cleanup

Green letters saying The Great Virginia Greenup

Great Virginia Greenup Is Still On!

, , , , ,

Green letters saying The Great Virginia GreenupThe Great Virginia Greenup is still on!

Each year Virginia joins the ranks of the national effort from Keep America Beautiful in The Great American Cleanup that kicked off on the first day of Spring and will continue until June 20, 2024.

Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful states, “Keep America Beautiful has always believed in the power of beauty, and now we have the data to back it up.  We’re calling on all Americans to join us to help make our nation cleaner, greener, healthier, and safer.”  She states that the impact of a cleanup goes far beyond simply making communities look nicer. They point to new research that shows a correlation between greenspace and reductions in crime and gun violence, including a 2020 University of Virginia study, among others, that found if green space is well-designed and properly maintained, it has the potential to reduce violent crime and gun violence.

That’s one of the reasons we use the word “Greenup” instead of cleanup, because there’s so much more we can do in addition to picking up litter.  You can clean up graffiti or transform graffiti-ridden walls into community murals, plant native trees and flowers that will benefit wildlife and pollinators, or host a recycling drive.  Invite neighbors for a shared yard sale or swap to pass along your unused items, so instead of a trip to the landfill, they find new purpose.

In addition to feeling good about your Greenup accomplishments, and improving your community, Keep Virginia Beautiful has an additional incentive!  Report the results of your cleanup or other activity using our online reporting form.  Prizes of sustainable items we know you’ll love to try are awarded weekly for those who report their results!

If you don’t have a project in mind for yourself but would like to help out, you can join other groups — check out our Events Calendar to find things that are happening near you.  If you’re hosting an event, you can add it to our calendar.  And we have local affiliates across the state that are doing awesome work!

So get out there, cleanup and Greenup, report your results from now until June 20th, and feel good about what you’ve done for yourself and your community!

Thank you to our sponsors for their support!

Dominion Energy Logo   

 

Person picking up litter

Apply for Green Gift Giveaways by October 15

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Person picking up litterWe hope that you’ve had time to get together with your family, friends, and community to make a positive impact with our LOVE VA campaign this Fall.  Would the use of a large dumpster spur your community into action?  Especially if you live in an area that has a problem with illegal dumping, and you want to be rid of that abandoned plaid couch or discarded construction debris from the creek.  Do you know the perfect place to install a pet waste station so that people have easy access to compostable pet waste bags while they’re walking their pooch?  We want to help with these and other challenges!

We’re giving away Green Gifts as part of our 70th Anniversary celebration that could be helpful to your neighborhood, business, or faith community cleanup efforts.

Need a dumpster to clean up large items?
Apply for the free use of a roll off dumpster delivered to your site.

Need recycling bins to corral recyclable items?
Apply for a set of six blue bins.

Need a cigarette litter receptacle to curb cigarette butt litter?
Apply for a of Cigarette Litter Prevention Package that includes cigarette butt receptacles for the wall, car, and pocket

Need a way to encourage pet owners to properly dispose of doggie doo?
Apply for a pet waste station to install in an area frequented by dog walkers.

Need to beautify a gathering space?
Apply for a Trex bench.

Here are some tips on planning a neighborhood, subdivision, or block cleanup:

  • Choose your location: decide which streets you’ll clean within the neighborhood, and consider adding safe main roads that are adjacent to the neighborhood, as well as any playgrounds or other areas of need.
  • Choose a date and get the word out: use any social media accounts your neighborhood shares, such as a neighborhood Facebook page or Nextdoor.com; have kids make posters to hang in public spaces, or to hand out.
  • Get volunteers: ask residents to chat with neighbors in next door households to encourage participation; get the kids and their friends involved in the event, they’ll be happier working together.
  • Ask volunteers to bring their own water bottles and buckets or trash bags.
  • Make arrangements for a way to properly dispose of litter and recycling that’s collected, and opt for a dumpster if your cleanup involves large items, such as removing tires from a creek or abandoned household goods.

