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Keep America Beautiful

Don’t Be a Litter Bug

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Cartoon sketch of a litterbug
1950’s Litterbug Sketch

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Don’t be a litterbug.”  Keep America Beautiful first used it in 1953, the same year that Virginia adopted the slogan when the Virginia Anti-Litterbug Council was formed. The purpose of the Council was to address the increasing problem of public litter that came along with the growing popularity of manufactured disposable products.  The all-volunteer Anti-Litter Council went on to become an incorporated 501©(3) nonprofit called Keep Virginia Beautiful, which is what we are today.

In addition to our efforts, other notable organizations have promoted the anti-littering message.  In 1961 Walt Disney produced a color cartoon piece called, “The Litterbug” featuring Donald Duck.  Texas introduced their catchy slogan, “Don’t mess with Texas” in 1987, and it’s still in use today.  The U.S. Forest service introduced Woodsy Owl with his popular saying, “Give a hoot, don’t pollute.”  You can download the sheet music to his catchy song here:  Help Woodsy Spread the Word Song sheet.

But Keep America Beautiful has done so much to start and keep the conversation going!  An early commercial featured the slogan, “People start pollution.  People can stop it.”  They were also the first to distribute the litter bags for your car that were designed with a hole at the top of a small, reusable plastic bag to hang it on your vent button or radio dial (when the cars had vent buttons and radio dials).  But their most popular and notable ad was the 1971 “Crying Indian” promotion.  If you missed it or want to see it again, you can find it on YouTube.

Staying with the theme that people start pollution and people can stop it, we ARE able to make a difference.  Do you think you have the strength, time, and effort it takes to pick up 152 pieces of litter?  If you do, you can make a difference today!  According to Keep America Beautiful’s most recent Litter Study there are more than 50 Billion pieces of litter on the ground. That’s how they arrived at the 152 pieces of litter for every American.

You can do your part by joining Keep America Beautiful’s #152PickUpChallenge.  You can join in the efforts with others across Virginia and the nation by taking pictures of your cleanup and using the tag @KeepAmericaBeautiful and the hashtag #152PickUpChallenge on social media.

You can also register here to make an even bigger impact by committing to pick up 250 pieces of litter to help create cleaner, greener communities! Every piece you collect brings us closer to Keep America Beautiful’s goal of removing 25 billion pieces of litter by America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.

Everyone should still be mindful of the message of “Don’t be a litterbug” because the problem of litter is still with us.  But together with your help we can tackle it!  We hope you’ll sign up for our monthly eNews; take the pledge to end littering and receive a packet of wildflower seeds, a KVB sticker, or a pocket cigarette ashtray; and follow us on social media to stay informed!          

America Recycles Day logo

America Recycles Day

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America Recycles Day logoAmerica Recycles Day is celebrated nationally each year on and around November 15th.  Recycling efforts have moved far beyond the blue bins in the corner of the room that hold unopened junk mail. A few other “R” words have also been added to the popular chant of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” such as “Repurpose” and “Refuse” are key players in the goal to reduce waste, litter, and use our resources wisely.

The benefits of recycling are more important now than ever.  Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, it conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals, and it prevents pollution by reducing the need for raw materials to be mined or harvested, processed, manufactured, and transported.

There is so much you can do to recycle and reduce waste every day!  But it’s very important that you check with your local recycling provider to know what they will accept in your recycling bin where you live, or at the recycling drop-off station in your community. Items like cardboard, metal cans, and paper are commonly accepted by local curbside programs, and items like plastic bags, electronics and batteries do NOT go in the curbside recycling bin.

So, you think you’re pretty knowledgeable about recycling?  Do you know if pizza boxes are fully recyclable, or if you can recycle regular household pots and pans?  You can test your recycling know-how with this Recycling Reality Check quiz from Keep America Beautiful, our parent affiliate organization.

If you’re already an experienced recycler, reducer, and re-user, we hope help inform others, especially children.  There are many programs that make learning about recycling fun.  Central Virginia Waste Management has a great resource page with Recycling Steward patch that kids (or groups of kids) can earn!  There are other fun games, activities, and educational programs on the page too.  The US Environmental Protection Agency also has a webpage full of ideas for kids, including the Planet Protectors Activities for Kids and Science Fair Fun.

