapoo State Park. Regardless of this tremendous volunteer effort, there still was a lot to clean up this spring.

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Keep Vermilion County Beautiful and the numerous volunteers who came to participate in its Great American Cleanup worked persistently to pick up litter and clean nearly 4,500 acres of local and state public lands, and other open spaces this spring. Volunteers cleaned their neighborhoods as well as Kickapoo State Park. The county is large—and the size and scope brings extra complications and needs, which presented this Keep America Beautiful affiliate with a lot of challenges. Luckily, the network of volunteers mirrors the geography of Vermilion County: it is truly representative of the whole community.

“ I enjoy seeing the sparkle in children’s eyes or a bright smile on their faces when we improve their playgrounds or clean up their campus.”

Not only to business development, but also to the children being raised there—of having some pride of place in where we are in this community.” During the Great American Cleanup, Keep Evansville Beautiful organized a number of cleanup and beautification activities. The Ohio River runs through Evansville and was a focus point for Keep Evansville Beautiful’s work, with the affiliate hosting a special evening on the river and a related cleanup to aid in beautifying nearby nature trails.

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful Builds Playgrounds for A Better Future Keep Rio Rancho (N.M.) Beautiful cleaned and restored 17 community recreational areas and playgrounds as a part of its Great American Cleanup effort. School groups of all ages from Rio Rancho volunteered, focusing their efforts on cleaning the recreational areas as well as educating local citizens about the environment.

B a r ry Con a n t, Executive Director of Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful

gainesville, fl

pensacola, fl

Keep Evansville Beautiful Shares Community Pride and Cleans Along the Way Twelve miles of hiking, biking and nature trails were beautified and cleaned as a result of the efforts of Keep Evansville (Ind.) Beautiful during the Great American Cleanup. Ann Ennis, the executive director of the organization, encourages volunteers to be engaged with all aspects of their community improvement issues, not just beautification. This, she believes, gives individuals a sense of shared pride in their community and it helps citizens to realize what they do have. In a recent interview with the Evansville Courier & Press she explained, “A lot of neighborhoods in our community do shine and do look wonderful and there are parks that have boosters who help take care of them. There are other areas that really do look tired and a little dingy, and we need to try to work harder to get everyone engaged in how that looks.

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful visited Shining Stars Pre-school and revamped the school’s playground by landscaping the patio area. Volunteers revitalized the pre-schoolers’ playground by installing a windmill, and adding shredded bark, sand and plants. Giving children a place to play outdoors is so important. As Barry Conant, executive director of Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful, reaffirmed, “I enjoy seeing the sparkle in children’s eyes or a bright smile on their faces when we improve their playgrounds or clean up their campus. When they see how much time and effort we put into giving them a cleaner, safer place to play, they take pride and ownership in maintaining these areas. These children deserve so much more and we strive to better their lives and their environment.”

Total Miles of hiking, biking and nature trails Cleaned Per Year 2004 2005

1,950 2,300

2006

3,900

2007

3,900

2008 2009

6,000 7,800

Austin, tx

Rivers, Lakes and Shorelines are Flocked by a Sea of Volunteers The Great American Cleanup national results included 8,800 miles of rivers, lakes and shorelines cleaned and restored this year. Despite various accounts of bad weather, volunteers were ready and willing to march down to the nearest body of water to pick up litter and more. With rain looming on the horizon, Keep Yankton (S.D.) Beautiful and volunteers of all ages still participated in the Great Missouri River Cleanup. Not only did individuals work to clean up the river and the areas surrounding it but students had the opportunity to partake in a morning event that included information about natural resources and the Missouri River ecosystem. In Brandenton, Fla., Keep Manatee Beautiful picked up litter along the riverfront and volunteers with boats and canoes took the time to transport others who assisted in finding debris and waste in the Upper Manatee River. Residents of the community realize how lucky they are to have this natural playground; the river continues to be well maintained and, as the Great American Cleanup progresses from year to year, volunteers are returning from their cleanup excursions with less and less debris.

broward, fl

Keep Covington (La.) Beautiful gathered volunteers—with canoes and kayaks in hand—to look for litter and debris in the Bogue Falaya River as part of its River Sweep, the organization’s first river cleanup. Volunteers kayaked and canoed on the river and a party barge followed them to provide drinking water and to store the trash collected in the river. All participants took the “boater’s pledge,” promising not to litter and pledging to pick up any stray items found in Louisiana’s waterways. Cleaning up rivers, lakes and shorelines is an important part of the Great American Cleanup. As Mike Trew of Keep Covington Beautiful said, “We want people to remember that Keep Covington Beautiful is more than just about keeping sidewalks clean. This is an effort to expand into our local waterways.”

80%

Did You Know? Litter on the landscape is carried by wind and storm runoff to our waterways. 80% of all litter and debris in our oceans, rivers and lakes originated on land.

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San Diego Cleanup Makes a Clean Sweep from Creek to Bay Volunteers of all ages showed their love for a clean San Diego by taking part in the 7th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup. These dedicated community members volunteered their time at 63 cleanup sites spread out countywide, proving that “green” starts in San Diego. Coordinators at I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) reported volunteer totals of approximately 4,000 participants countywide. Temporary dumpsters were filled to the brim, with many inland sites reporting thousands of pounds of debris. The most common items collected included cigarette butts, plastic grocery bags and plastic beverage bottles, proving that single-use disposable items continue to plague the region. Hundreds of discarded tires and abandoned hazardous waste were identified at many inland cleanup sites. On the other hand, among the most unusual items found this year included a trophy from 1911, a disco ball, and a wallet full of money.

“ ILACSD and their army of volunteers makes a tremendous impact on keeping San Diego’s beaches and bays pollution-free.”

In addition to the creek and coastal cleanup, volunteers beautified the community through planting activities and storm drain stenciling. By stenciling a warning message, “No Dumping, Goes to Ocean” on storm drain inlets, volunteers prevent future incidents of littering and illegal dumping to preserve all of their hard work cleaning up at the event.

Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful Focuses On Underwater Debris Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful conducted three underwater cleanups as a part of its Great American Cleanup. The organization focused its attention on community cleanups along shorelines, beaches and in the oceans as well. Similarly, Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful reached out to various communities and worked to educate individuals about marine animals and plants, and notified many individuals about what they could do to conduct beautification and cleanup activities of their own. Keeping beaches and waters beautiful is always an important task for Great American Cleanup volunteers,

G r eg Cox , San Diego County Board of Supervisors

maui, hi

I Love A Clean San Diego hosted the Creek to Bay event to shed light on an often overlooked problem facing San Diego —and other coastal—watersheds. Urban runoff and debris not only cause health concerns for affected neighborhoods, but this debris eventually travels to the coast through rivers, creeks and storm drains where it contaminates the ocean.

winter park, fl

Total Miles of rivers, lakes and shoreline cleaned Per Year 2006

Total Acres of wetlands cleaned and improved Per Year

6,120

2006

2007

7,000

2007

2008

7,000

2008

2009

8,800

1,100 2,100 2,700 10,200

2009

TAMPA, fl

montgomery, fl

In total, 82 underwater cleanups were conducted during the Great American Cleanup.

Focus On Cleaning Wetlands, Even in Bad Weather In spite of rain and thunderstorms, Keep Kansas City (Mo.) Beautiful and its many volunteers still turned out to support the Great American Cleanup throughout Kansas City. With particular attention focused on wetland restoration this year, volunteers succeeded in improving 10 key acres. As the Great American Cleanup banner waved in the background, Keep Kansas City Beautiful made great progress in cleaning local rivers and parks and working on beautification projects. Luckily, some of the inclement weather that accompanied these events was followed by days of sunshine; in total, Keep Kansas City Beautiful held a total of 80 events and collected over 151 thousand pounds of litter, debris and bulky waste. As a whole, Keep America Beautiful and participating organizations cleaned a total of 10,200 acres of wetlands this year; a statistic that grew by 276 percent from the 2008 total.

Keep Brookhaven Beautiful Finds—and Cleans—Illegal Dump Sites In Farmingville, N.Y., home of Keep Brookhaven Beautiful (KBB), many individuals enjoy the outdoors. Climbing, hiking and mountain-biking are all activities enjoyed by residents of the community. Because these activities usually take place in scenic natural landscapes, individuals are much more aware of off-road sites that are in need of a serious cleanup. Every area varies, according to Rosie Wiesner, executive director of KBB. “There are chronic areas that are littered… there is a lot of opportunity.” For Great American Cleanup volunteers in Farmingville, each community or individual takes a lead in their particular site of interest and follows up with it throughout the year. In this way, sites stay cleaner all year long, according to Wiesner. This year, many volunteers chose to clean illegal dump sites during the Great American Cleanup. In total, Keep Brookhaven Beautiful cleaned 1,004 dump sites—an enormous number—which are often not easily visible to those not using hiking and biking trails.

2 0 0 9 G AC FAC T

but even more so for Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful. An important part of this year’s GAC involved working with marine stations in local areas of the state. Each week, volunteers assisted in teaching the general public and visitors about shoreline and coral reef life.

underwater cleanups were conducted during the Great American Cleanup

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

partn er pro fil e

Waste Management: A Vital Partner Once you’ve collected millions of pounds of trash and recyclables, what do you do with them? On-the-ground support from waste haulers and recyclers is critical to the success of the Great American Cleanup, and as North America’s largest recycler of municipal solid waste, Waste Management brings invaluable assistance to community improvement nationwide.

Now in its seventh year of supporting the program, the company draws upon its resources to assist Great American Cleanup participating organizations and volunteers, providing project funding, equipment, manpower, logistics and expertise that make many events possible. “Because the people of Waste Management live and work in the communities we serve, we are deeply committed to the life and vitality of our communities,” said Barry H. Caldwell, senior vice president of government affairs and corporate communications, and chairman of Keep America Beautiful. “We want to be good neighbors in every way, continuing to build a reputation as a community partner and environmental steward.” Here are just a few of the many projects that Waste Management supported in 2009: With characteristic sense of ownership and pride, New Yorkers gathered to clean more than a half-mile long stretch of an important avenue in Brooklyn. Waste Management helped to fund the event which drew nearly 100 volunteers from the local community. New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty noted, “New Yorkers are known for great pride in their neighborhoods, and nothing says it better than a good old-fashioned neighborhood cleanup. Cleanups like this help us with our mission.”

Team Green of Lake Charles in Southwest Louisiana, together with Waste Management, held numerous Great American Cleanup events. Marietta, GA From an Adopt-A-Spot event to a Litter Law Enforcement luncheon to a Trash Bash, 845 volunteers showed their support for their community. One of Team Green’s most successful events is its annual Trash Bash; it always brings diverse members of the community together for a good cause. As one reporter described it, “The people waiting to drop off their garbage were sometimes as eclectic as the very trash they carried. At one point in line, an old Suburban painted camouflage green and brown waited with a hodgepodge of trash while a newer-model Chevy behind it hauled a trailer filled with bed mattresses.” Thanks to a generous Waste Management Community Improvement Award, Keep Morehouse Beautiful in Bastrop, LA. was able to restructure and expand its annual Great American Cleanup to include a contest called the “Cleanest Village Contest.” More than 55,000 pounds of litter was collected by competing communities. Battling villages ultimately shared in one large win—a cleaner Baestrop.

In Detroit, Keep It Moving, Inc. worked with the staff of Waste Management to educate Barbour Magnet Middle School students about the recycling process. The educational event was eye-opening and unforgettable for students, who were provided with a guided tour of a recycling plant and left knowing just how important it is to recycle. In Jacksonville, Fla., 2,000 volunteers flocked to St. John’s River to help clean up the shoreline by picking up over 3,000 bags of litter. Waste Management assisted Keep Jacksonville Beautiful and the many individuals who vigorously worked to clean areas alongside the river by providing many of the necessary supplies and services organizers needed to make the event possible. Waste Management also provided a Community Improvement Award for an event in Youngstown, N.Y., to beautify a park named Porter on the Lake. The park is treasured by the community and was an excellent place for an extensive beautification project to take place. One of the many programs that began as a result of the Waste Management Community Improvement Award included the Pollinator Project; the beautification project included the use of certain types of pollinator plants which ultimately bloom in the summer months. Plants selected for the garden included habaceous perennials, wine and rose weigela, blue and white salvia, birdtongue, whit profusion butterfly bush, viburnum, polemonium, spoderwort and rudbeckia. In early June, even as flowers were still budding, the park had already become a popular destination for residents and visitors. Students at Grand View Elementary School in Manhattan Beach, Calif., used a grant from Waste Management to fund the production of a PBS show entitled “Curiosity Quest.” A 30-minute segment detailed the elementary school’s zero waste policy as well as multiple sustainability programs,

“ We want to be good neighbors in every way, continuing to build a reputation as a community partner and environmental steward.” Barry

H. Ca ldwe ll, senior vice president of government affairs and corporate communications, and chairman of Keep America Beautiful

including zero waste lunches, classroom recycling, water conservation and energy efficiency plans. Throughout, students and teachers spoke about the importance of being green. PBS aired this commendable school program in June 2009. Thanks, in part, to a Waste Management Community Improvement Award, the ninth annual May River Cleanup in Bluffton, S.C., was the largest ever. Many of the 125 volunteers navigated kayaks down the river to remove debris from nearly three miles of salt marsh. Twelve miles of shorelines were cleaned and a playground, causeway, three coves and four bridges were cleaned. And in Palm City, Fla., Keep Martin Beautiful and Waste Management worked with the local Boys & Girls Club in creating a mural to be placed on a newly constructed building. The mural painting followed a large Great American Cleanup event that involved (below) removing litter, burdensome exotic vegetation and marine debris from local parks. While the cleanups were significant, Keep Martin Beautiful focused their energy on beautification and revitalization, making the creation of the mural all the more important and truly underscoring the importance of its 2009 Great American Cleanup theme, “Extreme Martin Makeover.”

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Everyday Choices and Actions: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle We make important choices every day, but we often don’t consider the impact of these choices on our environment. Great American Cleanup participating organizations take an active role in encouraging smart choices in the waste hierarchy: reducing waste, reuse of items when possible, and recycling of valuable materials we come in contact with daily. Recycling saves energy, reduces our carbon footprint, and preserves natural resources. Our results have an impact.

Out with the Old and In with the New Each year, thousands of junk cars are removed to be recycled from vacant lots or properties as a part of the Great American Cleanup. This year was no exception as Keep America Beautiful affiliates and participating Great American Cleanup organizations helped to keep 12,300 junk cars from landfills. Keep Prince George’s County Beautiful in Largo, Md., collected 90 junk cars as a part of its events. The program was a huge success, involving 71 communities and 1,250 volunteers.