On the day of the event:

  • Have bins or boxes out to collect recyclable items that are picked up during a litter cleanup.
  • Offer a “Leave One/Take One” table of usable items to swap.
  • Ask volunteers who aren’t able to participate in the cleanup activities to bring a carton of ice cream or topping and set up an ice cream sundae buffet at the end of the day to show your appreciation!

After the event:

  • Report your results to us! We collect data to learn about efforts being made across the state.
  • If you report your results during our LOVE VA Fall cleanup campaign (October 1 – November 15) you’ll be entered to win a prize!

Please know that the cleanup efforts you make DO matter.  Clean spaces often attract less litter and crime, and offer a more enjoyable place for wildlife and humans to visit.  Thank you for caring about the natural and scenic environment of Virginia!

 

Cleanup supplies on the Eastern Shore

Eastern Shore Waste Watchers Awarded Green Grant

, , , , ,

Eastern Shore VA Waste Watcher is awarded a $500 Green Grant in the Litter Prevention Category as part of our 13th Annual Green Grants Program.

Cleanup supplies on the Eastern ShoreEvery year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community. Grants must focus on one of the following priorities: Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification.

Eastern Shore VA Waste Watchers is an independent, non-profit volunteer community group that promotes the responsible disposal of waste on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. They focus on Eastern Shore litter and trash pick-up along our highways, shorelines, and other crucial points. They conduct annual litter surveys, organize road and water clean-ups, and sponsor a children’s essay contest. In addition, Eastern Shore VA Waste Watchers supports County agencies such as VDOT and Public Works in their efforts to keep the Shore litter-free.

Funds awarded for Green Grants will be used for their “Help Keep the Shore Litter-Free” program, whose goal is to support a cleaner, healthier Eastern Shore. They will purchase supplies needed for safe litter cleanups, such as safety vests, litter grabbers, gloves, and hand sanitizer.

If you’d like to learn more or volunteer to help, Waste Watchers meets the second Wednesday of every month at 11am in the Public Works building in Accomac. Everyone is welcome.

Thank you Waste Watchers, we appreciate the work you do!

06-03-23 Pulaski Co. (300 × 300 px)

Pulaski County is Awarded $1,000 Green Grant

, , , , , , , ,

We’re pleased to announce that Pulaski County, in Southwestern Virginia, is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in Litter Prevention as part of our 13th Annual Green Grants Program.

Every year, government, non-profit, civic, and service organizations in Virginia are invited to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 that will help address an environmental concern in their community.  Grants must focus on one of the following priorities:   Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification..

The goal of Pulaski County is to involve the general population in their litter program called, “One Bag Challenge.” This is an ongoing challenge to all citizens, civic groups, Boards, Towns, county departments, and agencies to pick up One Bag of Trash from roadsides or wherever they find litter.  Citizens and groups picking up are asked to submit pictures of themselves with the litter they’ve cleaned up from the location.  The pictures are posted on the Pulaski County Clean Community Council Facebook page.

The County anticipates that hundreds of people will participate to remove bags of litter, tires, discarded furniture, appliances, and other items from the landscape.

The funds awarded for the Green Grant will be used to purchase supplies necessary for participants to safely cleanup litter.  Litter grabbers, gloves, vests, and bags will be given to individuals for the One Bag Challenge.

Thank you, Pulaski County, for the work you’re doing to encourage litter cleanup!

Mother and daughter cleaning up litter

The Great Virginia Greenup Continues

, , , , , , ,

Mother and daughter cleaning up litter
Great Suffolk Cleanup

Every year Keep Virginia Beautiful takes part in the nationwide Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup, which runs from the first day of Spring until the first day of Summer.  At KVB, we call our campaign the Great Virginia Greenup because that’s what people throughout the Commonwealth are doing – greening up our natural and scenic environment!

After all the excitement and activities for Earth Day in April, there tends to be a lull in cleanup activities.  So, we want to inspire you by telling you what’s been happening around that state to get you motivated to keep going!