One last thing, just for fun.  Check out this Foam Free video that presents a message about the “R” word “Refuse,” as consumers aim to make good choices about the containers used in the food and beverages they purchase. WHRO Public Media partnered with the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) on the latest video, where viewers learn of the harmful effects that polystyrene can have on the environment, along with eco-friendly alternatives to polystyrene, and other waste-reduction behaviors.

Man unloading a large dumpster

Free Use of a Dumpster for Your Cleanup

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Man unloading a large dumpsterWe’re still celebrating our 70th Anniversary of our organization with 35 Green Gifts for you!  We want to give you access to the tools needed to get out there and improve the natural and scenic environment of Virginia!

Sometimes you need more than buckets or trash bags to tackle large jobs.  We’re grateful for support from Dumpsters.com to help you tackle that project!  They will provide free delivery and use of a roll off dumpster, which is a large, open-top waste container.  The containers also have a swing door allows the user easier access to load large or heavy items from the ground, instead of throwing them in from the top.

Dumpsters are ideal for large projects, such as:

      • Items from illegal dumping sights
      • Trail clearing of large branches, debris, and invasive species
      • Clearing debris from an abandoned house

Please be mindful not to include items that can be repurposed, donated, or recycled, including cardboard or metal that may have scrap value, to keep those types of items out of the landfill.

If this sounds like something your group is ready to tackle, please apply for a Green Gift from Dumpsters.com before October 15, 2023.  Please see the guidelines on our website.

We have other Green Gifts were giving away too!

On the opposite side of large-scale cleanups is small – very small litter.  Did you know that nine out of ten pieces of litter on the ground in the U.S. were under four inches in size, and cigarette butts continue to be the single most littered item in America (Keep America Beautiful 2021 Litter Study).  In case you need to explain it to people who think that cigarette butts decompose, you can tell them that cigarette butt filters are made of cellulose acetate, a man-made plastic material that contains hundreds of toxic chemicals that are dangerous to wildlife and waterways.Cigarette Butt Cup Ashtray, Wall-mounted Receptacle, and Pouch

One other category of Green Gifts that we’re giving away is for those of you who are concerned about cigarette butt litter.  We’d like to help restaurants, businesses, libraries, municipalities, and others start a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.  We will give away the needed supplies, including a mounted receptacle, 10 car cup ashtrays, and 50 pocket ashtrays, to encourage others to collect cigarette butts, along with our support for your program.

Then the next step after collecting them is to send the cigarette butts (at no cost) to TerraCycle, a company dedicated to recycling the hard-to-recycle items.  The process the cellulose acetate plastic in cigarette filters into pellets, and create new items, like sturdy benches for your public spaces.

If this sounds like something your group is ready to tackle, please apply for a Cigarette Litter Prevention  Green Gift before October 15, 2023.  Please see the guidelines on our website.

Lightbulb in soil with ideas for sustainable living

Virginia Green Means Business

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Lightbulb in soil with ideas for sustainable livingIf you own a business, or work for a company in Virginia that is conscientious about being sustainable, you should consider joining (if you haven’t already) the Virginia Green Travel Alliance, who works to support, promote, and continuously educate certified partners as they seek to improve their environmental programs.

Consumers are ready and willing to embrace sustainability in the products and services they use.  Research by IBM in 2022 reports that the demand for sustainable consumer goods is on the rise, with 3 out of 5 consumers saying socially responsible or sustainable products made up at least half of their last purchase, and that 2 out of 3 respondents say they are more willing to apply for (67%) and accept (68%) jobs from a sustainable company.

The report also indicated that roughly 1 in 3 consumers say sustainable travel is a priority, ranking environmental impact factors over cost, convenience, and comfort in their purchase decisions.  Note: you can plan your green vacation in Virginia here!VGTA Logo

What is Virginia doing to support sustainable businesses, and how can you get more involved?

  • Visit the website for Virginia Green to learn more about what they do and how they can help businesses become more environmentally friendly.
  • Join the free monthly forums! Partnering with DEQ, Virginia Greens presents a variety of topics from experts and peers who care about the environment. The next virtual forum is Thursday, January 19th from 2:00-3:00 p.m.  Registration is free here.
  • Plan to attend the Virginia Green Travel Alliance Conference on March 21-22 at the Virginia Beach Conference Center!

Yes, we are thrilled to partner with the Virginia Green Travel Alliance to co-host their 10th annual conference on March 21-22, 2023 in Virginia Beach.  The keynote speaker is Jennifer Lawson, CEO of Keep America Beautiful!  We will connect professionals, offer engaging and informative workshops, and celebrate the work of both organizations and allied partners! You can find more details about the conference and register here.