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While the organization focused some of their attention on the removal of cars from vacant lots, they also directed

12,300 18

Junk cars removed and recycled

awareness toward the importance of owning fuel efficient hybrid vehicles. Students at Glenarden Woods Elementary School participated in an essay contest centered on the benefits of driving a hybrid car. Amber Carter, a 5th grader, won a gift certificate for her essay as well as for having the catchiest name for a Honda Hybrid car, “Green Earth’s Automobile” or, for short, “GEA.” In Austin, Texas, 471 junk cars were removed with the help of Keep Austin Beautiful. Focusing on removing junk cars from Austin was important to the organization, but Keep Austin Beautiful also wanted to remind individuals about other less visible costs associated with using older vehicles such as substandard fuel efficiency and related carbon emissions. Removing junk cars for recycling continues to be an important activity during the Great American Cleanup, with organizations such as Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful removing over 600 junk cars each year. In the future, there is always the possibility that the number of junk cars collected will diminish—each one of us could follow in the example of Keep Austin Beautiful staff and volunteers and try to walk to work or ride our bikes—but, for now at least, we have other fuel-efficient means of transportation.

Winter Park, FL

Clothing Gets Reused and Recycled During the Great American Cleanup, communities have the opportunity to collect clothing and give it to a charity of their choice. Many of the Keep America Beautiful affiliates and Great American Cleanup participating organizations do so and, as a result, 4.5 million pounds of clothing were amassed and provided to nonprofits such as Goodwill Industries and the Salvation Army. Keep Montgomery County Beautiful in Dayton, Ohio, accumulated 1,140 pounds of clothing and Keep Lorain County Beautiful in Elyria, Ohio, gathered nearly 1,700 pounds. Keep Lorain County Beautiful’s collection of clothing was

1: 3

Did You Know? The energy saved from recycling one aluminum can could power a television set for 3 hours.

part of a “Take Pride” day that focused on community improvement efforts. Collecting clothes for reuse is typically not something that Keep America Beautiful is associated with at first thought, but it is an important part of the reduce-reuse-recycle ethos and a special part of the Great American Cleanup. The estimated value of the clothing collected in 2009 was more than $4.5 million; in a time of economic suffering, the collection of this clothing is invaluable.

The Aluminum and Steel City: Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful Recycles Hundreds of Thousands of Pounds Nearly 420,000 pounds of aluminum and steel were recycled because of Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful’s massive volunteer effort with more than 48,000 volunteers participating in Great American Cleanup events. As always, Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful’s 386 events covered a wide range of cleanup, recycling and beautificationrelated activities and the results were impressive.

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Local businesses, nonprofit organizations, churches and schools were all involved in Great American Cleanup events in the Greater Milwaukee area. Designed so that communities can implement their own mini-cleanups, groups elected their own “site coordinators,” who served as leaders and were encouraged to attend training meetings. Site coordinators also received tips and other information about how to best conduct community cleanups, much of which was emailed to save paper. Official Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful (KGMB) Cleanup days were also organized. The Keep America Beautiful affiliate hosted a cleanup at Gordon Park, located in southeastern Wisconsin, as well as several river cleanups. Similarly, all communities in Milwaukee were encouraged to take part in a new program called B.A.T., or “Borrow A Tool,” which aims to organize and provide individuals with the supplies they need for their own neighborhood cleanups. In partnership with the City of Milwaukee, CRT Processing, LLC and Recycle For Good, KGMB held a television and computer recycling event which resulted in the collection of 118 tons of electronics. Volunteers and participants also attended a tour of a nature conservatory and were educated about ways of saving energy, composting and green building. Students listened to “green” talks and participated in children’s activities at local schools.

As a result of all of Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful’s hard work, the mission of Keep America Beautiful is deeply rooted in many communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin and Keep America Beautiful’s principles are embodied in integrated recycling, beautification and cleanup programs that take on many forms.

Newspaper is Collected to be Recycled Keep Clay Beautiful of Green Cove Springs, Fla., collected over 1 million pounds of newspaper for recycling for the 2009 Great American Cleanup. Tania Jolley, executive director of Keep Clay Beautiful, recognized that although the programs she and her organization highlight during the Great American Cleanup period may get more attention during the spring months, many of these same activities run all year long. “It’s important to realize that volunteers and KCB are working year-round to improve cleanup programs and engage more members of the community in environmental stewardship activities,” she said. As with so many Keep America Beautiful affiliates, local partnerships are always crucial in helping to coordinate their cleanup programs. Keep Clay Beautiful worked with local businesses in the area as well as the youth and special interest groups from the community. Keep America Beautiful affiliates and participating organizations as whole collected 36.4 million pounds of newspaper to be recycled.

Together, Communities Collect Tires for Recycling… With a Few Surprises in Store Mobile, Al

118 tons of electronics

The collection of hundreds of thousands of scrap tires continued this year as a part of the Great American Cleanup. Many affiliates either organized tire collection programs during their Great American Cleanup events or volunteers happened to discover tires while cleaning their communities.

Did You Know? In partnership with the City of Milwaukee, CRT Processing, LLC and Recycle For Good, Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful held a television and computer recycling event which resulted in the collection of 118 tons of electronics.

The Adopt A Street Program in Broward County, Fla., as a part of Keep Broward Beautiful, collected over 11,000 tires for recycling. Its program was highly successful and yielded one of the most impressive results this year. In St. Clairsville, Ohio, Keep Belmont County Beautiful tirelessly collected tires—16,000 of them. As part of its community cleanups, Keep Belmont County Beautiful, in partnership with the township trustees, provided

community members with supplies, which helped to facilitate the collection of larger and bulkier items. Residents were encouraged to partake in smaller, more intimate spring cleanings at their own homes. Not surprisingly, these spring cleanings gave way to the additional collection of hundreds of tires. Eventually, 15 tractor trailers were full of scrap tires ready to be recycled at various drop-off sites. It was quite a site. In homes, backyards, dump sites and roads throughout the country, there seemed to be a plethora of old, unusable scrap tires. Just getting tires from their original location to a recycling site is a process, and it can be very difficult. Keep Belmont County Beautiful Program Director Tammy Shepherd recognizes that removing tires isn’t just about the environment—it’s also about team-building. She commented, “These events also teach them (youth) how to be good environmental stewards, which they truly enjoy. They take pride even through the bitter winds and wet snow of March and the intense heat—especially in a tire trailer—of the latter months, not to mention the excitement generated by mice, spiders and snakes.”

Batteries Get a New Life In Phoenix, Ariz., Keep Phoenix Beautiful collected 165 car batteries for recycling during the Great American Cleanup. As part of its activities, Keep Phoenix Beautiful and the organization’s many volunteers who came to support Great American Cleanup activities attended and participated in

St. Clairsville, OH

the AZ SrRUT Electronics Recycling Day event, as well as additional cleanup days and a large “Corporate Challenge.” For Earth Day, AAA Arizona partnered with Keep Phoenix Beautiful to collect batteries as part of its 9th annual Great Battery Roundup. AAA worked to accumulate vehicle batteries at 155 AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities throughout Arizona. Batteries collected were turned in for recycling; for every battery collected, AAA Arizona donated $4 to Keep Phoenix Beautiful.

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Cumming, GA

36,400,000 pounds of newspaper recycled

Most individuals do not know that batteries have a second life. When vehicle batteries are recycled, about 99 percent of it can be reused to make another battery. Keep Phoenix Beautiful Executive Director Tom Waldeck said, “It is extremely important to keep automotive batteries out of the landfills, garages, backyards and storage sheds where they create environmental and safety hazards.” In total, during the Great American Cleanup, 102,000 assorted batteries were collected for recycling.

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Springfield, ma

Organizations Super-Charge Electronics Recycling Drives Nearly 7 million pounds of electronics were recycled this spring during the Great American Cleanup. Electronics are certainly gaining a reputation as items which must be recycled after they are no longer useful. In this year’s Great American Cleanup, electronics collections were up 30 percent since 2008, a statistic which further reinforces that individuals are becoming more aware of the importance of recycling all types of electronics. Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful in Pawtucket, R.I., organized three recycling drives. Because of these events, the organization was able to gather nearly 12,000 pounds of electronics for recycling. In Anderson County, S.C., residents and students showed up with handfuls of personal documents to be shredded and recycled, but some individuals (unexpectedly) also brought

COCOA, FL

computers and computer equipment. Luckily, it wasn’t a problem. The computer equipment was taken to an off-site facility to be shredded and later recycled. In Jacksonville, N.C., Keep Onslow Beautiful collected over 24,600 pounds of electronics. Working with its local Wal-Mart store, the organization gathered electronics for recycling. Of course, its recycling collection event would not have been possible without the help of students, local businesses and other participating organizations.

243 M ILLION Plastic bottles

Did You Know? Volunteers who were part of the Great American Cleanup shared in collecting 243 million plastic (PET) bottles to be recycled—a 29 percent increase over last year’s collection effort.

broward, fl

Record Number of Pounds of Plastic Bottles Collected for Recycling This year, volunteers who were part of the Great American Cleanup shared in collecting 243 million plastic (PET) bottles to be recycled. The large quantity of plastic bottles collected speaks for itself; it is a number that is 29 percent larger than last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection effort and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s encouraging to think that Keep America Beautiful and its network of affiliates and friends are engaging more and more people of all ages to recycle. One of the most successful Great American Cleanup recycling programs came from Keep Kingsport (Tenn.) Beautiful. Helping to collect plastic bottles, Keep Kingsport Beautiful also educated community members about the environmental industry as well as some of the economic benefits associated with green jobs, sustainable industry and the environment. Newport News (Va.) Public Works Recycling also did an excellent job of facilitating the collection of plastic bottles. During the Great American Cleanup, the community of Newport News amassed over 308,000 pounds of PET bottles.

Total number of plastic (pet) bottles recycled, in millions 2006

Total pounds of electronics recycled, in millions

37.6

2006

70.6

2007

189

2008

243

2009

Cocoa, fl

rockland, ny

4.8

2007

5.3

2008

5.3 6.9

2009

PEORIA, IL

Bainbridge, GA

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

The Greening of America: Beauty Takes Root Beauty is far from superficial; it is a powerful force in our communities. Greener public spaces provide restful havens from our busy lives. Community gardens unite neighborhoods in a common effort that inspires residents and can even provide food for the hungry. A healthy tree canopy shades our homes, reducing energy consumption while sequestering carbon dioxide and cleansing the air. Flowers add visual vibrancy to shopping and entertainment districts, encouraging visitors to stay a while. All of these benefits came from the 2009 Great American Cleanup.

Houston’s Adopt-A-Ditch Partnership with Keep Houston Beautiful Makes its Mark in the Overbrook Community The City of Houston, along with Keep Houston Beautiful and the Overbrook Civic Association, gave the Overbrook community a greener look as hundreds of volunteers participated in a unique Adopt-A-Ditch program during Keep Houston Beautiful Day, Houston’s citywide Great American Cleanup program. This effort not only beautified the existing esplanade ditch in the area, but it also created a sense of pride and ownership in keeping the draining system healthy and free of unwanted debris and trash. Administered by Keep Houston Beautiful and the City of Houston’s Department of Public Works and Engineering Right-of-Way and Fleet Maintenance Division, this effort kicked off with Keep Houston Beautiful Day’s landscaping of an 845-linear-foot ditch by 400 Teach For America volunteers. This inaugural project provided the teachers a valuable learning experience to take into the classroom as part of a new environmental educational curriculum focused on water quality.

“I cannot tell you how much our teachers took away from Keep Houston Beautiful Day and how much they can now bring into their classrooms,” said Stacie Moore, program coordinator for Teach For America-Houston. “The day was truly an inspiring day for Teach For America and our corps members. I’m so glad we shared this experience and hope our partnership will continue for many years.”

“ This far-reaching project brings together neighborhoods, educators and governmental entities in a beautification effort that is achieving positive results for the community.” Ro bin Blut, Executive Director of Keep Houston Beautiful

Professional landscape architect Keiji Asakura of Asakura Robison Company LLC, who often volunteers his time and professional services to Keep Houston Beautiful, was on hand to provide direction and guidance to ensure the program’s success. Nature- and drought-tolerant plants native to Texas temperatures were used, reducing the need

Project Snapshot KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL

8:00 am

11:00 am

2:30 pm

4:00 pm

for frequent watering. In fact, monthly water samples are providing empirical proof that the aquatic and native plants are improving the water quality in the ditch.

sustainability of the plantings in the culverts is critical to the success of the project, the Overbrook Civic Club will provide long-term maintenance. The long-term commitments to the site include:

The trees planted along the ditch were provided to Keep Houston Beautiful through a grant from Half-Price Book Stores, and administered through Keep Texas Beautiful, Home Depot and the Texas Tree Foundation. The mulch used for the project—Living Earth Houston Mulch™ —is an environmentally-friendly mulch, which is processed and packaged in Houston. It’s made of recycled brush and trees collected by the City of Houston and returned to beneficial reuse.

• Scheduling cleanup dates based on the City of Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering Right-of Way and Fleet Maintenance Division mowing schedule

Christison Landscape contractors and TBG Partners landscape architects helped supervise the planting. Because

Adopt-A-Ditch is an expansion of the successful Adopt-ABlock program that is a partnership between the City of Houston, Keep Houston Beautiful, local merchants, volunteers and residents.

2.5 TONS Of C a r b on

Did You Know? 2.5 tons of carbon is offset by one tree over a 50-year lifetime, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Over the same period of time, each one will also control $31,250 worth of soil erosion and recycle $37,500 worth of water.

Photography by Jim Olive/www.stockyard.com

• Recruiting volunteers and monitoring volunteers during cleanup events • Ordering equipment from the Keep Houston Beautiful warehouse, distributing equipment and trash bags, and returning equipment to the warehouse after events

“This far-reaching project brings together neighborhoods, educators and governmental entities in a beautification effort that is achieving positive results for the community,” said Robin Blut, executive director of Keep Houston Beautiful. “The Adopt-A-Ditch effort is beginning to restore pride in the community.”

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G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

10%

increase in surrounding property values

Surrounding property values increase by an average of 10% when a vacant lot is reclaimed with a garden.

Community Roots Day In its 17th year, Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful’s “Community Roots Day” brought together nearly 400 volunteers to plant 300 trees for an area in need. Coordinated by the City of Winston-Salem, KWSB and the Forsyth County Commission, the tree-planting event took place in a residential neighborhood with a busy thoroughfare and surrounding park. Every year, one location in the city is selected for planting trees based on need. The purpose is to create a new or reestablish a pre-existing urban forest canopy. Over the past 17 years, approximately 6,000 trees have been planted in public right of ways throughout Winston-Salem during this annual event.