In Suffolk, over 1,000 people participated in the first annual Great Suffolk Cleanup event! The cleanup campaign, organized by Keep Suffolk Beautiful, encouraged individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to choose a spot in Suffolk to pick up litter.  There were 450 Suffolk City employees, representing all city departments, and many local businesses, along with a number of other organizations, families, and individuals.  Together, they filled 1,369 bags of trash and removed 375 tires from Suffolk roadsides.

Group picture of students who picked up litter
Elementary School Students

The City of Manassas partnered with George C. Round Elementary School Student Council Association (SCA) to conduct a cleanup of the school grounds, the street in front of the school, Hastings Drive, and a nearby nature trail.  Litter pickers, safety vests, gloves and trash bags were provided to the students by the City of Manassas Department of Public Works.  Forty students and three adults participated in the cleanup!

People on a beach who cleaned up litter
Beach cleanup in Hampton Roads

A huge shout-out to Hampton Roads, where more than 2,400 volunteers spanned the region to participate in the Great American Cleanup.  All together they picked up 2,805 bags of litter, recovered 429 tires, planted 43 new trees and shrubs, and removed a total of 47 tons of litter from Hampton Roads communities!  Wow!

People cleaning up litter near water
Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful

On the other end of the state, Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful was in the water at the South Fork of the Holston River.  The were joined by Outdoor Adventures Center of Tazewell County, who provided canoes, which they brought to Abingdon Vineyards and Winery to be stored in a barn until cleanup day.   The Vineyard offered a discount for volunteers and also hauled off the litter and bulky items that were collected.  The 15 volunteers collected a tire, a large piece of metal, an inner tube, one shoe, and 14 bags of litter.

The Town of Dumfries Spring Cleanup was a success!  Hard-working volunteers collected 407 pounds of litter from the ground and labeled multiple storm drains. They’re making Dumfries a cleaner, safer county!

Large or small cleanups – what you do really does matter!  There’s still a lot of time for cleanups before the June 21, 2023 target date — get together with your family, friends, or groups.  Check out our Events Calendar for events you can join (or to add a relevant public event that you’re hosting).  Or find a KAB Affiliate near you and see what they’re up to!

Shared logo for Dominion and KVB

Get Involved in the Great Virginia Greenup

, , , , ,

The Great Virginia Greenup LogoAs we celebrate the beginning of spring and the Great Virginia Greenup, there are many ways you can join in the efforts!  To start with, you can visit our Events Calendar to find cleanups, tree plantings, and other activities.

You can also check out this link to our local Affiliates to help you locate events happening near you on their calendars.

If you’re in Northern Virginia, you can join in the Fairfax County Spring Watershed Cleanup!  This year’s cleanup will take place over several dates at 15 Fairfax County Park locations. They’ll need about 600 volunteers to help clean up plastic bottles, cans and other debris!

Sunday, April 9, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 23, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 29The Nature Conservancy Logo

Friday, May 5, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.

If you’re a resident of Northumberland County, there is a free tire disposal event at the end of April.  See more details here.

Other opportunities can be found online at The Nature Conservancy webpage for event in various locations across Virginia.

As the weather warms up, it’s a great time to get outdoors with family, friends, or coworkers to pitch in to clean up during the Great Virginia Greenup.

And please remember to report your cleanup or other greenup activities using our short online form and be entered to win fun prizes!

Boy cleaning yard in spring

First Day of Spring AND The Great Virginia Greenup

, , , , , , ,

Boy cleaning yard in springMarch 20th marks the first day of spring this year, so let’s shake off the indoor doldrums and head outside!

The date also coincides with the start of Keep America Beautiful’s annual nationwide campaign, the Great American Cleanup.  As a certified affiliate, we are participating with our efforts for the Great Virginia Greenup from the first day of spring to the first day of summer.

This event focuses on improving the places where we live, work, and play.  From March 20th to June 21st, we’ll be organizing and encouraging community improvement projects throughout the state.  You can clean-up or green-up your community on your own, with your family, friends, or groups.

