2020 NATIONAL CONFERENCE Memphis, TN Feb. 12-14
2019 NATIONAL AWARDS
NATIONAL AFFILIATE AWARDS
6
LADY BIRD JOHNSON AWARD
7
IRON EYES CODY AWARD
8
STATE AGENCY
9
PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
INNOVATION AWARDS
10
SUE SMITH PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS
12
PROGRAM AWARDS
13
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD
15
LAW ENFORCEMENT
16
LEADERSHIP AWARD
NATIONAL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS
16
18
CAROLYN CRAYTON AWARD
21
AFFILIATE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
22
AFFILIATE AWARDS OF SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
24
STATE AFFILIATE RECOGNITION AWARDS
28
EXHIBITORS
29
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
30
TABLE OF CONTENTS
YOUTH & EDUCATION AWARDS
PREMIUM LEVEL SPONSOR
Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)
GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS
Altria Group Santa Fe Natural Tobacco
SILVER LEVEL SPONSOR
Keep Tennessee Beautiful
IN-KIND SUPPORT
Mars Wrigley Confectionary
SESSION SUPPORT Special thanks to Keurig Dr Pepper for supporting the Recycling Market Development Workshop.
Clean Memphis Keep Tennessee Beautiful The University of Memphis
2020 SPONSORS & PARTNERS
RECYCLING PARTNERS
2019 Keep America Beautiful National Awards Recipients NATIONAL AFFILIATE AWARDS
Affiliate Awards (By Population) (The Affiliate Awards recognizes the top affiliate in four population categories.)
Under 30,000 Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful Lake Jackson, Texas (See description on page 26.)
30,001 - 100,000 Keep Smyrna Beautiful Smyrna, Georgia (See description on page 27.)
100,001 - 250,000 Shreveport Green Shreveport, Louisiana (See description on page 24.)
250,001 & above Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana (See description on page 26.)
LADY BIRD JOHNSON AWARD Beverly Knight Olson Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission Macon, Georgia Beverly Knight Olson is the recipient of the Lady Bird Johnson Award, which is given to an outstanding female volunteer for exceptional leadership with at least 10 years of experience in helping her local community. Beverly has dedicated keeping her community clean, safe, and vibrant through the Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission (KMBBC) for nearly 40 years. Beverly’s involvement with KMBBC includes planning initiatives, donating funds for implementation of projects, volunteering at community cleanup events, and teaching environmental awareness in schools. As chair of the KMBBC Litter Committee, Beverly is always willing to get her hands dirty, and fills her car with gloves, grabbers, vests, and trash bags so she is equipped at any time to stop and clean any littered area. She works each year to help sell thousands of cherry trees during Macon’s International Cherry Blossom Festival as a fundraiser for KMBBC. As a believer that a clean community is a safe and healthy community, she is also a supporter and participant in the annual Great American Cleanup. Beverly is described as embodying the genuine spirit of selflessness and compassion through her tireless contributions to community service and philanthropy. Additionally, she supports, serves, and assumes active leadership roles with several other organizations, such as the Harriet Tubman Museum, Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia, and the Macon-Bibb County Law Enforcement Foundation.
7
IRON EYES CODY AWARD Stanley Kroh Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Tampa, Florida Stanley "Stan" Kroh is the recipient of the Iron Eyes Cody Award, which honors an outstanding male volunteer for exceptional leadership with at least 10 years of experience in helping his local community. Stan has been involved with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) for 25 years and currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees. Stan started out as a volunteer for the Hillsborough River Cleanup as part of the Environmental Committee and has since overseen the removal of 12.5 tons of litter from local shorelines, parks, rights-of-way, and has removed over 120,000 pounds of invasive plant species. In 2012, water-based litter became an issue in the community, and Stan was integral in demanding the need for water-based litter cleanups. This effort helped pave the way for KTBB to launch its Trash Free Water Program. The program has since involved over 28,000 volunteers and removed over 780,000 pounds of litter from local waterways. Professionally, Stan has been employed at Tampa Electric Company for 20 years where he serves as Manager of Land and Stewardship Programs. In this role, he manages the Manatee Viewing Center and oversees the Florida Conservation and Technology Center. He has been involved in several additional local groups, including the Florida Birding and Nature Festival, and the Tampa Audubon Society.
8
STATE AGENCY PARTNERSHIP RECOGNITION AWARDS
Alabama Department of Transportation Keep Alabama Beautiful California Department of Education Keep California Beautiful CalRecycle Keep California Beautiful Caltrans Keep California Beautiful Florida Department of Transportation Keep Florida Beautiful Maryland Department of Transportation Keep Maryland Beautiful Mississippi Department of Transportation Keep Mississippi Beautiful Mississippi State University Extension Keep Mississippi Beautiful Ohio Department of Transportation Keep Ohio Beautiful Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Keep Ohio Beautiful Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Oklahoma Department of Transportation Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Oklahoma Forestry Services Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Keep Tennessee Beautiful 9
Tennessee Department of Transportation Keep Tennessee Beautiful Texas Department of Transportation Keep Texas Beautiful Virginia Department of Transportation Keep Virginia Beautiful William Nungesser, Lt. Governor of Louisiana Keep Louisiana Beautiful
INNOVATION AWARDS
Innovation Awards - Program Local Affiliate Keep Pensacola Beautiful Pensacola, Florida Keep Pensacola Beautiful (KPB) organized and implemented Pensacola’s first-of-its-kind trash art show and silent auction, Pieces Adrift. Local community art nonprofit, First City Art Center, partnered on the event. The art show was formed as an education and outreach event focusing on marine debris, waste, and single-use products. After collecting and sorting through litter picked up at local beaches and neighborhood cleanups, KPB challenged local artists to use the sorted trash – or their own everyday trash – to create original art pieces. Pieces Adrift provided people the opportunity to give single-use items a second life and encouraged the community to think differently about waste. It also showcased the impact of marine debris and the litter issues that face the community. The September 2019 event featured 51 pieces by 30 local artists.