“ It has become much more than a tree-planting event. It brings together people from virtually every walk of life, representing virtually every demographic variable imaginable.” G eo rge St i l p he n, Executive Director of Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful

The Community Roots Day also served as the kickoff event for the Great American Cleanup in Winston-Salem. During the course of the 2009 Great American Cleanup period, 15,000 volunteers assisted Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful in conducting cleanup, beautification, education and recycling activities. One of the major events during Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup is the annual Clean & Green program in the local public schools. During the spring, thousands of students, staff and parents beautified the campuses of 38 schools in the county by conducting nearly 400 cleanups and removing 30,000 pounds of trash. They also planted over 9,000 flowers and nearly 400 trees on those campuses. The Great American Cleanup is only as successful as the strength and size of its volunteer force. As Stilphen knows, so much about the Great American Cleanup is about mobilizing people. “It’s an event that helps to build and strengthen social capital.”

winston-salem, nc

Gardens Bloom with Keep Akron Beautiful

A variety of volunteers came to support the event—from clubs and schools to local businesses and church groups. Indeed, the diversity of the volunteers was mirrored in the wide assortment of trees that were planted. Redbud, Kwanzan Cherry, Dogwood, Bald Cypress, Hornbeam, Oak, Maple and Crape Maple Trees were selected to beautify the area.

The Great American Cleanup comes at a time when spring is often in full bloom. For communities that are so lucky to have Keep America Beautiful affiliates blessed with green thumbs, this means buds of all shapes and sizes sprout up throughout the country. Keep Akron Beautiful has developed one of the most successful—and beautiful—garden programs, which begins in January but is in full bloom during the Great American Cleanup period.

George Stilphen, executive director of Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful, reflected on the annual event: “It has become much more than a tree-planting event. It brings together people from virtually every walk of life, representing virtually every demographic variable imaginable. The event has certainly grown in size and though it has become logistically challenging, it is also very satisfying to see the enthusiasm in the many volunteers.”

This year, 101 Adopt-A-Site gardens were planted in Akron by various groups alongside houses, streets and businesses, connecting many community members with beautiful new landscapes. The flower gardens that spring up are all designed differently, adding to the character of each community and downtown area where the gardens flower.

oakland, ca

In addition to the 101 Adopt-A-Sites, Keep Akron Beautiful and its many volunteers are involved in the Flowerscapes program, beautifying downtown Akron with 41 plots of flowers found in locations ranging from traffic islands and expressway ramps to the hospital, courthouse and even the Akron Derby Downs racetrack, where the annual All-American Soap Box Derby takes place. From the wealth of color showcased in the variety of flower species on display to the depth of knowledge demonstrated by the professionals who provide their expertise to groups interested in creating Adopt-A-Sites or Flowerscapes, Keep Akron Beautiful’s programs could not be more comprehensive. Next year’s Great American Cleanup effort should provide yet another radiant spring in Akron.

Keep Oakland Beautiful Plants Over 40,000 Flowers and Bulbs Keep Oakland Beautiful continues to make a very positive impression because of the amount of litter picked up and the number of streets, parks and communities cleaned during its Great American Cleanup. But each year one of its standout efforts has always been in the field of beautification. In 2006, for example, volunteers from Keep Oakland Beautiful constructed 18 new planter boxes and planted 2,500 plants. In 2007, hundreds of shrubs, grasses and perennials were placed in surrounding neighborhoods. In 2008, graffiti was abated at a nearby high school and 600 plants were placed alongside the school. But this year, Keep Oakland

oakland, ca

Beautiful went above and beyond. The organization planted over 40,000 flowers and bulbs as part of its Great American Cleanup activities. Spring was definitely in the air as volunteers came from a number of different clubs and organizations to assist in beautifying Oakland, working in various sites around the city including the Morcom Rose Garden, the garden in Oakland’s Lakeside Park, as well as the Rotary Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary in Lakeside Park. Volunteers at the Morcom Rose Garden helped to install new irrigation lines, raking out mulch from rose beds, planting trees and specifically planting hundreds of new perennial flowers and shrubs. Others in Oakland spent their time at the Lakeside Park gardens, weeding and preparing the soil so that it was ready for a new batch of plants. At the Rotary Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, after a massive weeding process had begun, volunteers spread red-dye bark and added new plants and shrubs to the nature center.

50% CRIME REDUCTION

Did You Know? Crime is reduced by 50% in areas around buildings surrounded by trees and shrubs, compared to areas with no vegetation.

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

hours, KTB now has a durable, storage facility that houses all of the supplies used to keep Tularosa clean and beautiful.

The Great American Cleanup Restores Residential and Community Buildings Susan Flores, executive director of Keep Tularosa (N.M.) Beautiful, best articulated the mission of the Great American Cleanup when she explained the significance of a shed her community helped to construct. She noted, “Our community is so small that any project that we do is a tremendous asset to our citizens and they are very appreciative of it.” The shed will be used to store supplies for beautification and cleanup activities in Tularosa, and the surrounding community. Keep Tularosa Beautiful (KTB) received gloves, tools, equipment, trash bags and a number of other in-kind donation items that the organization needed to conduct beautification and cleanup activities. Unfortunately, KTB did not have a place to store these goods. Because a donation from local VFW Post 7686 and countless volunteer

“ Our community is so small that any project that we do is a tremendous asset to our citizens and they are very appreciative of it.”

During the 2009 Great American Cleanup alone, a remarkable 1,800 residential and commercial buildings were painted, renovated or built. All of the construction varied in scale and size—truly embodying the broad spectrum of Great American Cleanup projects.

Graffiti Removal Key Focus of Great American Cleanup Volunteers spent hours covering up graffiti in Asheville, N.C. with the help of Asheville Greenworks. Individuals of all ages came out to eradicate graffiti at nine major sites as well as many smaller sites throughout the community. As a side benefit, volunteers became much more aware of the impact of graffiti vandalism. As one volunteer noted, “I’d never even noticed it (graffiti) before! I think I’ll see graffiti differently now.” In total, Asheville Greenworks covered up 50 sites. Keep Western New York Beautiful has continued to carry out a successful graffiti abatement program during the Great American Cleanup and throughout the year. In 2009, the organization removed graffiti from 44 sites. As Keep Western New York Beautiful Executive Director Jim Pavel said about mobilizing volunteers, “It’s about getting people

S u san F lo r e s, Executive Director of Keep Tularosa (N.M.) Beautiful

shelby, nc

asheville, nc

shoals, al

hartford, ct

2004 2005

6,040

2004

2007

18,600

2006

11,000

2007

37,000

2008 2009

2005

16,000

2006

mobile, al

Total number of trees planted Per Year

Total number of graffiti sites removed or abated Per Year

15,600

to come back year after year.â&#x20AC;? Indeed, the many community members who participated in the Great American Cleanup graffiti removal activities have been doing it for years; it is this type of human service and community connection that allows the Great American Cleanup to thrive.

Tree-Planting Engages Indianapolis Neighborhood Residents In furthering Indianapolisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2017, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, in partnership with Indy Parks and Recreation, Indianapolis Parks Foundation and Hoosier Heartland Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc., planted 1,500 trees in Marion County during the Great American Cleanup. This project was just one of many projects designed to bring together diverse neighborhoods and cultures throughout Indianapolis to plant trees while informing them about the added benefits of planting trees in their communities.

2008

131,000 111,000 134,000 121,000 107,000 157,000

2009

On Earth Day, 100 volunteers spruced up an area in downtown Indianapolis by planting an additional 116 trees. Participants in this project will be further engaged by taking responsibility for the area year-round. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful also worked with Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association and the Harrison Center for the Arts to coordinate the planting of trees, perennials and other plants for the celebration of a Garden Party themed reception. While Keep Indianapolis Beautiful aimed to beautify the Harrison Center, it also wanted to involve more members of the urban community with planting activities and the maintenance of outdoor landscapes.

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statesboro, ga

157,000

trees planted

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Grow for the Greater Good People across the country took The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company’s “GroGood” Pledge this spring during the Great American Cleanup, vowing to grow for the greater good. ScottsMiracle-Gro celebrated its campaign by announcing that it would donate 1 million pounds of fresh produce to feed those in need, urging fellow Americans to grow and donate an additional 1 million pounds of produce to help those in hunger.

ScottsMiracle-Gro, together with Keep America Beautiful, the Garden Writers Association, Plant a Row for the Hungry, the National Gardening Association and Columbus, Ohio-based Franklin Park Conservatory, created five GroGood Edible Community Gardens in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and Chicago. The gardens took on their own individual identities according to the communities they served and were primarily established to raise awareness about the millions of Americans who go hungry each day. Similarly, the GroGood Edible Community Gardens offer simple and sustainable solutions that encourage the production of local fruits and vegetables—a benefit that also encourages healthier lifestyles. los angeles | In North Hollywood, a number of businesses, nonprofit and horticultural organizations assembled to assist in the development of an edible garden at the Roy Romer Middle School. Garden plots were specifically designed

for students with special needs. At a dedication ceremony, students took the GroGood Pledge and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa spoke, noting, “This garden has the potential to make a difference in the educational experience of the school’s students and the lives of those less fortunate.” | In Dallas, community members from the Lake Highlands Community Gardens added to a previously established garden with 54 new garden plots and a 1,400 square-foot donation garden. Attendees at the opening ceremony for the garden were invited to listen to gardening tips, and children were encouraged to visit an “Eat a Rainbow” activity station which highlighted the benefits of eating colorful fruits and vegetables. The Lake Highlands Community Garden will be maintained by residents, but produce will be distributed and donated to those in need.

dallas

washington , d . c .

Locati o n s

partner prof il e

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company “GroGood” Edible Community Gardens

Chicago Dallas Los Angeles Miami Washington, D.C.

| Forty youth garden plots and 20 family plots were erected in Washington, D.C., as its GroGood Edible Community Garden program focused on children and education. NASCAR driver Carl Edwards (pictured on page 31, lower left), who is an avid gardener himself, administered the GroGood Pledge to an audience of students from Aiton Elementary School, Burrville Elementary School and Houston Elementary School.

miami

washington, d.c.

los angeles

photo by Patricia Laylle/For The Miami Herald

chicago

| A GroGood Edible Community Garden was established in Chicago with the same focus in mind. Fourteen plots were installed, with local youth planning on maintaining eight of them. During the recent economic downtown, not surprisingly, there has been a 32 percent increase in demand for emergency food assistance. In speaking about the gardens prior to the project installation, Timothy J. Mitchell, the Chicago Park District’s general superintendent remarked, “With this edible community garden, the community will be able to work together to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Community gardens, along with our parks, not only grow plants, but they grow people too.”

chicago

miami | Keep Miami Beautiful, which only this year became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is housing another GroGood community garden. Forty garden plots were planted at the Liberty Square Housing Development, and trees and shrubs were planted at the site of the Overtown Peace Park. City of Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz (above, right) spoke at the installation of the garden. He commented, “The community garden in the Liberty Square development is a great example of local residents and neighbors working together to create a sustainable green space that will provide them with fresh fruits and vegetables, while benefiting the environment.”

The gardens provide simple solutions to some of the most persistent issues plaguing our country—from hunger to the environment. New Keep Miami Beautiful Executive Director Juanita Shank’s first year of participation in the program was made all the more meaningful by the ScottsMiracle-Gro edible gardens program. For her and other Keep America Beautiful executive directors who have helped to organize a GroGood Edible Community Garden, the gardens represent a bigger picture. The gardens provide simple solutions to some of the most persistent issues plaguing our country—from hunger to the environment. Community members realized it can be simple to make positive steps forward. As Juanita Shanks stated, “As a new Keep America Beautiful affiliate and in our first year participating in the Great American Cleanup, we have enjoyed creating the awareness of environmental issues and helping children, teens and adults realize they have the power to make a difference—not only in the appearance of their neighborhoods but also in reducing crime statistics as well. Our goal is to continue improving the quality of life and space in some of the most vulnerable urban communities.”

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Volunteerism and Education: The Power of People Civic participation is the hallmark of the American spirit. This year, 3 million volunteers and participants joined the Great American Cleanup, giving their time and talent back to their communities. These volunteers, invigorated with a sense of pride in their community, sought ways, big and small, to improve their environment and educate students about what they can do to sustain their planet. As a result of the Great American Cleanup educational workshops and outreach, 4.2 million people of all ages learned the value of responsibility for their community environment.

Great American Cleanup Events Come in All Shapes and Sizes Great American Cleanup events happen everywhere—in large population centers and rural locations, in National Parks and pocket parks. Whether it’s just a few volunteers involved in a one-day cleanup activity or thousands of individuals engaged in many programs conducted over the three-month Great American Cleanup program period, volunteers are essential to getting the work done.

2 0 0 9 G AC FAC T

For just one event alone, Brightside of Louisville, Ky., had 6,000 volunteers eagerly improving their hometown. Brightside’s Cleanup and Volunteer Coordinator Mary Byrne remarked, “On the morning of the cleanup, brightly colored Brightside T-shirts can be spotted in almost every neighborhood in Louisville as volunteers work through-

5.2 million VOLUNTEER HOURS

out the day. The Spring 2009 Community-Wide Cleanup boasted at least one cleanup from all 26 Louisville Metro Council Districts and a record-setting number of volunteers getting involved clearing 11 tons of trash from Louisville’s roadways, neighborhoods and parks.” Brightside involved 260 communities to produce remarkable results. A variety of community groups from Louisville are encouraged to be a part of the Great American Cleanup and do what they can to clean up and beautify streets, buildings, parks and any other area of interest. Keep Topeka/Shawnee County Beautiful, for example, conducted a remarkable 293 events in a host of different areas. From recycling events to tree and tulip planting festivals to graffiti abatement and household hazardous waste collection events, the organization collected over 140,000 pounds of litter and debris and planted over 90,000 flowers.

Education through Art One of the more unique Great American Cleanup educational events to take place this spring occurred in Cumming, Ga. Keep Forsyth County Beautiful, in partnership with the Avenue Forsyth, a business improvement district, encour-

grapevine, tx

aged students to work with old recyclable materials and transform them into pieces of artwork. Soda bottles and cans, cardboard boxes and plastic bags made striking and intriguing pieces of art, which were evaluated and displayed at a local Barnes & Noble. Tammy Wright, Keep Forsyth County Beautiful’s environmental program manager, recognized the value of the program: “The Art for the eARTh contest is a great opportunity for Keep Forsyth County Beautiful. It will help our organization fulfill its mission of working with local businesses to improve beautification, litter reduction and recycling.”

Keep Schools Beautiful Day This year, Keep America Beautiful was proud to be piloting a new program in conjunction with Keep Nebraska Beautiful as part of the Great American Cleanup. Keep Schools Beautiful Day focused on fostering environmental stewardship among youth through activities conducted on Earth Day and throughout the spring.