Here are some of the activities that you could do to improve the natural and scenic environment near you:

  • Pick up litter from roadsides, neighborhoods, beaches, waterways, and parks to support cleaner communities;
  • Recycle old or unwanted items rounded up from homes and yards;
  • Plant trees, flowers, and community gardens to add beauty and provide for pollinators and wildlife;
  • Restore nature trails, parks, and playgrounds to encourage outdoor activity; remove invasive plants to allow native plants to fill in;
  • Rejuvenate business districts by painting over graffiti, clearing vacant lots, and trimming overgrown landscaping to boost economic development;
  • Check our events calendar for cleanup and other events.  Or check out one of our local state Affiliates to see if you can join in an event near you;
  • See this tip sheet on what to expect at a group cleanup event.

Once you’ve gone out there and made your impact, let us know what you’ve accomplished!  Please report your cleanup or other event on this short form.  We’ll enter your name in drawings that will be held throughout the Great Virginia Greenup!

We all have a part to play in making sure our communities are clean and beautiful.  The path to a cleaner, greener future starts with you.

Thank you to our 2023 Great Virginia Greenup sponsors:

Dominion Energy Logo
Waste Management Logo        KAB Trees Logo         I Love State Parks logo

 

Buckets full of litter

Spotlight on Buckingham County

, , , , , , , , ,

Buckets full of litterWe want to take a few minutes to shine the spotlight on some amazing volunteers.  It’s wonderful to meet people who are concerned enough about litter to do the work needed to remove litter from the roads and landscape.  Some people have come up with different ways to motivate others, and here’s one story we want to share with you.

The Buckingham County Anti-Litter Task Force truly is a force to be reckoned with!  They host semi-annual cleanups that have a purpose and a prize – cash prizes actually!  They challenged groups and individuals to sign up to compete for the highest number of bags of trash collected between October 22nd and November 12th.  The reward was $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place.

Volunteers with a conscience for the environment and a hatred for litter, walked along the roads and landscape in their communities to pick up litter.  Lots of litter.

There were 11 teams who registered to compete for the prize money totaling 112 people.  A Buckingham record 275 bags of trash were collected along with over 30 automobile tires.  The tires and bags of litter were picked up by VDOT, for which the Anti-Litter Task Force was grateful.

The awards ceremony was held December 3rd at a Christmas Bazaar at the Historic Village at Lee Wayside. They celebrated that they have picked up 960 bags of litter since 2020.  “This was the most successful anti-litter cleanup campaign yet since the effort was brought back in 2020,” said Task Force Committee Chairman and District Four Supervisor Jordan Miles.  He also expressed appreciation for the hardworking volunteers, which included Keep Virginia’s own Roger Eitelman, Programs Coordinator.

Men and women winners of litter contestThe first-place prize went to St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, with 115 bags of litter and numerous tires.  The group had about 50 brothers who participated in the cleanup.

Winners of the second-place prize went to Dominion Energy, who were first-time participants in this event.  They cleaned up 55 bags of litter and 30 automobile tires.

Third place went to the Buckingham County Democratic Committee with 12 participants who collected 32 bags of trash.

Some of the other teams and individuals who participated were: Hampden Sydney College had 19 students who collected 13 bags.  Team 602 collected 22 bags, plus a mattress, headboard, box spring, and a baby walker.  Boxley Corp. employees collected 11 bags.  Buckingham Branch Railroad staff collected 8 bags.  Cindy Cook, who has been a participant since the first year, also picked up 8 bags.  Shawn Miller, a two-time winner in the past, collected 5 bags. And Liz Jones collected 2 bags of trash in addition to leading the operation of the cleanup!

Senator Mark Warner’s Outreach Representative, Alexis Bowles-Fryar, came to the awards ceremony and presented a letter from the senator congratulating the Task Force and all the participants on a job well done.

Cameron Gilliam, Supervisor of District Two, said, “The strong spirit of these volunteers is inspiring.  Their efforts have resulted in a more attractive community.”

Pennington Gap Awarded a $500 Green Grant

, , , , , , ,

Pennington Gap Welcome SignThe Town of Pennington Gap is awarded $500 to help with litter cleanup as one of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s thirty Green Grant Awards in June.

