Menu

Essex County

Logo for Clean Essex Committee that is a drawing of a badge with a bag of litter and two litter grabbers; words that say Become a Trash Trooper

Clean Essex Committee Awarded $1,000 Green Grant

, , , , , ,

Logo for Clean Essex Committee that is a drawing of a badge with a bag of litter and two litter grabbers; words that say Become a Trash TrooperThe Clean Essex Committee in Tappahannock is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in the Cigarette Litter Prevention and Recycling category as part of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s 15th 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 & Waste Reduction, Cigarette Litter Prevention & Recycling, or Community Beautification.  

The Clean Essex Committee is a freestanding Committee that serves Essex County and Tappahannock.  The committee serves to reduce litter in the County and the Town of Tappahannock.  During the past four years volunteers have held two community-wide clean ups each year, resulting in the collection of over 1,000 of trash to date and 32 tires. The committee has helped double the number of Adopt a Highway permits in the county. Additionally a tire recycling box has been added to the one area of the county that lacked a box at the committee’s request. That box receives a significant number of tires and the committee estimates fewer tires are released into nature.

Funds awarded for the Green Grant will be used to purchase six post-mounted cigarette butt receptacles at a highly utilized picnic area and adjacent fishing spots on the Rappahannock River in the Town of Tappahannock near the Essex County building complex.  The receptacles will reduce the number of butts thrown on the ground that eventually get washed by rainwater into the nearby Rappahannock River. This result furthers the mission of the Clean Essex Committee with the long-term goal of helping cause a culture change of no littering in the community. 

Thank you, Clean Essex Committee, for the important work you’re doing in your community to combat cigarette butt litter — the #1 most-littered items!

Become a Trash Trooper Logo

Clean Essex Committee Awarded Green Grant

, , , , ,

Become a Trash Trooper LogoClean Essex Committee is awarded a $500 Green Grant in Cigarette Litter Prevention to introduce and prove the efficacy of cigarette butt receptacles 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 Clean Essex Committee was created in 2019, led by the deputy Essex County administrator and made up of volunteers and County leaders. This committee has regularly held successful semi-annual countywide cleanups in Essex County. The goal of the Clean Essex Committee is to introduce a program which will clean Essex County grounds of cigarette butts.People wearing safety vests, picking up litter on the road

With funds provided by the Green Grants Program, the Clean Essex Committee will pilot an effort to reduce cigarette butt litter by purchasing and installing cigarette butt receptacles at the “transition point” entrances at County Offices and other areas identified.  They also aim to increase awareness of the harm caused by cigarette butt litter, and they will recycle the butts collected through a free recycling program offered by TerraCycle. The County offices are in the Town of Tappahannock where there is a significant opportunity for expanding the program.

Congratulations Clean Essex Committee, we appreciate the work you’re doing!