Twenty-nine schools participated, with nearly 5,000 students and 500 school staff members conducting 97 events. The results? The student-volunteers collected 8,800 pounds of litter, collected more than 31,000 pounds of materials for recycling, and planted 61 trees and 395 flowers. The students and staff of the participating schools did any outstanding job of making their school campuses, local parks and their communities more beautiful. The interest to participate in the keep schools beautiful environmental rebirth of our country in a meaningful way is bigger than ever. day The Keep Schools Beautiful Day is just one of many ways for young people to participate and make a difference in their communities. Keep America Beautiful will expand this program more widely in 2010 after a successful first year in Nebraska with the leadership of Keep Nebraska Beautiful Executive Director Jane Polson and youth advisor David Steinmetz of Woodbridge, Conn.

Interested schools in Nebraska were able to register for the program and received a Certificate of Participation acknowledging the school’s effort. Keep Nebraska Beautiful also posted activities that schools could undertake as part of the program on its Web site.

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

6th Graders Inspire a City When asked to describe the most creative or unusual program her affiliate organized for the Great American Cleanup, Mary Hardin Thornton of Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful in Rome, Ga., shared the story of Megan Higgins, a 6th grade student.

Cincinnati, oh

Cincinnati Challenges Students in the “3 R’s” Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, during the course of the Great American Cleanup, conducted 28 campus cleanups and facilitated 38 educational workshops. This year, the organization developed a new contest for students called the “3 R’s Challenge.” Based on what is commonly referred to as the three “R’s”— Reduce, Reuse and Recycle—students from 90 communities throughout Cincinnati entered a contest and were given the option of competing in one of three categories. The first category concerned the “Reduce” part of the 3 R’s Challenge and some students submitted entries with ideas about how best to reduce a resource they commonly use. The second category dealt with reuse, and was geared toward students with more of an artistic side. Students were expected to submit an entry that was considered to be at one time “trash,” but had been restored, revamped or transformed to be a piece of art with a new value. The last category in the 3 R’s Challenge was “Recycle.” Those participating in this category were encouraged to start recycling programs or drives at their own schools. One winning entrant was St. Teresa of Avila Elementary School. Its students received first prize for its Energy Detectives program. The Energy Detectives embarked on a two-month campaign to analyze and eventually reduce the use of lighting in their school to conserve energy and natural resources. Afterward, the school’s pen pals at a school in Sudbury, Mass., were inspired to start an energy conservation project on their own. Alongside this interactive educational contest, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful spends time with students of all ages and educates them about landfills, carbon emissions, and their environmental footprint.

Megan, just three weeks away from enjoying her spring break, sent along this email message to Thornton: “My friends and I have been trying to think of things to do over spring break. I figured that we should at least do something that would benefit out community. I remember that you work for the Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful program and I was wondering if you know of anything or anywhere that 6th graders could volunteer for a few days during spring break.” Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful did, indeed, have some ideas for Megan and her three other friends—Meredith , Maclayne and Jessica. Instead of spending their “sacred” week off from school watching television, the girls volunteered for Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, working with local government and city employees. In just one day, the four girls pulled 60 tires out of ditches, emptied them of mud, and loaded them on to trucks so that they could eventually be recycled. If that wasn’t enough, the young volunteers stood alongside police officers and landfill environmental officers at the entrance of a local landfill and gave out tarps to drivers of pick-up trucks, who did not have their trucks properly covered.

“ My friends and I have been trying to think of things to do over spring break. I figured that we should at least do something that would benefit our community.” M ega n Higgi ns, 6th grade student

The energy of the girls was made even more apparent when, in the midst of a rainstorm, they were still eagerly assisting volunteers in loading and unloading plants from a local nursery. The plants were later used to beautify various areas of Rome.

And, as spokeswomen for environmental stewardship activities, they managed to squeeze in a few more events. Riding around town on their flashy “Green Bikes,” they promoted a Great American Cleanup event with other students from the Boys & Girls Club. They organized a bag-stuffing project and packed more than 250 bags with various items used to inform community members about litter and litter prevention. They also attended an important Solid Waste Commission meeting to support a recycling center that is open to the public. Megan, Meredith, Maclayne and Jessica spent their precious time partaking in events that are intrinsic to the health of their community. Mary Hardin Thornton can’t wait to see what these young citizens will come up with next.

Educating Students, Training Teachers Keep Rockland Beautiful (KRB), based in New City, N.Y., conducts numerous educational events throughout its Great American Cleanup. Working with 32 schools, KRB not only instructed students about what they can do to help their communities and the environment, but they diligently worked to train a leadership base in 18 schools by working with more than 200 teachers and PTA volunteers who will be able to conduct environmental educational activities for 5,500 school children year-round. To encourage involvement, the schools that rally the most cleanup crews (students, families and friends) to register for the Great American Cleanup receive special recognition from KRB, including a free Earth B.E.A.T. (Basic Environmental Awareness Training) education program for this coming year.

kingsport, tn

Educating and training the next generation of environmental stewards is always important and at the core of Keep America Beautiful’s mission. It’s also important not to forget that sometimes, adults need to be trained as well. For example, third-grader Emily Baker made a presentation to the Board of Education at her elementary school in Belmont County. “Recycling Rocks” was her message and Tammy Shepherd, program director of Keep Belmont County Beautiful, soon found Emily to be a young ally in her community. Shepherd noted, “We have done quite a bit of work with schools, but this is the first time we have had a student start a program.”

157

VOLUNTEERS

Did You Know? 157 volunteers read to over 4,000 schoolchildren in 157 classrooms for Keep Liberty County Beautiful. Close to 5,000 eco-friendly books with “Water Message” seeded bookmarks were given to the kids in Hinesville, Ga.

In Palm Beach, Fla., elementary school students were learning about community improvement activities from Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful. Five elementary schools throughout the county were visited by volunteers and participants who alerted over 3,000 children about beautification projects that they could be a part of. Keep America Beautiful’s Waste in Place curriculum was used, as well as other educational environmental resources. Steve Trash of The Steve “Trash” Trash and Recycling Show also visited the students, who were thoroughly entertained and informed about ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.

temple, tx

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

liberty state park, nj

More College Students Engage in the Great American Cleanup It’s always encouraging to know how many people are touched by Great American Cleanup education workshops. This year 655,000 attendees, almost 500,000 of whom were children, were educated about the environment and improving their communities in local schools and organizations across this country under the guidance and leadership of Keep America Beautiful affiliate leaders, Great American Cleanup volunteers and participants. One of the best ways to educate community members is to create partnerships with organizations that will broaden your audience. At Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La., going green has become a way of life. An organization called Reconnect is determined to educate students and faculty members about the advantages of living on an environmentally-friendly campus, with a community that appreciates the importance of sustainable solutions. Reconnect, which works all year to discover solutions for how SLU might better transform into a greener campus, has hopes of purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles as well as creating composting stations for leftover food waste from the student cafeteria and union. The organization is quickly growing and several members have attended other campuses to exchange ideas. Members of the organization also

belmar, nj

attended a conference in Washington, D.C., in which 12,000 young environmental stewards addressed some of the most relevant issues facing college campuses as they try to become more aggressive in their pursuit of being green. The group which began with about two dozen students is now a network and team of more than 100. Reconnect’s knowledge and growth has really paid off for Keep Hammond Beautiful. The student group assisted it with KHB’s Great American Cleanup events and helped them address community members about the need to be more aware of what we consume and how we consume it. The organization has also served as wonderful educators in terms of recycling—educating individuals about what they can recycle and why they need to do more.

Total number of educational workshops Per Year 2006 2007 2008 2009

4,900 6,500 8,500 9,400

Phi Theta Kappans Carry Torch as Volunteers for Great American Cleanup Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society kicked off its 2009 International Convention with a volunteer effort to benefit the host city of Grapevine, Texas, on April 15. As part of the Honors in Action Academy prior to the International Convention, 500 Phi Theta Kappa college honor students and faculty advisors volunteered their time in a partnership effort with Keep America Beautiful affiliate Keep Grapevine Beautiful. Volunteers assisted with cleanup and beautification efforts at three sites in the Grapevine area including Rockledge Park, an Army Corp of Engineers property, and the shoreline of Lake Grapevine. Honors in Action projects integrate scholarly inquiry and research, leadership skills development and community service. “The teaching of servant leadership is central to the mission of Phi Theta Kappa, which sets us apart from nearly all other honor societies,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s Executive Director Rod A. Risley.

was able to plant the first Grapevine Community Garden with all of the produce going to the community’s “ecodisadvantaged.” “Members of Keep Grapevine Beautiful and Grapevine Parks and Recreation Department extend their greatest appreciation to this outstanding team of volunteers whose accomplishments were awesome,” said Tellin. “As Phi Theta Kappans we understand the importance of servant leadership,” said Dee Lauzon, Phi Theta Kappa’s 2008-2009 International Vice President for Division IV and a student at Lane Community College in Oregon. “We wanted to extend our learning to reach beyond our campuses to help a community still recovering from the 2007 floods.”

“ The teaching of servant leadership is central to the mission of Phi Theta Kappa, which sets us apart from nearly all other honor societies.” Ro d A. Ri sley, Phi Theta Kappa’s Executive Director

College honor students attending the Phi Theta Kappa Convention from around the world were also invited to bring flower, herb and vegetable seeds to beautify the Grapevine area and for Earth Week environmental activities in local elementary schools. All seeds were donated to Keep Grapevine Beautiful. Chapters not attending the Convention were encouraged to mail seeds to Keep Grapevine Beautiful for the effort. Mary Jo Tellin, executive director of Keep Grapevine Beautiful, reported that more than 500 volunteers worked 1,750 hours painting, landscaping, clearing debris and picking up 440 pounds of trash. She also reported that because of Phi Theta Kappa’s generous contribution of seeds, Keep Grapevine Beautiful, along with other community partners,

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Miss., is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,250 chapters on college campuses in all 50 states and in many nations throughout the world. It is estimated that 200,000 students participate in Phi Theta Kappa programs annually. Keep America Beautiful has been Phi Theta Kappa’s International Service Program partner of its “Operation Green: Improving Our Communities” program for the past four years with many chapters participating in Great American Cleanup events.

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Employees Shine through Corporate Volunteerism

partner p rofile

University of Phoenix, Dow Chemical Employees Lend a Helping Hand

There is a rebirth of volunteer spirit among corporate America today. Corporations across the country recognize the importance of engaging their employees in meaningful, local volunteer activities. One of Keep America Beautiful’s guiding principles is public-private partnerships in which local businesses make relevant connections with our network of affiliates and participating organizations. The Great American Cleanup has long been a catalyst for employee volunteerism and the 2009 program was no exception.

While hundreds of companies engaged their employees in Great American Cleanup activities this past spring, two Great American Cleanup National Sponsors—University of Phoenix and The Dow Chemical Company—used the campaign as an integral platform for their corporate sustainability and employee volunteer engagement activities.

University of Phoenix Meets Its Go Green Challenge The University of Phoenix, the nation’s largest college with more than 400,000 students who, primarily, take classes online, started a Go Green Challenge in 2008. To further its effort at “embracing sustainable practices” in its workplace and beyond, the University of Phoenix signed on as a National Sponsor to help “showcase its commitment to a greener world,” noted Manny Rivera, the director of public affairs for The Apollo Group, Inc.—University of Phoenix. Because the university has numerous physical locations throughout the country, it tasked more than 100 “Go Green Captains” with identifying and facilitating local “eco-volunteer” opportunities with Great American Cleanup participating organizations. The level of participation among University of Phoenix employees was compelling.

For example, University of Phoenix volunteers assembled at a remote spot behind the Riverfront Parkway in South Jordan, Utah, between the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake to plant trees. These trees will become home to an estimated 98 species of birds in an area of diminishing bird populations. Other Great American Cleanup activities that the University of Phoenix volunteers participated in included: • The Sacramento campus cleaned up the American River Bike Trail. • The Chicago campus staff attended a concert at the Hard Rock Café to help raise money for Keep Chicago Beautiful.

• Corporate and online employees from the Phoenix campus participated in a Keep Phoenix Beautiful “Corporate Challenge” by cleaning up three Phoenix parks. Their participation earned them the traveling Keep Phoenix Beautiful “Corporate Challenge” trophy! • The Detroit campus cleaned up a park and playground in Pontiac, Mich. • More than 20 volunteers participated in a landscaping project at Buena Vista Elementary School in Nashville as part of Great American Cleanup national Tennessee event. • Members of the West Florida Campus assisted Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful with a cleanup in Florida mangroves and at the beach. • The Oklahoma City campus cleaned up Lake Overholser as part of the fourth annual Lake Overholser/Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge Spring Cleanup. • Albuquerque’s campus picked up litter and planted trees in Haynes Park. • Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., volunteered to participate in the Great American Cleanup at Plant Drive Park. Many of the Great American Cleanup participating organizations relied on the assistance of students, faculty and employees of the University of Phoenix to get much-needed community improvement projects completed. They weren’t disappointed.

Dow Chemical Company Employee Volunteers Hit a Home Run In various areas around the country, Dow Chemical Company employees donated their time and volunteered with Keep America Beautiful affiliates and Great American Cleanup participating organizations, assisting in everything from community cleanups to invasive plant removals to annual “trash bashes.” Keep Cobb Beautiful in Marietta, Ga., was pleased to welcome Dow employees at a roadside and dump site cleanup; the enthusiasm and support of Dow employees was very beneficial to the organization. Keep America Beautiful provided bags, banners, posters and coupons to a crew of more than 75 Dow employees who

picked up litter alongside a roadway. Eager to fill their trash bags with debris and waste, the team was excited when, at the end of the day, the boulevard they worked on was visibly cleaner and their trash bags were full of litter. At St. Charles Parish in Baton Rouge, La., 30 Dow Employees joined 342 other volunteers, who despite heavy storms, picked up trash and celebrated their morning’s work with lunch and a family fair that featured a “Trash Toss” game for children. In Iberville Parish, La., employees gathered to clean the Bayou Grosse Tete waterway. Volunteers picked up “historical garbage” which included washing machines, tires, water heaters and coolers, and other bulky debris, as well as litter. Dow employees in Brazoria County, Texas, were involved in a number of cleanup and beautification activities as well as numerous E-waste collection events. Residents from throughout the county turned up at collection sites, sponsored by Dow and monitored by various employees, and dropped off everything from computers and keyboards to stereos and microwaves.

University of Phoenix engaged its more than 400,000 students and 40,000 faculty and staff in volunteering at local community improvement events.