In the meantime, you can check to see if your favorite places to eat, relax, or shop are a certified Virginia Green business by searching the Virginia Green Business Directory and the Virginia Green Suppliers Network.  And encourage your favorite establishments to become Virginia Green certified to support and grow sustainable businesses and services in Virginia.

We hope to see you at the Virginia Green monthly forums and the Virginia Green conference!

Cartoon sketch of a litterbug

It’s Our 70th Anniversary

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Cartoon sketch of a litterbug
1950’s Litterbug Sketch

Our staff, Board members, and partners are especially excited to greet 2023 because it’s going to be a special year for Keep Virginia Beautiful.  We’re celebrating our 70th Anniversary!  It will be a year full of old and new programs, and plenty of looking back at memories, milestones, and events.  (And just maybe some old black & white photographs too.)

Our organization began as the Virginia Anti-Litterbug Council in 1953 to address the “menacing litter problem” on our highways.  Over the years we’ve partnered with the Department of Highways (now known as VDOT), the Department of Conservation, governors, the Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries (now the Department of Wildlife Resources), and others — as well as scores of volunteers! — to clean up litter in the landscape.  We are recognized as an Affiliate of the nationwide program Keep America Beautiful, and we have a network of local Virginia Affiliates that are making substantial positive impacts in the communities they serve.

But there is still much to be done, and we have a year that will be packed with activities and events to continue our “Anti-Litterbug” efforts!

One of our favorite programs, Green Grants, will kick off in the spring.  Since 2011, Keep Virginia Beautiful has provided $282,000 for 385 programs and projects throughout the state.  Groups of all types and sizes have been awarded $500, $750, or $1,000 to implement their plans to improve our nature and scenic environment through Community Beautification, Recycling, Litter Prevention, and Cigarette Litter Prevention.  Online grant applications will be available in April, and grant award announcements will be made one each day during June.  We’re hoping to have an additional Green Grant funding round in the fall – stay tuned for more details!

The Great American Cleanup is set to run March 20 – June 21, 2023, with Virginia doing its part throughout that time frame.  We’ll be cleaning up with our affiliates around the state, and will give away cleanup kits to get you safely out there picking up litter too wherever you live, work, or play.

We are thrilled to partner with the Virginia Green Travel Alliance to co-host their 10th annual conference from March 21-22, 2023 in Virginia Beach.  The keynote speaker is Jennifer Lawson, CEO of Keep America Beautiful!  We will connect professionals, offer engaging and informative workshops, and celebrate the work of KVB 70th Anniversary Logoboth organizations and allied partners! Learn more about the conference here.

We’re also excited to announce our “Make Beautiful Your Business” Membership Program!  Beautiful is our business and now it can be yours too! This new program engages like-minded businesses and individuals to help preserve the beauty of our Commonwealth. Educational, volunteer, and advocacy opportunities are included. Join anytime and be one of our first 70 Founding Members for added benefits!

This is just the start of some of the ways we’ll be celebrating our 70 years; more details will be released as the year progresses.  But we couldn’t do any of it without our partners, supporters, and volunteers!  Thank you for caring about the natural and scenic environment of Virginia, we’re looking forward to sharing this year with you!

Giveaway Time

Cleanup Kit Giveaway

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Giveaway TimeWe’re excited to announce that it’s our fall Cleanup Kit Giveaway time!

The change of seasons is welcome to many, with cooler temperatures, and less humidity.  But unfortunately, one thing that doesn’t change is the need to clean up litter left in the landscape.

According to Keep America Beautiful’s recent Litter Study, nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along United States roadways and waterways. Overall, there was more litter near waterways (25.9 billion pieces on 10.7 million miles) than on roadways (23.7 billion pieces on 8.3 million miles) though, proportionally, roadway and waterway litter represent similar quantities of the total litter items discarded nationwide (47.8 percent and 52.2 percent, respectively).

Keep America Beautiful encourages all individuals to pick up 152 pieces of litter. Why 152? Using information from the litter study, they determined that if everyone made the individual action of picking up 152 pieces of litter (all at once) there would be no litter on the ground until someone littered again. #152andYou

We sincerely appreciate those who continue to make the effort to pick up litter from roadsides, parks, and waterways.  And we want to help by getting you to tools you need to safely pick up litter.