The Town of Pennington Gap, located in the southwest corner of our Commonwealth, boasts the slogan, “Welcome to Pennington Gap, where smiling faces and outdoor recreation are a way of life.”  Living in a community that is free from litter in the landscape and waterways is one way the town can keep that slogan a reality.

Every year the town hosts an annual event called “Scouts Clean the River” where Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as community volunteers, come together to help clean up the river along the walking trail.   The Town provides protective gear and litter pickers for all the volunteers and Scouts. They give t-shirts and a goodie bag with sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and other products to all participants.  At the end the day, the cleanup is celebrated with a pizza party.  Past years have gleaned several tons of garbage from the river and banks.

Funds from the Green Grants award will be used to purchase safety vests, litter pickers, work gloves, and other cleanup supplies for the event.

This is a wonderful opportunity for young residents to interact with their community and be a part of the solution for the next generation.  Congratulations!

Pepsi Employees Clean Up

Great Virginia Greenup

, , , , , , , ,

Pepsi Employees Clean UpThe 28th annual Great American Cleanup is underway!  If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work in your community, Keep America Beautiful is offering a free litter grabber and cleanup kit!

Here in Virginia, we’re celebrating our Great Virginia Greenup, with events all across the Commonwealth.  Thanks to the Pepsi team that helped us cleanup at Lafayette Park in Norfolk, and to all those who came out to the Diamond in Richmond to help Nutsy get ready for the baseball season!   There are many other cities, towns, and groups cleaning up and greening up this spring.  Check out the Events Calendar on our website to get involved!  Here are just a few:

The City of Roanoke says organizing a neighborhood cleanup is a wonderful opportunity to get to know your neighbors and beautify your neighborhood at the same time!  They offer suggestions here from the Office of Neighborhood Services for planning and implementing a neighborhood cleanup.

RVA Clean Sweep is a citizen group focused on making our city a better looking place through citizen-run trash cleanups throughout the area. They promote their own cleanups as well as cleanups from small and large organizations on their meetup page.  They work with citizens, businesses, local and regional non-profits, city and state government to beautify the city they love!

May is Make Danville Shine month, and they are hoping you will show your love for Danville in a whole new way! The goal of Make Danville Shine is to encourage every resident to focus on maintenance, upkeep and beautification of their property, and to assist neighbors who may not be able to do so due to age or disability. This cleanup campaign is a big step in the City’s blight eradication efforts.

The City of Fairfax holds an annual Spring Cleanup Day in April, in which residents, business owners and workers, city staff, friends, and family members come together to make the City of Fairfax a cleaner and greener place.  In 2022, Spring Cleanup Day will be April 23.  Clean Fairfax Community Cleanup Program offers supplies and other resources that support county-wide cleanups by individuals, groups, schools, churches, and businesses.

Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore of Virginia encourages the adoption of highways by individuals, businesses, churches, civic organizations and other groups.  The meet on the second Wednesday of every month from 5:30-7:30PM at The Sage Diner in Onley, VA.

The City of Suffolk will be removing litter and debris from waterways with their Nansemond River Cleanup and their annual Clean the Bay Day, which is a massive litter removal that benefits the waterways and communities.

Each year the Augusta Regional Landfill holds a Spring Cleanup for one week in April. During that week, fees are waived and special accommodations are made for waste.  This year, on Saturday April 9 – Saturday, April 16, 2022, they will offer disposal of household tires, appliances, and automotive waste.  Check their webpage for details.

Chesapeake Recycles Day Event will be held from 9 am-noon on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Chesapeake Square Mall. Goodwill, SPSA, Shred-It and TFC Recycling will collect a wide variety of items. In general, accepted items will include electronics, clothing, household items, household hazardous waste, and sensitive documents.

Keep Norfolk Beautiful offers supplies and resources for you to conduct a cleanup on your own.  You can choose the place that needs to be picked up, choose a date and time that works for you, and get your family or group engaged!

The Great Virginia Greenup runs through June 21st, so get out there and get busy greening up your community!

Load More