One of the most touching Great American Cleanup events occurred in Saginaw, Mich. One-hundred-fifty Dow employees assisted Keep Saginaw Beautiful with renovating Saginaw’s Hoyt Park. Not only did they refurbish the park, but they revamped an important part of the recreational area—the baseball field. Installing windscreens and protective fence caps, building a dugout and dusting off four diamonds, those who enjoy Hoyt Park regularly, now have a true ball field. Before completion of the field, word had already gotten out that Hoyt Park would mimic how it had looked in its glory days. The Dow Chemical Company employees were vital in bringing renewed energy to the park, which hadn’t been seen in some time.

G r e at Am e r i can Cl eanup // 2009 Re port

Measuring Results State-by-State At the conclusion of their local activities, Great American Cleanup participating organizations are encouraged to provide a wrap-up report detailing the scope and diversity of their efforts. The following pages show their 2009 responses and provide an interesting snapshot of activities spanning the nation.

State

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Events/Volunteers Events Held

865

N/A

669

1,137

182,969

N/A

1,014

44,603

79,919

1,315

2,080

1,362,935

N/A

4,015

83,894

208,963

2,881

8,471

730

N/A

552

681

1,011,063

N/A

37,760

2,010,881

2,936,047

13,130

282,441

9,812

N/A

191

2,488

1,594

250

Parks & Public Lands Cleaned (acres)

6,444

N/A

588

21,483

Hiking, Biking & Nature Trails Cleaned (miles)

2,487

N/A

230

242

N/A

108

497

N/A

146.5

271

N/A

Wetland Cleaned & Improved (acres)

618

N/A

1,286

Illegal Dump Sites Cleaned

160

N/A

232

Clothing Collected for Reuse (lbs)

27,290

N/A

14,000

1,635

202

120

Aluminum & Steel Recycled (lbs)

61,887

N/A

310

168,327

30,416

3,500

1,198,115

N/A

18,360

19,546

4,500

5,187

N/A

100

17,281

197,392

102

4,896

N/A

165

1,001

214,635

N/A

51,580

1,023,474

76,832

PET (Plastic) Bottles Collected

3,955,120

N/A

9,400

63,540

1,658,520

Junk Cars Removed/Collected for Recycling

274

N/A

3,241

N/A

122

107,051

N/A

345,294

44,465

250

5,677

N/A

848

1,632

N/A

1,016

N/A

311

348

Educational Workshops

336

N/A

159

Educational Workshops Attendees (adults)

5,772

N/A

400

4,184

2,530

Educational Workshops Attendees (children)

20,114

N/A

1,600

10,636

22,238

123

111

N/A

271,530

N/A

6,000

47,009

125,850

1,250

Volunteers/Participants Volunteer Hours Communities Involved Cleanups Litter & Debris Collected (lbs) Roads, Streets, Highways Cleaned/Beautified (miles)

Playgrounds & Community Recreation Areas Cleaned/Restored/Constructed Rivers, Lakes & Shorelines Cleaned (miles) Underwater Cleanups Conducted

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Newspaper Recycled (lbs) Tires Collected Batteries Collected Electronics Recycled (lbs)

Beautification Gardens, Xeriscapes & Green Spaces Created & Improved Flowers & Bulbs Planted Trees Planted Residential & Commercial Buildings Painted/Renovated/Built Graffiti Sites Removed/Abated Education

General Awareness Events General Awareness Event Attendees

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

N/A

7,033

1,324

252

N/A

632,040

195,962

N/A

305,062

N/A

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

iowa

kansas

Kentucky

582

211

390

13,726

100

23,792

14,606

1,956

122,087

15,011

252,258

21,651

600

61,437

30,964

4,517

124,052

25,653

662

686

103

290

N/A

2,684,377

1,952,933

326,500

4,000

735,325

1,459,300

18,970

317,850

428,040

N/A

5,963

5,261

192

1,110

1,915

3,098

N/A

2,131

1,702

1,226

350

4,598

2,452

586

N/A

232

286

5.6

2.5

N/A

205

231

N/A

2,311

436

427

N/A

625.5

102

N/A

444

329

109

N/A

7,340

238,370

98,460

N/A

1,054,994

2,009,174

64,220

100,936

5,000

36,843

N/A

2,281,152

1,262,447

220

1,517,530

N/A

36,932

82,956

3,122

1,733

2,598

407

1,219

740

N/A

5,410

5,728

28,952

562

N/A

283,980

776,294

4,050

40,980

109,000

68,752

32,975

N/A

10,064,020

5,800,740

2,280

8,980

31,100

5,427,100

N/A

317

112

N/A

222

220

N/A

48,945

47,454

3,974

4,529

28,850

93,143

N/A

4,743

2,639

3,932

N/A

132

157

N/A

141

511

175

N/A

541

574

152

115

N/A

7,025

13,164

14,456

1,926

407

339

832

N/A

31,046

59,516

2,920

4,961

2,580

2,574

9,264

N/A

175

190

N/A

908,314

169,125

308,460

22,496

11,800

5,710

12,200

1,500

State

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

mass.

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Events/Volunteers/Participants Events Held

172

152

328

Volunteers/Participants

29,246

1,370

13,220

8,060

3,545

125,985

Volunteer Hours

45,554

5,000

20,767

7,747

9,580

61,488

115

136

254

259,270

180

76,730

39,008

1,067,810

20,200

1,674,966

2,356

200

2,530

393

404

760

Hiking, Biking & Nature Trails Cleaned (miles)

1,441

Playgrounds & Community Recreation Areas Cleaned/Restored/Constructed

Rivers, Lakes & Shorelines Cleaned (miles)

Underwater Cleanups Conducted

Wetland Cleaned & Improved (acres)

115

Clothing Collected for Reuse (lbs)

7,364

9,122

Aluminum & Steel Recycled (lbs)

188,427

8,185

124

328,910

Newspaper Recycled (lbs)

215,858

10,800

495,049

Tires Collected

2,743

733

3,320

56,204

Batteries Collected

3,008

2,584

3,268

307,866

500

11,000

43,000

66,100

PET (Plastic) Bottles Collected

1,923,160

220

1,100

1,006,500

2,307,760

Junk Cars Removed/Collected for Recycling

221

254

110

239

24,008

400

11,500

167,224

767

160

35,572

146

621

146

112

Educational Workshops

201

Educational Workshops Attendees (adults)

1,347

440

220

590

2,250

4,331

Educational Workshops Attendees (children)

4,970

150

750

988

750

17,476

168,333

590

3,000

591

158,334

Communities Involved Cleanups Litter & Debris Collected (lbs) Roads, Streets, Highways Cleaned/Beautified (miles) Parks & Public Lands Cleaned (acres)

Illegal Dump Sites Cleaned Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

Electronics Recycled (lbs)

General Awareness Events General Awareness Event Attendees

Missouri

montana

nebraska

nevada

n. hampshire

new jersey

new mexico

new york

n. carolina

n. dakota

913

225

1,595

871

6,863

10,700

98,246

432

150

178

21,696

22,933

80,329

6,062

26,600

111,757

1,538

230

716

114,999

44,211

256,084

100

408

127

142

296

197,540

229,280

2,856,006

27,000

2,500

1,310

2,034,622

1,623,200

840,369

220

2,588

3,192.25

390

17,831

422

3,015

1,315

465.7

582

5,552

153

57.25

955

181

100

142

415

101

1,010

201

300

1,500

19,529

12,130

2,655

745

18,275

361,780

66,353

7,113,100

18,660

1,020

450

716,471

14,928

8,243,005

2,307,685

16,686

120

15,822

300

1,359

1,007

33,725

5,693

368

197

783

561,075

103,856

123,280

436,284

6,400

5,309,500

51,280

135,730,300

8,449,500

2,000

277

7,277

387

300

18,047

3,000

2,352

36,449

488,119

3,725

3,580

2,706

3,646

198

128

535

567

455

117

379

330

6,999

2,105

3,490

3,571

19,936

5,591

9,683

14,919

133

137

600

450

34,972

35,406

12,020

52,397

State

ohio

oklahoma

oregon

pennsylvania

rhode island

s. carolina

s. dakota

Events/Volunteers/Participants Events Held

2,320

498

5,116

1,654

Volunteers/Participants

168,076

45,148

3,530

170,215

1,711

55,618

696

Volunteer Hours

298,326

43,533

300

680,860

4,345

116,308

1,974

990

221

2,064

2,135

5,362,734

3,343,687

200

6,739,260

97,680

1,739,118

39,282

6,770

1,179

15,187

2,593

13,057

4,925

6,199

277

102

Hiking, Biking & Nature Trails Cleaned (miles)

293

145

312

Playgrounds & Community Recreation Areas Cleaned/Restored/Constructed

535

130

330

Rivers, Lakes & Shorelines Cleaned (miles)

201

146

825

138

Wetland Cleaned & Improved (acres)

324

1,071

648

Illegal Dump Sites Cleaned

781

Clothing Collected for Reuse (lbs)

102,334

8,253

260

8,090

Aluminum & Steel Recycled (lbs)

626,380

26,981

3,553

2,068

466,791

1,906,200

29,743

1,454,829

63,843

2,015

23,916

1,458

47,642

17,947

472

811

1,321,011

34,614

25,260

11,970

188,341

800

PET (Plastic) Bottles Collected

7,555,140

53,420

1,940

1,461,340

4,960

Junk Cars Removed/Collected for Recycling

591

160

145

522,778

40,051

5,328

17,380

363

14,035

6,795

936

1,111

353

Educational Workshops

2,878

101

430

315

Educational Workshops Attendees (adults)

12,298

3,475

1,000

3,798

245

1,434

518

Educational Workshops Attendees (children)

77,097

5,690

2,000

9,235

5,076

685

257

305

104

295,225

36,188

3,000

7,469

600

69,508

300

Communities Involved Cleanups Litter & Debris Collected (lbs) Roads, Streets, Highways Cleaned/Beautified (miles) Parks & Public Lands Cleaned (acres)

Underwater Cleanups Conducted

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

Newspaper Recycled (lbs) Tires Collected Batteries Collected Electronics Recycled (lbs)

General Awareness Events General Awareness Event Attendees

tennessee

texas

utah

vermont

virginia

washington

west virginia

wisconsin

wyoming

1,576

1,281

N/A

529

N/A

387

228,168

246,676

51,500

N/A

16,992

N/A

130

176,855

372

325,323

235,514

151,404

N/A

55,619

N/A

402

129,485

970

729

19,797

N/A

210

N/A

4,066,596

12,162,120

680,000

N/A

537,144

N/A

2,860

3,932,700

8,704

4,028

4,299

111

N/A

4,502

N/A

4,122

4,217

3,692

N/A

1,713

N/A

5,410

144

346

N/A

175

319

N/A

356

1,913

N/A

1.25

141

N/A

5,108

N/A

181

430

N/A

133

N/A

96,869

33,392

N/A

8,050

N/A

3,834,210

84,980

949,642

N/A

338,279

N/A

200

419,490

1,126,425

2,683,100

N/A

3,408,466

N/A

5,200

7,484,000

12,310

230,277

N/A

1,545

N/A

2,060

2,176

10,357

N/A

7,549

211,073

393,200

N/A

126,242

N/A

236,001

3,727,120

13,181,760

N/A

8,533,520

N/A

6,940

26,985,200

1,927

471

N/A

649

185

437

N/A

137,718

73,075

N/A

1,000

N/A

660

39,000

44,727

9,741

N/A

1,888

N/A

7,000

242

589

N/A

107

9,750

N/A

358

N/A

142

1,323

620

N/A

101

20,094

39,843

N/A

785

N/A

100

47,439

98,739

N/A

4,692

N/A

1,920

651

271

N/A

1,003,930

372,413

N/A

88,832

N/A

3,851

G r e at Am e r i can Cl eanup // 2009 Re port

MEDIA

Media impressions................................................ 1.25 billion EVENTS/VOLUNTEERS

2009 Official Results

Events held......................................................................30,000 Volunteers/participants........................................... 3 million Volunteer hours......................................................5.2 million Communities involved.................................................32,000 CLEANUPS

Litter & debris collected (lbs).............................. 64 million Roads, streets, highways cleaned/beautified (miles)........................................102,000

The following reflects Keep America Beautifulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2009 Great American Cleanup results. These figures were derived from reports obtained from Keep America Beautiful affiliates and Great American Cleanup participating organizations, and describe the extent of their extraordinary accomplishments.*

Parks & public lands cleaned (acres).........................95,000 Hiking, biking & nature trails cleaned (miles)...........7,800 Playgrounds & community recreation areas cleaned/restored/constructed...................................... 3,200 Rivers, lakes & shorelines cleaned (miles)................. 8,800 Underwater cleanups conducted.......................................82 Wetlands cleaned & improved (acres)...................... 10,200 Illegal dump sites cleaned..............................................4,750 REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Clothing collected for reuse (lbs).......................4.5 million Aluminum & steel recycled (lbs)....................... 14.5 million Newspaper recycled (lbs)...................................36.4 million Tires collected............................................................. 870,000 Batteries collected.......................................................102,000 Electronics recycled (lbs).....................................6.9 million PET (plastic) bottles collected.......................... 243 million Junk cars removed/collected for recycling............. 12,300 BEAUTIFICATION

Gardens, xeriscapes & green spaces created & improved......................................................... 6,400 Flowers & bulbs planted.......................................2.3 million Trees planted.................................................................157,000 Residential & commercial buildings painted/renovated/built.................................................1,800 Graffiti sites removed/abated......................................15,600 EDUCATION

Educational workshops.................................................. 9,400 Educational workshop attendees (total)................655,000 Adults.........................................................................160,000 Children.................................................................... 494,000 *Based on reports from 80% of the participating organizations.