Each Cleanup Kits includes:

    • 2 sturdy litter grabbers,
    • 2 safety vests,
    • 2 pairs of work glove,
    • other goodies as available!

Enter here: Cleanup Kit Giveaway Entry Form from now until September 30th!

We’ll draw 10 names from all the entries and give away 10 Cleanup Kits the first week in October — just in time for “Virginia is for Lovers Not Litter” month!

Subscribe to our eNews so you can stay up to date with this Giveaway and others!

Black kitten in pumpkin

It’s Scary!

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Black kitten in pumpkinIt’s frightening out there, and I’m not talking about the ghosts and goblin Halloween decorations.  It’s the menacing amount of litter in the landscape – the creepy discarded face masks in the parking lot, the chilling fast food wrappers, and the daunting task of cleaning it all up!

Why bother, you ask? Studies show that people are less likely to throw litter into clean, attractive, and beautified areas. (Keep America Beautiful 2009 Litter Study)

What can you do?  A lot!

  • The month of October has been declared “Lovers Not Litter” month for the Commonwealth – and it’s official: check out the Governor’s Proclamation!  We’re partnering with VDOT to spread the word that October is a great month to get outside and pick up litter, and you can help wherever you live or work. Take the pledge, and report the litter that you cleaned up.  Or play a fun game!
  • We give away cleanup kits to groups and individuals as time and funding allow.  We just completed our Summer giveaways, and our cupboards are bare.  We’re hosting a kit assembly day to get restocked.  If you’re in the Richmond area on Wednesday, October 27th, we need 10 volunteers.  You must sign up to be able to participate.
  • Volunteer with other groups to clean up! Check our Events Calendar for your what’s scheduled near you.  Also, we have several affiliate organizations across the state, take a look at their websites to see if there’s an activity going on that interests you!
  • Adopt-a-Highway!  It’s free, and you’ll be given supplies for litter cleanups, and when you do your part you’ll get a cool blue sign with your name, or your group’s name, or the name of someone you’d like to dedicate your efforts to.  To get started, simply contact your Adopt-a-Highway coordinator, call 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623) or send an e-mail to [email protected].  You can learn more about the program here.

So don’t be a scaredy-cat, get out there, take a bag or bucket with you, and safely pick up some litter!

Volunteers

National Litter Study

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VolunteersKeep America Beautiful, our parent Affiliate, recently released the results of their 2020 National Litter Study, conducted by Burns & McDonnell, a leading environmental engineering firm.  The 2020 Keep America Beautiful Litter Study is the most comprehensive study of litter in America.  It is a follow up to the landmark 2009 study, which builds on a history of science-based litter research started by Keep America Beautiful in 1969.

How do they know how much litter there is, you ask?  They counted it — during a pandemic!  240 roadway sites, 189 waterway, 181 non-roadway, 126 behavioral sites.  The study used world class methodology and was led by academics, professional social scientists, and leading researchers with the support of corporate America, foundations, and individuals.  You can read the entire report here.

In a nutshell, the litter problem is significant — 50 billion (with a “b”) pieces!  And Americans know it.  90% responded that they believe litter is a problem in their state.  On the brighter side, the problem of litter is improving.   Since the 2009 Litter Study, there’s been a 54% reduction of litter on roadways.

The great majority of litter was smaller in size but, at 6 billion pieces, larger items were both prevalent and highly visible. Most litter (43.6 billion pieces or 87.9 percent) across the United States was four inches or smaller in size. However, larger and often more visible litter still represented a significant quantity (6.0 billion pieces or 12.1 percent) of litter.

The Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study provides the first national estimate of the scale and scope of the PPE (gloves and masks) litter problem. The Study estimates 207.1 million PPE items were littered along United States roadways and waterways. The Study estimates that much of that PPE litter (127.4 million pieces) lies along U.S. waterways. PPE gloves represented 72.1 percent of the PPE littered.

Cigarette butts continue to be the single most littered item in the United States, even though cigarette butt litter has declined dramatically since 2009. Plastic films, both general use films and food-packaging films, such as candy wrappers or snack bags, represent the second and third most littered items in America.

There is twice as much litter from alcoholic beverage containers as from non-alcoholic beverage containers. Beer container litter is up 27 percent from 2009. In terms of the most frequently littered items, beer containers and single-serve wine and liquor containers (e.g., 50 ml minis and nips) are both ranked ahead of any non-alcoholic beverage product (e.g., soda, water, juice, tea & coffee).