General awareness events.............................................. 2,900 General awareness event attendees...................4.2 million

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Affiliates and Participating Organizations ALABAMA City of Guntersville Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, Inc. Keep Auburn Beautiful Keep Birmingham Beautiful Commission Keep Center Point Beautiful Keep Etowah Beautiful (Gadsden) Keep Mobile Beautiful Keep Opelika Beautiful, Inc. Keep Saraland Beautiful Keep The Wiregrass Beautiful (Dothan) Montgomery Clean City Commission Operation Green Team (Huntsville) Shoals Chamber of Commerce (Florence) ALASKA Phi Theta Kappa – Alpha Psi Gamma Chapter, (Valdez) ARIZONA Arizona Clean & Beautiful Globe Clean and Beautiful Keep Phoenix Beautiful Scottsdale Pride Commission ARKANSAS Keep Arkansas Beautiful 4-H Club (Banks) Arkansas State Highway & Transportation Dept. – Adopt-A-Highway Program (Little Rock) Atlanta Community (Columbia County – Emerson) Barkada Community Association (Monticello) Bella Vista Property Owner’s Association Benton County School of the Arts & High School (Bentonville) Bethel AME Church Youth Group- YPD’s (Batesville) Blytheville/Gosnell Chamber of Commerce (Blytheville) Buffalo River Back Country Horsemen (Harrison) Cabot City Beautiful, Inc. Camden Community Appearance Committee Cherokee “Village Pride” (Cherokee Village) City of Ashdown & Little River County Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee City of Bella Vista & Keep Benton County Beautiful City of Bentonville & Keep Benton County Beautiful City of Booneville City of DeQueen City of Lavaca and First Baptist Church City of Little Rock Adopt-A-Street Program City of Magnolia Clean & Green Committee City of Marianna Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee City of McGehee Beautification Committee City of McNeil Vision Committee City of Waldron City of Wickes/Keep Polk County Beautiful Conway County Government – Morrilton and surrounding cities Cossatot River State Park (Wickes) Cotter Volunteers

Crawford County Cooperative Extension Service – Van Buren and cities Devil’s Den State Park (West Fork) Dunbar School Community Garden (Little Rock) Fairfield Bay Beautification Committee Faulkner County Realtors (Conway) Fayetteville Volunteers (Fayetteville) Grace Episcopal Church (Pine Bluff) Grassy Knob Volunteer Fire Association (Eureka Springs) Griffithtown Community (Arkadelphia) Helena/West Helena Code Enforcement & Historic District Committee Historic Washington State Park (Washington) Hot Springs/Garland County Beautification Commission Illinois River Watershed Partnership (Fayetteville) John Barrow Road Little Rock Beautification Committee Keep Benton County Beautiful (Rogers) Keep Faulkner County Beautiful (Conway) Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Keep Little Rock Beautiful Keep Newport Beautiful Keep North Little Rock Beautiful Keep Sherwood Beautiful Keep Van Buren Beautiful Lake Frierson State Park (Jonesboro) Lake Poinsett Community Association (Harrisburg) Little River County Government – Ashdown & cities Mammoth Spring State Park (Mammoth Spring) Metro Area Board of Realtors – “Realtors Restore” Program (Fayetteville) Modern Woodmen of the World (Pine Bluff) Mulberry River Cleanup Volunteers (Ozark) Murfreesboro CBI Class – Murfreesboro Schools NAPCO (Little Rock) National Park Service (Harrison) O.W.AL. – Ozark Water Alliance (Eureka Springs) Paragould Board of Realtors – “Realtors Restore” program Phi Theta Kappa, Eureka Springs Phi Theta Kappa – Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Iota Epsilon Chapter – Ark. State University (Mountain Home) Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Clean & Beautiful Commission Pinnacle Mountain State Park (Little Rock) Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park (Prairie Grove) Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction – Pulaski County (Little Rock) Rose Bud High School EAST Program Scott County Organization to Protect the Environment (Boles) SEBASCOTT Economic Development (Hartford) SEBASCOTT Economic Development (Mansfield) Sebastian County & Cities (Fort Smith) South End (Little Rock) Neighborhood Coalition Association Southwest (Little Rock) Revitalization Project St. Paul’s A.M.E. Church (Newport)

Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce/Beautification Committee Sylvan Hills Schools (Sherwood) University of Ark. at Little Rock – Children’s International Program University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff University of Phoenix (Little Rock) Wal-Mart (Bentonville) Waste Management (Little Rock) Watson High School E.A.S.T. Students (Watson Chapel) Woodson Community Action Council CALIFORNIA Keep California Beautiful 30-Minute Beach Cleanup American River Parkway Foundation Beach Clean Up (El Cajon) Bikes for Tikes California State Parks Castro Valley Sanitary District City of Calabasas City of Chico City of Cupertino City of Dana Point City of Elk Grove City of Eureka City of Hesperia City of Highland City of Laguna Hills City of Lancaster City of Lodi City of Millbrae City of Morgan Hill City of Orinda City of Redwood City City of Sacramento City of Sacramento Department of Utilities City of San Jose City of Simi Valley’s Neighborhood Councils City of Sunnyvale Clearlake Chamber of Commerce Consumnes Community Services District County of Monterey County of Santa Clara Doheny State Beach Friends of Edgewood Friends of the Los Angeles River Gemological Institute of America Hopland Band of Pomo Indians I Love A Clean San Diego Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Keep Downey Beautiful Keep Eastern Madera County Beautiful Keep Glendale Beautiful Keep Los Angeles Beautiful Keep Oakland Beautiful Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful Kiwanis of Amador County Manilla Community Center Mendocino Coast Peace and Justice Center Merced Breakfast Lions Club

Mid Klamath Watershed Council Mount Diablo State Park North Tahoe Business Association Novato Streetscape Coalition PETA Protect American River Canyons Residents of Lincoln Hills Riverpark Neighborhood Council Riverside County Code Enforcement Sacramento Urban Creeks Council San Benito County San Diego High School San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park Santa Maria Four Wheelers Club Seaside Neighborhood Improvement Commission Senior Senators Group State Farm Insurance Company (Techachapi) Tehachapi Mountain Group Thunderhill Raceway Park Town of Apple Valley Wests Ranch Wildplaces Word of Faith Community Church COLORADO 2009 Trash Treasure Hunt (La Junta) Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful Keep Denver Beautiful Keep Englewood Beautiful The Meadows Neighborhood Company (Castle Rock) CONNECTICUT Connecticut Water Trails Association (New Fairfield) Keep New Milford Beautiful Keep Norwalk Beautiful Knox Parks Foundation (Hartford) Stratford Beautification Committee DELAWARE City of Wilmington DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Keep Washington D.C. Beautiful FLORIDA Keep Florida Beautiful Broward County Adopt-A-Street (Plantation) City of Fort Pierce City of Leesburg City of North Miami Keep Alachua County Beautiful (Gainesville) Keep Brevard Beautiful (Cocoa) Keep Calhoun County Beautiful, Inc. (Blountstown) Keep Charlotte Beautiful, Inc. (Port Charlotte) Keep Citrus County Beautiful, Inc. (Beverly Hills) Keep Clay Beautiful, Inc. (Green Cove Springs) Keep Collier Beautiful, Inc. (Naples) Keep Highlands County Beautiful, Inc. (Sebring) Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful (Tampa) Keep Indian River Beautiful (Vero Beach) Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Keep Lake Placid Beautiful Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc. (Fort Myers) Keep Manatee Beautiful (Bradenton) Keep Marion Beautiful (Ocala) Keep Martin Beautiful (Palm City) Keep Miami Beautiful Keep Miami Gardens Beautiful Keep Nassau Beautiful, Inc. (Fernandina Beach) Keep Orlando Beautiful, Inc. Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc. (West Palm Beach)

Keep Pasco Beautiful (Wesley Chapel) Keep Pinellas Beautiful (Clearwater) Keep Polk County Beautiful, Inc. (Lake Wales) Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful Keep Putnam Beautiful, Inc. (East Palatka) Keep Sarasota County Beautiful (Sarasota) Keep Tallahassee-Leon County Beautiful (Tallahassee) Keep Taylor Co. Beautiful (Perry) Keep Volusia County Beautiful (Deland) Keep Wakulla County Beautiful, Inc. (Crawfordville) Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful Keep Winter Park Beautiful Lakeland Clean & Beautiful Pensacola-Escambia Clean Community Comm. Santa Rosa Clean Community System, Inc. (Milton) GEORGIA Keep Georgia Beautiful 4-H (Jackson) Alberta Crummey Garden Club (Rochelle) Atlanta Alumni Chapter Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Atlanta City Council District 12 Augusta State University Public Safety Austell Public Works Baker County (Newton) Baxley-Appling Board of Tourism (Baxley) Ben Hill County 4-H Better Hometown (Hawkinsville) Blairsville Downtown Development Authority, City of Blairsville & Union County Brantley Co. Chamber of Commerce and Brantley’s Middle School FBLA Braselton Visitor’s Bureau Authority Brookhaven/Chamblee Home Owners and Neighborhood Business Alliance (Atlanta) Butts Co. 4-H Candler County 4-H (Metter) Chamber of Commerce (Thomson) Chapel of Sky Valley (Sky Valley) Citizen Volunteers of Screven Citizens for a Better Hancock County City Council (Warm Springs) City of Arabi City of Auburn City of Baconton City of Berkeley Lake City of Blairsville City of Blythe City of Buena Vista City of Clayton City of College Park City of Colquitt City of Dawsonville City of Douglas Public Works Department City of Dudley City of Eastman City of Elberton City of Fairburn City of Forest Park City of Glennville City of Gordon City of Grantville, Grantville, GA City of Guyton City of Hahira City of Hartwell City of Helen City of Hiawassee City of Holly Springs City of Ivey City of Jakin

City of Jaspar City of Lilburn City of Lincolnton City of Locust Grove City of Marietta City of Meigs City of Metter City of Morven City of Mount Vernon City of Newton City of Norcross City of Norman Park City of Offerman City of Pavo City of Peachtree City City of Pembroke City of Perry City of Richmond Hill City of Rochelle City of Roswell City of Saint Mary’s City of Sandersville City of Senoia Code Enforcement Officer City of Sky Valley City of Soperton City of Stillmore City of Stone Mountain City of Suches City of Swainsboro City of Sylvester Code Enforcement City of Thomaston City of Wadley City of Whitesburg City of Winterville Public Works City of Woodstock City of Zebulon Clay County Economic Development Council Clean up Camak Clean Up Butts Association Cochran Police Department Coffee High NJROTC (Douglas) Columbia County Family Connection (Harlem) Commissioner’s Office (Summerville) County of Willacoochee CUBA (Jackson) DDA (Blairsville) Democratic Park of Madison County (Danielsville) Downtown Development, Dahlonega East Hall High School Navy Junior ROTC (Gainesville) EBC Women’s Ministry (Lumpkin) Environmental Division (Woodstock) Evans Co. Commissioners F. Benjamin (Rochelle) Fairburn Public Works Flowery Branch Better Hometown GA Appalachian Trail Supply Co (Oakwood) Gateway To The Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains George Lopos Gilmer County Board of Commissioners (Ellijay) Gray Station Better Hometown (Gray) Green County Solid Waste Committee Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (Duluth) Hang Glider Pilots (Rising Fawn) Haralson County Chamber of Commerce Hawkinsville Better Hometown Heard County 4-H (Franklin) Henry County BOE Holly Street Community Club IWG HPC (Trenton) Jasper County Code Enforcement Jasper County Extension

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Jefferson County B.O.C MSWL/Jefferson County Library System Kappa Alpha Psi Atlanta Alumni Chapter Kasihta Garden Club (Cusseta) Kasihta Garden Club Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful (Albany) Keep Alpharetta Beautiful Keep Americus Beautiful Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (Athens) Keep Atlanta Beautiful Keep Barrow Beautiful (Winder) Keep Bartow Beautiful (Cartersville) Keep Brunswick-Golden Isles Beautiful (Brunswick) Keep Bulloch Beautiful (Statesboro) Keep Camden Beautiful Keep Carroll Beautiful (Carrollton) Keep Chamblee Beautiful Keep Charlton Beautiful (Folkston) Keep Chatsworth-Murray Beautiful (Chatsworth) Keep Clayton County Beautiful (Jonesboro) Keep Cobb Beautiful (Marietta) Keep Columbia County Beautiful (Evans) Keep Columbus Beautiful Commission Keep Conyers Rockdale Beautiful (Conyers) Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful (Covington) Keep Crisp Beautiful (Cordele) Keep Dade Beautiful (Trenton) Keep Dalton/Whitfield Beautiful (Dalton) Keep Dawson County Beautiful (Dawsonville) Keep Decatur County Beautiful (Bainbridge) Keep DeKalb Beautiful (Decatur) Keep Douglasville Beautiful Keep Dublin-Laurens Beautiful, Inc. (Dublin) Keep East Point Beautiful Keep Forsyth County Beautiful (Cumming) Keep Grady County Beautiful (Cairo) Keep Habersham Beautiful (Clarkesville) Keep Hall Beautiful (Gainesville) Keep Henry County Beautiful (McDonough) Keep Jackson County Beautiful (Jefferson) Keep Jones Beautiful Commission (Gray) Keep Liberty County Beautiful (Hinesville) Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful (Valdosta) Keep Macon Bibb Beautiful Commission (Macon) Keep Madison County Beautiful (Danielsville) Keep Marietta Beautiful Keep McIntosh Beautiful Keep Milledgeville Baldwin Beautiful (Milledgeville) Keep Morgan Beautiful (Buckhead, Rutledge, Bostwick and Madison) Keep Newnan Beautiful Keep North Fulton Beautiful, Inc. (Sandy Springs) Keep Oconee County Beautiful (Watkinsville) Keep Paulding Beautiful (Dallas) Keep Peach County C&B (Fort Valley) Keep Pickens Beautiful Keep Polk Beautiful (Rockmart) Keep Randolph Beautiful (Cuthbert) Keep Roberta/Crawford Beautiful (Roberta) Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful (Rome) Keep Roswell Beautiful Keep Savannah Beautiful Keep Screven Beautiful (Sylvania) Keep Smyrna Beautiful Keep South Fulton Beautiful (Union City) Keep Tift Beautiful (Tifton) Keep Toccoa/Stephens County Beautiful (Toccoa) Keep Troup Beautiful (LaGrange) Keep Walton Beautiful (Monroe) Keep Warner Robins Beautiful Keep Waycross/Ware County Beautiful (Waycross) Keysville City Hall

Kingsland DDA Kingsland Public Works Lanier County 4-H (Lakeland) Lee County Board of Commissioners Lee County Code Enforcement Lester Sharpton Lincoln County Code Enforcement (Lincolnton) Long County Extension 4-H (Ludowici) Lookout Highlands Homeowners Association (Cloudland) Lynn Davis Marshal Office (Carnesville) Matt Owens (Dawsonville) McDuffie County Code Enforcement Millen Better Hometown Milton Grows Green Mountain Park Civic Club National Park Service (Saint Mary’s) Naval Submarine Base (Kings Bay) NAVIOCOM Georgia (Augusta) Omega Psi Phi--Tau Chapter (Atlanta) Owens Corning (Fairburn) Prater’s Mill Foundation (Dalton) Public Works/Storm Water (Tyrone) Rabun County Recycling (Clayton) Rotary Club of Cherokee County (Canton) Seminole County Chamber of Commerce Skidaway Island State Park (Savannah) SkilsUSA, (Thomasville) Solid Waste Committee (Greensboro) Solid Waste Transfer Station (Thomson) Stonewall Tell Elementary School Suches Community TC Gordon’s Clean Campaign (Tifton) Terrell County Town Council (Dearing) Town of Cadwell Town of Camak Town of Clermont Town of Moreland Town of Resaca Town of Siloam Tyrone Public Works UGA Cooperative Extension (Columbus) Urban Suburban/Urban E-Life (Atlanta) Vanderlyn 4-C Club (Dunwoody) Vietnam Veterans (Gainesville) Walnut Grove Marshal Webster County 4-H (Preston) Westview Community Organization (Atlanta) White County Chamber Wilcox Skills USA (Richmond Hill) HAWAII Keep The Hawaiian Islands Beautiful Adopt-A-Park/Ho’olakali Kauai County (Lihue) Community Work Day Program (Puunene) Keep Honolulu Beautiful Nani’O Wai’anae (Waianae) IDAHO Mid-Snake RC&D (Twin Falls) ILLINOIS Keep Illinois Beautiful City of Chicago Keep Carbondale Beautiful Keep Centralia Beautiful Keep Chicago Beautiful Keep Moline Beautiful

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful (Loves Park) Keep Oak Park Beautiful (Oak Park) Keep Peoria Beautiful Keep Rock Island Beautiful Keep Salem Beautiful Keep Vermilion County Beautiful (Danville) Keep West Cook Beautiful (River Grove) INDIANA City of Fort Wayne Keep Evansville Beautiful Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. Keep Stockwell Beautiful Keep Terre Haute Beautiful IOWA Keep Iowa Beautiful DavenportOne – Downtown Partnership Keep Council Bluffs Beautiful Keep Northeast Nebraska Beautiful (Sioux City) Keep Scott County Beautiful (Davenport) KANSAS Keep America Beautiful-Topeka/Shawnee Co (Topeka) Keep Dodge City Beautiful (Dodge City) Operation Brighside Inc. (Kansas City) KENTUCKY Kentucky Clean Community Program Brightside (Louisville) City of Covington LFUCG (Lexington) Madison County Solid Waste (Richmond) LOUISIANA Keep Louisiana Beautiful City of Natchitoches/Keep Natchitoches Beautiful Keep Abbeville Beautiful Keep Baton Rouge Beautiful, Inc. Keep Bossier Beautiful (Bossier City) Keep Cenla Beautiful (Alexandria) Keep Covington Beautiful Keep DeRidder Beautiful Keep Hammond Beautiful Keep Leesville Beautiful Keep Lincoln Parish Beautiful (Ruston) Keep Mandeville Beautiful (Mandeville) Keep Morehouse Beautiful (Bastrop) Keep New Iberia Beautiful Keep Ouachita Parish Beautiful (Monroe) Keep Slidell Beautiful keep St. John Beautiful (LaPlace) Keep St. Mary Beautiful (Franklin) Keep Washington Parish Beautiful (Franklinton) Keep West Baton Rouge Beautiful (Port Allen) Keep West Monroe Beautiful Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff’s Office (New Orleans) Shreveport Green Team Green Southwest Louisiana (Lake Charles) MAINE Southern Maine Community College Alpha Chapter of PTK (South Portland) MARYLAND Keep Prince George’s County Beautiful (Largo) MASSACHUSETTS City of Boston Friends of the Cape Cod Nat’l Seashore (Wellfleet) Keep Mansfield Beautiful

Keep Springfield Beautiful Operation Clean Sweep (New Bedford) Webster Recycling Commission MICHIGAN Keep Genesee County Beautiful (Flint) Keep It Moving, Inc. (Detroit) keep Liberty Beautiful (Clark Lake) Keep Saginaw Beautiful Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Empire) MINNESOTA Keep Minneapolis Beautiful/City of Minneapolis MISSISSIPPI Keep Mississippi Beautiful/PAL City of Clinton City of Waveland Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber (Cleveland) Harrison Co. Beautification Commission (Gulfport) Keep Copiah County Beautiful (Hazlehurst) Keep Corinth-Alcorn Beautiful (Corinth) Keep Greenville Beautiful Keep Hattiesburg Beautiful Keep Horn Lake Beautiful Keep Jackson Beautiful, Inc. Keep Laurel/Jones County Beautiful (Laurel) Keep Lincoln County Beautiful (Brookhaven) Keep Madison Beautiful Keep Meridian/Lauderdale County Beautiful (Meridian) Keep Monroe County Beautiful (Aberdeen) Keep Morton Beautiful Keep Natchez Adams County Beautiful (Natchez) Keep New Albany/Union County Beautiful (New Albany) Keep Oxford Lafayette County Beautiful (Oxford) Keep Pearl Beautiful Keep Pike County Beautiful (McComb) Keep Simpson County Beautiful, Inc, (Braxton) Keep Tupelo Beautiful Keep Vicksburg-Warren Beautiful (Vicksburg) Mississippi Department of Transportation (Jackson) MISSOURI Keep Hannibal Beautiful Keep Kansas City Beautiful Keep Southeast Missouri Beautiful (Cape Girardeau) MONTANA Bright n’ Beautiful (Billings) NEBRASKA Keep Nebraska Beautiful Grand Island Youth Council Homestead National Monument (Beatrice) Keep Alliance Beautiful Keep Beatrice Beautiful, Inc. Keep Chadron Beautiful Keep Columbus Beautiful, Inc. Keep Fremont Beautiful Keep Keith County Beautiful (Ogallala) Keep Kimball Beautiful Keep Lexington Beautiful Keep Lincoln & Lancaster Co. Beautiful (Lincoln) Keep Loup Basin Beautiful (Ord) Keep N. Platte & Lincoln Co. Beautiful (North Platte) Keep Norfolk Beautiful Keep Schuyler Beautiful

Keep Sidney Beautiful North Omaha Youth Club City of Atkinson City of Aurora City of Beaver Crossing City of Bellwood City of Belvidere City of Bennington City of Broadwater City of Bushnell City of Campbell City of Chambers City of Creighton City of Dalton City of Dannebrog City of David City City of Decatur City of Deshler City of Doniphan City of Douglas/Palmyra City of Elba City of Exeter City of Franklin City of Friend City of Giltner City of Guide Rock City of Hershey City of Howells City of Julian City of Juniata City of Kenesaw City of Leigh City of Lodgepole City of Lynch City of Maskell City of Minden/Kearney County City of Naponee City of Newcastle City of Nickerson City of Orleans City of Peru City of Petersburg City of Pilger City of Rushville City of Santee City of Springfield City of Sutherland/NPPD City of Walthill City of Wauneta City of Winnebago City of Wymore NEW HAMPSHIRE Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site (Cornish) NEW JERSEY City of Clifton EMD of Arlington Woman’s Club & Jr. Woman’s Club of Arlington (Kearny) Phi Theta Kappa (Jersey City) NEW MEXICO New Mexico Clean & Beautiful Artesia Clean & Beautiful Bloomfield Pride Farmington Clean and Beautiful Hobbs Beautiful Keep Alamogordo Beautiful Keep Albuquerque Beautiful Keep Carlsbad Beautiful Keep Clovis Beautiful Keep Dona Ana County Beautiful (Las Cruces)

Keep Las Cruces Beautiful Keep Las Vegas Beautiful Keep Luna County Beautiful Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful Keep Roswell Beautiful Keep Ruidoso Beautiful Keep Ruidoso Downs Beautiful Keep Santa Fe Beautiful Keep Tucumcari Beautiful Keep Tularosa Beautiful Tierra Bonita old Valencia County (Belen) NEW YORK Glen Cove Beautification Commission Great American Cleanup of Albany Keep Brookhaven Beautiful (Medford) Keep Islip Clean Keep New York City Beautiful Coalition Keep Rockland Beautiful, Inc. (New City) Keep Western New York Beautiful, Inc. (Buffalo) Niagara Falls Fire Department Rome Clean and Green (Lee Center) NEVADA Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful (Reno) National Park Service, Lake Mead Nat’l Rec. Area (Boulder City)ß NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina Keep America Beautiful Duplin County Solid Waste & Recycling (Rose Hill) Greensboro Beautiful, Inc. High Point KAB KAB of Nash & Edgecombe Counties (Rocky Mount) Keep America Beautiful of New Hanover Co. (Wilmington) Keep Belmont Beautiful Keep Bladen Beautiful (Elizabethtown) Keep Brunswick County Beautiful (Bolvia) Keep Catawba County Beautiful (Newton) Keep Charlotte Beautiful Keep Durham Beautiful Keep Franklin Co. Beautiful (Louisburg) Keep Gastonia Beautiful Keep Laurinburg/Scotland Beautiful (Laurinburg) Keep McDowell Beautiful (Marion) Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful (Charlotte) Keep Moore County Beautiful, Inc. (Carthage) Keep Onslow Beautiful (Jacksonville) Keep Shelby Beautiful Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful, Inc. Quality Forward (Asheville) Wake County Keep America Beautiful (Raleigh) NORTH DAKOTA Kappa Omicron/Phi Theta Kappa (Bismarck) OHIO Keep Ohio Beautiful Barberton Beautification City of Cuyahoga Falls City of Newark City of Youngstown Defiance County Environmental Svs KAB (Defiance) Erie County Solid Waste Management Distr (Huron) Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste District (Warren) Hancock Co.SWMD-Environmental Services (Findlay) Hopewell Culture NHP (Chillicothe)

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Keep Akron Beautiful Keep Allen County Beautiful (Bluffton) Keep Alliance Beautiful Keep Belmont County Beautiful (St. Clairsville) Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Keep Clark County Beautiful (Springfield) Keep Columbus Beautiful Keep Delaware County Beautiful (Delaware) Keep Grove City Beautiful Keep Hardin County Beautiful (Kenton) Keep Jefferson County Beautiful (Steubenville) Keep Lakewood Beautiful Keep Logan Beautiful (Bellefontaine) Keep Mentor Beautiful Keep Middletown Beautiful Keep Montgomery County Beautiful (Dayton) Keep Perrysburg Beautiful Keep the Mahoning Valley Beautiful (Youngstown) Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful, Inc. (Maumee) Keep Wickliffe Beautiful Lorain County Beautiful (Elyria) Mansfield Litter Prevention & Recycling Ohio Department of Transportation (Columbus) Richland County Solid Waste (Mansfield) Youngstown Litter Control and Recycling OKLAHOMA Keep Oklahoma Beautiful A Finer Fairfax Alva 4-H & FFA Ardmore Beautification Council, Inc. Battiest Elementary School Beautification Committee, Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce Believers in Boswell Community Coalition Broken Bow Main Street Brush Hill Baptist Church (Checotah) Buffalo Valley 4-H Club (Wilburton) Central North Canadian River Conservation District (Greary) Chamber of Commerce (Hugo) Cherokee Main Street Citizens for Litter Free Choctaw County (Soper) City of Billings City of Catoosa City of El Reno City of Sand Springs City of Tuttle City of Yale Parks and Recreation Board Community of Alva CORE — Conserving our Ranger Environment (Alva) Deer Creek Prairie Vale Elementary and Girl Scouts Western OK Service Unit 640 (Edmond) Delaware Nation Environmental Programs (Anadarko) Eastside Capitol Gateway Main Street (Oklahoma City) Eastwood Community Association (Midwest City) El Reno Chamber of Commerce Fletcher Elementary School Fort Sill Apache Tribe (Apache) Friends of Lake Thunderbird (Norman) Greater Tenkiller Area Assoc. (Braggs) Hugo Chamber of Commerce Idabel Main Street Keep Bryan County Beautiful (Durant) Keep East Tulsa Beautiful (Tulsa) Keep El Reno Beautiful Keystone Adventure School and Farm (Edmond)

Lake Crest Community Projects Committee (Chouteau) Lake Overholser/Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge Clean-up (Oklahoma City) Leon HCE & LCVFD Little River Zoo (Norman) Main Street Altus Main Street Enid, Inc. McIntosh County 4-H (Eufaula) Muskogee Young Professionals Newkirk Junior Main Street Newkirk Main Street Oklahoma City Beautiful Oklahoma Earthfriends (Owasso) Oklahoma Master Naturalists (Edmond) Oklahoma Route 66 Association (Chandler) Oklahoma Water Resources Board (Oklahoma City) Pride In McAlester Red Oak Committee for Continued Growth Redfork Main Street (Tulsa) Rocky Mountain School (Stilwell) Shawnee Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee Shawnee Twin Lakes Association, Inc. Spencer Chamber of Commerce Sulphur Main Street Team Up to Clean Up/ c/c Patty Daniel (Eufaula) The Metropolitan Environmental Trust (Tulsa) Thunderbird Youth Academy (Pryor) Tonkawa Chamber of Commerce Town of Bethel Town of Talihina Wyandotte Nation (Wyandotte) OREGON Bureau of Land Management (Roseburg) Crater Lake National Park (Crater Lake) PENNSYVLANIA Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Borough of Norwood Shade Tree Committee Keep Lancaster County Beautiful (Lancaster) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Central Regional (Lewisburg) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful North Region (Galeton) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Southeastern Regional (Newtown Square) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful SW Regional Affiliate (Greensburg) Keep Philadelphia Beautiful Newport Township Community Organization (Glen Lyon) PA Route 6 Heritage Corporation (Galeton) Reading Beautification, Inc. RHODE ISLAND Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful (Pawtucket) SOUTH CAROLINA Keep South Carolina Beautiful Aiken County Adopt-A-Highway Ambler Elementary Bonneau Police Department Cherokee County AAH Christian Assembly School City of Aiken Clarendon County Dacusville Lions Club Dillon County Sherriff’s Pickup Girl Scout Troop #358 Greenville County Solid Waste Division

KAB of Anderson County (Anderson) Keep Beaufort County Beautiful (Beaufort) Keep Charleston Beautiful Keep Colleton Beautiful (Walterboro) Keep Darlington County Beautiful Keep Dillon Beautiful (Mullins) Keep Dorchester County Beautiful (Dorchester) Keep Edisto Beautiful / Edisto Pride (Edisto Island) Keep Fairfield Beautiful Keep Florence Beautiful Keep Georgetown Beautiful Keep Greenwood County Beautiful (Greenwood) Keep Jasper Beautiful (Ridgeland) Keep North Charleston Beautiful Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful Keep Oconee Beautiful Assoc.(West Union) Keep the Midlands Beautiful, Columbia, SC Keep Williamsburg Beautiful (Kingstree) McKissick Elementary 5th grade Neighborhood Revitilzation Foundation North Aiken Elementary School Oconee County Rock Quarry Regent Park Community Homeowners Association Rock Hill Clean and Green SCDNR Region 1, Unit A Simpsonville Elementary Southside Christian School Sp’burg Clemson Extension Sumter County KAB (Sumter) Sumter KAB - Crestwood HS Ag. Ed Club Sumter KAB - Girl Scout Troop 28856 Sumter KAB - Sumter Teen Leadership Council The Noisette Foundation Three Rivers Solid Waste Town of Clover Town of Hollywood Town of Kiawah Beach Town of Latta Town of Mt. Croghan Town of Pelzer Town of Springdale Tramway Community Association Westminster Chamber of Commerce Yemassee Revitalization Corp SOUTH DAKOTA Keep Hot Springs Beautiful Keep Yankton Beautiful TENNESSEE Keep Tennessee Beautiful Cleveland/Bradley KAB (Cleveland) Keep Blount Beautiful (Maryville) Keep Bristol Beautiful Keep Cocke County Beautiful (Newport) Keep Coffee County Beautiful (Manchester) Keep Fayetteville/Lincoln Co. Beautiful (Fayetteville) Keep Gallatin Beautiful Keep Greene Beautiful (Greeneville) Keep Jackson Beautiful Keep Kingsport Beautiful Keep Knoxville Beautiful Keep Loudon County Beautiful (Loudon) Keep Maury Beautiful (Columbia) Keep McMinn Beautiful (Athens) Keep Monroe County Beautiful (Madisonville) Keep Morristown/Hamblen Beautiful (Morristown) Keep Sevier Beautiful (Sevierville) Keep Tipton County Beautiful (Covington) Keep Union County Beautiful (Maynardville) Keep Washington County Beautiful (Johnson City)