Americans understand that litter has a strong negative impact on their communities. Large majorities of U.S. residents (75 to 97 percent) recognize that litter negatively affects the environment, waterways, property taxes, home values, tourism and businesses, quality of life, and health and safety in their communities.

The study determined that there were 152 items of litter for each U.S. resident. Roadway and waterway litter items per capita were comparable.  While still a large number, 152 pieces of litter per person in the United States is a number that residents can grasp and provides a tangible goal that every individual can strive to help eliminate.

Everyone, whether they litter or not, can be part of the solution to ending litter.  Let us know when you’ve picked up your 152 pieces! #152andYou

KAB Litter Study

Roadway Litter Down 54% Since 2009

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Keep Virginia Beautiful is part of a network of 700 state and community-based affiliates of Keep America Beautiful®, who recently announced the summary of its 2020 study on litter in America.

The Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study provides a detailed understanding of the quantity, composition, and sources of litter across the United States. The organization’s 2020 study is a follow up to its landmark 2009 study, which builds on a history of science-based litter research started by Keep America Beautiful in 1969.

Key findings include:

  • Nearly 50 billion pieces of litter along U.S. roadways and waterways
  • Slightly more litter along waterways (25.9B) than roadways (23.7B)
  • 152 items for each U.S. resident
  • More than 2,000 pieces of litter per mile (both roadway and waterway)
  • 90% of people surveyed believe litter is a problem in their state
  • 6 billion pieces more than 4 inches in size
  • Most littered item remains cigarette butts, although this litter is down almost 70%
  • 207.1M PPE items littered

Keep America Beautiful retained Burns & McDonnell, a leading environmental engineering firm, to conduct its 2020 Study, which has four components: Public Attitudes Survey, Visible Litter Survey, Behavioral Observations Survey, and Financial Cost of Litter Survey (ongoing).

Dr. Helen Lowman, Keep America Beautiful President and CEO said, “I am thrilled to continue the history of Keep America Beautiful as the leader in litter research in the United States, and methodology that has now been used around the world.  This data will help inform our programs for years to come addressing both litter on the ground and the act of littering.”

Sponsors of the Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study include dozens of individuals, corporations, industry groups, and foundations highlighting our belief in the strength of bringing everyone to the table. The largest supporters include Altria, American Beverage Association, American Chemistry Council, Dow, Food Packaging Institute, Garver Hilyard Black Foundation, National Association of Convenience Stores, Plastics Industry Association, and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco.

The full summary of the Keep America Beautiful® report is available here.

The good news is that litter IS solvable!  The 54% reduction in roadside litter since 2009 is phenomenal, and the 2009 study shows a 61% reduction since 1969.  We can work together to conquer the litter problem!  Visit our website for ways you can be involved, and take the pledge to put litter and recyclables in their place, reduce-reuse-refuse-recycle, and teach others to do the same!

Garden Sign

It’s a Beautiful Thing!

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This is one of the best times of the year for our organization.  It’s when we get the results of the projects and programs that were awarded a 30 in 30 Green Grant back in June.  Even with some delays and redirection due to the pandemic, people in communities all across our Commonwealth were able to make a difference with the grant funds we awarded, thanks to support from Altria, in partnership with Coca-Cola and Keep America Beautiful.

The West Piedmont Planning District Commission submitted a proposal for a $1,000 grant in the Community Beautification category, to construct a demonstration garden at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School.  The school has an 1100-foot Nature Trail that includes an outdoor classroom area.  They wanted to install native plants along the trail, with informational signs, plant markers, and interpretive material to help educate the public about native plants.

It took six volunteers to prepare the area and install the plantings.  The first task was to remove non-native invasive species and poison ivy from the areas where the native plants would be installed. Franklin County Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners committed to provide volunteer hours to plant and maintain the demonstration garden areas.

Plants that are native to Virginia provide a natural habitat for wildlife and require less water, but need no fertilizer or pesticides.  This reduces the amount of chemicals in the landscape, which maintains the water quality in nearby rivers and streams.

West Piedmont PDC also developed a website for the demonstration garden: https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/franklin-county-bfms-garden.  The website includes an educational brochure about the plants at the garden.   The area will provide advanced educational opportunities for the 6,880 Franklin County students, as well as the general public. Approximately 1,300 students attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School.

The hope is that this is the first of many demonstration gardens across Virginia’s Southern Piedmont region to showcase the native plants and educate students and visitors about the value and need for native plants.

Now that’s a beautiful thing!

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