Keep Williamson Beautiful (Franklin) Memphis City Beautiful Metro Beautification & Environment Commission (Nashville) Scenic Cities Beautiful Commission (Chattanooga) County of Anderson County of Bedford County of Benton County of Bledsoe County of Campbell County of Cannon County of Carroll County of Carter County of Cheatham County of Chester County of Claiborne County of Clay County of Crockett County of Cumberland County of Davidson County of Decatur County of Dekalb County of Dickson County of Dyer County of Fayette County of Fentress County of Franklin County of Gibson County of Giles Country of Grainger County of Grundy County of Hancock County of Hardeman County of Hardin County of Hawkins County of Haywood County of Henderson County of Henry County of Hickman County of Houston County of Humphreys County of Jackson County of Jefferson County of Johnson County of Lake County of Lauderdale County of Lawrence County of Lewis County of Loudon County of Macon County of Marion County of Marshall County of McNairy County of Meigs County of Montgomery County of Moore County of Morgan County of Obion County of Overton County of Perry County of Pickett County of Polk County of Putnam County of Rhea County of Roane County of Robertson County of Rutherford County of Scott County of Sequatchie County of Shelby County of Smith County of Stewart

County of Trousdale County of Unicoi County of Van Buren County of Warren County of Weakley County of White County of Wilson TEXAS Keep Texas Beautiful Andrews Chamber of Commerce Angelina Beautiful/Clean (Lufkin) Brownsville Beautification Committee Burkburnett Development Corporation Cedar Park Keen on Clean City of Bastrop City of Benbrook City of DeSoto City Of Donna City of Euless City of Frisco City of Hutto Parks and Recreation Department City of Lancaster City of Plano Clean Up Cleveland Committee Keep Allen Beautiful Keep Angleton Beautiful Keep Argyle Beautiful Keep Athens Beautiful Keep Austin Beautiful Keep Blanco Beautiful, Inc. Keep Brownsboro Beautiful Keep Burleson Beautiful Keep Calhoun County Beautiful (Port Lavaca) Keep Clute Beautiful Keep Corinth Beautiful Keep Crane Beautiful Keep Denison Beautiful Keep Duncanville Beautiful Keep El Paso Beautiful Keep Falls County Beautiful (Marlin) Keep Fort Worth Beautiful Keep Glenn Heights Beautiful Keep Haltom City Beautiful Keep Historical Fort Stockton Beautiful Keep Irving Beautiful Keep Katy Beautiful Keep Killeen Beautiful Keep Lake Dallas Beautiful Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful Keep Lindsay Beautiful Keep Longview Beautiful Keep Madison County Beautiful (Madisonville) Keep McAllen Beautiful Keep Mesquite Beautiful Keep Midland Beautiful Keep Midlothian Beautiful Keep Montgomery County Beautiful (Magnolia) Keep Moulton Beautiful Keep Munday Beautiful Keep Murphy Beautiful Keep Navasota Beautiful Keep Nocona Beautiful Keep Odessa Beautiful Keep Paris Beautiful Keep Pearland Beautiful Keep Pilot Point Beautiful Keep Portland Beautiful Keep Richland Hills Beautiful Keep Roanoke Beautiful Keep San Antonio Beautiful Keep Sanger Beautiful

Keep Seagoville Beautiful Keep Somerville Beautiful Keep Sonora Beautiful Keep Southlake Beautiful Keep Stafford Beautiful/City of Stafford Keep Sugar Land Beautiful Keep Temple Beautiful Keep Tyler Beautiful Keep Utopia Beautiful Keep Valley View Beautiful Keep Victoria Beautiful Keep Waco Beautiful Keep Whitehouse Beautiful Keep Rowlett Beautiful Montgomery County Beautification Association (Conroe) Moody Beautification MWHS Key Club (Mineral Wells) Texarkana College Town of Horizon City Town of Quintana Valley Proud Environmental Council (Harlingen) Walker County Proud Communities (New Waverly) UTAH Take Pride in Utah (Salt Lake City) VERMONT Vermont State Parks (Springfield) VIRGINIA Citizens for a Clean Lynchburg, Inc. City of Chesapeake City of Newport News Recycling Clean Community Cmt of Gloucester Frederick County Recycling (Winchester) Hampton Clean City Commission Keep Norfolk Beautiful Keep South West Virginia Beautiful (Abington) Keep Spotsy Spotless (Spotsylvania) Keep Suffolk Beautiful Prince William Clean Community Council Richmond Clean City Commission WASHINGTON Issaquah Police Department NAVSTA Everett Recycle (Oak Harbor) Whitman Mission National Historic Site (Walla Walla) WEST VIRGINIA City of Wheeling Keep New Cumberland Beautiful Philippi Main Street, Inc. WISCONSIN Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful WYOMING Keep Casper Beautiful Yellowstone National Park CANADA Take Pride Winnipeg!

G reat A mer i ca n Cl ea nup // 2009 R e port

Great American Cleanup National Sponsors Achieve Results In addition to providing funding through their generous National Sponsorship donations, the 2009 Great American Cleanup National Sponsors leveraged their partnership with Keep America Beautiful through strategic activation programs.

The Glad Products Company

Solo Cup Company

A founding 25-year sponsor of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, Glad continued its longstanding support of local cleanup activities by donating 2.5 million GLAD® ForceFlex™ and other GLAD trash bags to organizations nationwide. Our volunteers could not clean up their communities without them!

A new sponsor for 2009, Solo donated Bare by Solo® cups and plates—made with renewable and recycled materials—to Great American Cleanup affiliates across the country, providing an environmentally preferable alternative to traditional single-use products. Hundreds of Solo volunteers also created and implemented cleanup events near nine of its facilities

Joining the Great American Cleanup in 2009, University of Phoenix raised awareness of the program and Keep America Beautiful’s mission on its campuses nationwide and engaged its more than 400,000 students and 40,000 faculty and staff in volunteering at local community improvement events.

Pepsi-Cola Company

The Dow Chemical Company

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

An 11-year sponsor, Pepsi products once again helped to quench the thirst and feed the hungry at hundreds of volunteer events nationwide. The company also played an invaluable role in rallying volunteers, producing event posters promoting the “Green Starts Here” campaign

Returning as a second-year sponsor, Dow further supported the Great American Cleanup by marshalling its employees in service projects in 13 communities near its facilities nationwide. Grants to local organizations supported a number of the local events.

Returning for the fifth year as Great American Cleanup sponsors, ScottsMiracle-Gro launched a national initiative in conjunction with selected Great American Cleanup participating organizations to create edible community gardens in five cities. Through the “GroGood Edible Community Gardens” program, communities pledged to create community vegetable gardens and donate a portion of the harvest to local food pantries.

University of Phoenix ™

Colgate-Palmolive Company

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Troy-Bilt® Lawn and Garden Equipment

Another new sponsor for 2009, ColgatePalmolive raised awareness through a national ad campaign, “Small Steps, Healthier World,” that encouraged customers to make smart daily choices that reduced waste. In addition to employee volunteer activities and sampling products at select locations, Colgate-Palmolive also donated work gloves to volunteers in key marketing areas.

As a five-year sponsor, American Honda motivated its dealerships nationwide to support the local Great American Cleanup efforts through promotion and employee volunteerism. Honda’s “Road to a Cleaner America” program rewarded local organizations that committed to beautification, and removing litter and debris from our nation’s roadways, offering grants to top performers.

An 11-year sponsor, Troy-Bilt also continued its in-kind support by again donating Troy-Bilt® Lawn and Garden equipment upon request to local organizations participating in the Great American Cleanup. The company also supplied sturdy work gloves to volunteers. The donated equipment will continue to be used long after the cleanups and green-ups have ended, and are very much appreciated.

ARM & HAMMER®

Waste Management

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.

ARM & HAMMER , a new sponsor in 2009, supported the Great American Cleanup in numerous ways. The company included the Great American Cleanup messaging in national advertising, on packaging and online. ARM & HAMMER® supplied product to national kickoff events and select organizations and provided product coupons for volunteers nationwide. It also sponsored performance awards for river, lake and shoreline cleanups, and community structures.

A seven-year sponsor of the Great American Cleanup, Waste Management provided critical recycling, waste hauling and debris removal equipment and services to events nationwide. Employee volunteers provided essential manpower to local community improvement events, including 15 showcase events in selected communities. Waste Management Community Improvement Grants to local organizations supported the overall effort.

Wrigley, a 10-year sponsor of the Great American Cleanup, provided in-kind product donations to volunteers as a refreshing “thank you” for a day of hard work, while helping promote the event in New York City via in-kind promotional messaging that ran on Wrigley’s oversized billboard in the heart of Times Square. Wrigley also provided product upon request to affiliates that organized litter prevention education workshops for grade school students, with the product as a refreshment for participants.

THE C O M PA N Y

G r e at Ame r i can C leanup // 2009 Re port

Get Involved More than 30,000 Great American Cleanup events happen in communities across America. Get involved through your local participating organizations or Keep America Beautiful affiliates, or if there isn’t something happening in your area, you can even hold your own event. Volunteering for the Great American Cleanup Contact your local KAB affiliate or participating organization to find out dates, locations and details for local events. A full listing of organizations can be found at http://kab.org/gac.

Organizing Your Own Event The Great American Cleanup offers opportunities for concerned individuals, schools, community or church groups, or even local businesses to take control of their local environment, take action, and get involved. If you don’t have a local KAB affiliate or participating organization near you, here are a few steps to help you get started with your own activity or event.

Create a Steering Committee

Organize a cleanup committee by seeking out a few people who share your passion for the cause. Set a meeting date and let the ideas flow. Decide which project your group wants to tackle, and define responsibilities.

Set a Date

Set dates for your activities. Saturday mornings are often best, with an alternate rain date scheduled for the following weekend. Make sure your event doesn’t conflict with other major happenings or events in the community, especially ones that involve volunteers.

Tell Us What You’re Doing

Register your event at http://kab.org/gac_registration or email gac@kab.org and tell us your plans. Registrants can access an online Program Kit with lots of useful resources and tips, marketing materials and more. You may be eligible for receiving other in-kind support as well!

Engage Local Government

Contact your local sanitation or public works department. They can advise you on the special trash bags or receptacles you may need, hauling, bulk items, illegal dumpsites, and any other special requirements. And talk to elected leaders about your plans—they can be great allies.

Enlist the Local Business Community

Turn to local business owners and your local chamber of commerce to support your efforts. Ask them to donate supplies, tools or refreshments, and to help you with promoting the event to their customers and employees.

Outreach and Promotion

Reach out to potential allies like scout troops, environmental clubs, church groups and other community organizations and enlist their help. Use Great American Cleanup promotional tools like posters, banners and press releases to promote your event. Contact local media and make them aware of your plans.

Prepare Your Volunteers

Make a checklist of the equipment you will need, permits and permissions required, and other important concerns. Be sure volunteers know what equipment to bring, and encourage them to be prepared at the event with sunscreen, hydration, and appropriate clothing for your project.

Don’t Forget to Say “Thank You”

Celebrate your achievements and say “thanks” to your volunteers and partners for a job well done. Consider hosting a picnic after activities are complete, and include local officials and others who helped you along the way.

How to Become a Great American Cleanup

About Keep America Beautiful

National Sponsor

Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s largest nonprofit

Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup is the

education and community improvement organization,

nation’s largest organized annual community improvement

whose network of nearly 1,000 city, county, statewide

program, built on a foundation of civic pride and individual

and international affiliates, as well as its Great American

responsibility. Great American Cleanup National Sponsors

Cleanup participating organizations, engage individuals in

provide substantial support to the Great American Cleanup

programs that prevent litter, reduce waste, and promote

program in a variety of ways, from in-kind donations to

recycling and the beautification of public spaces. Through

employee volunteer participation.

partnerships and strategic alliances with citizens, busi-

For more information on becoming a National Sponsor of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup please contact: Gail Cunningham Senior Vice President - Keep America Beautiful Managing Director - Great American Cleanup Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

nesses and government, Keep America Beautiful’s programs motivate millions of volunteers annually to clean up, beautify and improve their neighborhoods, thereby creating safer and more livable community environments. Our Mission

To engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.

1010 Washington Blvd.

Our Guiding Principles

Stamford, CT 06901

• Individual responsibility

Tel: 203.659.3008

• Education

Email: gcunningham@kab.org

• Volunteer action • Public-private partnerships

Supporting Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful is committed to educating and involving individuals in productive solutions that care for a community’s environment. Whether supported through an outright gift or a life-income gift, all Keep America Beautiful programs and services are made possible through the generosity and commitment of organizations and individuals. If you would like to make a gift by using your credit card,

Our Focus

Keep America Beautiful provides sustainable solutions to improve the physical and visual aspects of community environments that individuals can directly influence through their own actions in the areas of: • Waste reduction and recycling • Litter prevention • Community beautification

make a gift of securities, receive information about Keep America Beautiful’s Planned Giving Program, or become a corporate supporter, please contact Keep America Beautiful’s Development Office at 203.659.3018 or write to: Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 1010 Washington Boulevard Stamford, Connecticut 06901 www.kab.org

1010 Washington Boulevard Stamford, CT 06901 Attn: Development Office You can also find more information about Keep America Beautiful and the services and programs it provides by visiting its Web site at www.kab.org.

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KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, INC. 1010 WASHINGTON BLVD, STAMFORD, CT 06901 Phone: (203) 659-3000 | Fax: (203) 659-3001 | Email: info @kab.org | Web site:www.kab.org