State Affiliate Keep California Beautiful Bakersfield, California Keep California Beautiful (KCB) developed the Environmental App after identifying a need for an in-field litter data collection and assessment tool. KCB piloted the design to its Campus Sustainability Program and has since expanded it for use on high school campuses, neighborhoods, watersheds, and by rivers, within road rights-of-way. The Environmental App is 10
designed for citizen-science projects and combines five of the most requested evaluating factors for litter and behavior intervention, including a spatial relation assessment for the California On-land Visual Litter Assessment. The program synthesizes data into instant online maps and simplifies the once-complex processes to analyze litter audits and share community cleanup site challenges. It is a valuable addition to the resources that community leaders need to support current and future environmental behavior change plans related to litter and marine debris. The program continues to be refined with additional users and development of customization for other users and partners, as well as for types and locations of litter analysis.
Innovation Awards - Partnership Local Affiliate Keep Sarasota County Beautiful Sarasota, Florida Keep Sarasota County Beautiful (KSCB) partnered with Sarasota County’s Solid Waste Department to tackle recycling contamination at a local multi-family complex. Prior to the KSCB initiative, residents were disposing of trash and other contaminants in recycling carts, which the recycling vendor deemed not serviceable. The first step involved removing all recycling carts from the property to re-establish behavior for placing trash in the proper location. The following steps included reintroducing recycling carts, along with an educational campaign. The educational campaign included distribution of information cards and reusable bags for residents to transport recyclables to the carts. Overall, the complex saw a 95% reduction in contamination and a reduction in wind-blown litter on the property. Using the KAB Behavior Change Model as the primary building block, this program also incorporated marketing and education elements from successful educational campaigns developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), The Recycling Partnership, and Sarasota County.
State Affiliate TDOT Highway Beautification Office Nashville, Tennessee The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) joined partners Keep Tennessee Beautiful (KTnB) and the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Stores Association (TGACSA) to distribute over 1 million 11
branded reusable grocery bags to the public. Twothousand three hundred bags were distributed at more than 480 locations. The effort was also more than a giveaway – Keep America Beautiful affiliates and local partners promoted their Great American Cleanup events and other programming at these locations. The event forged a new partnership between state agencies, affiliates, and grocers, showcasing the grocers’ willingness to become KTnB beautification partners. Additionally, the effort generated traditional and social media attention, as well as gained exposure for the TDOT “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” litter prevention campaign.
SUE SMITH PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Regional Missy Marshall Keep Tennessee Beautiful Memphis, Tennessee Missy Marshall joined Keep Tennessee Beautiful (KTnB) as executive director in 2013 after 20 years in public service. From day one, Missy has worked hard to put her stamp on the organization and strives for success with her team. Through her role, Missy has gained eight new Keep America Beautiful affiliates in Tennessee, including the first river-based affiliate, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful. She has visited each of the state’s affiliates and often volunteers at affiliate events. Missy has developed relationships with law enforcement officials, in addition to city, county, and state officials and politicians, and believes engaging state leaders can foster to change in their areas. By rallying affiliates, volunteers, and the state of Tennessee, she has achieved 100-percent county participation during the annual Great American Cleanup. She has also been instrumental in establishing partnerships with groups, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, which have resulted in projects that help further KTnB’s mission to inspire and educate people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Missy also serves on the Keep America Beautiful national board of directors as an affiliate representative.
12
Local Lynne Hart Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful Athens, Alabama In the 20 years since starting as executive coordinator of Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful (KALB) in Alabama, Lynne Hart has become the heart of the organization and a vital member of the community. Under Lynne's leadership, several programs have launched and continue to flourish. The Great American Cleanup, which includes the KALB Elk River Cleanup, Trash Attack, and #OneBagChallenge, is a strong, annual event with growing participation and results. Through two Cigarette Litter Prevention Program grants from Keep America Beautiful, Lynne added ash receptacles to local walking trails and the downtown area. To encourage use of the receptacles, she created and placed 5-foot tall cigarette butts featuring anti-litter messages around town. Over the years, Lynne has utilized Waste in PlaceÂŽ and has created several educational programs to teach preschool through 6th grade students lessons about litter, recycling, and environmental stewardship. Lynne has also developed strong relationships with city leadership, several community groups, and local businesses, many of which provide sponsorships, support, and volunteers. Through her role, volunteerism has increased considerably, and the community has seen a significant change in attitudes about litter and recycling.
PROGRAM AWARDS
America Recycles DayÂŽ Keep Chester County Beautiful Henderson, Tennessee Keep Chester County Beautiful (KCCB) celebrates America Recycles Day (ARD) annually with events for the general public and activities for students of all ages. In 2018, KCCB launched its Volunteer to Recycle campaign to encourage more people to recycle and to recycle correctly. KCCB also participated in the local Chester County BBQ Festival where it set up a booth with recycling information and placed recycling bins throughout the festival area. As a result, KCCB reached about 10,000 residents and visitors at the festival and collected over 1,000 pounds of recyclables. In addition, the KCCB education coordinator presented information about recycling to elementary and middle schools and hosted two contents for students in which they had to 13
use recycled materials; a Recycled Christmas Ornament Contest and a Recycled Metal Sculpture Contest. Overall, KCCB’s efforts helped increase recycling, including cleaner single stream recycling at the local recycling center and an increase of participants in the local recycling program.
Cigarette Litter Prevention Program Award Keep Golden Isles Beautiful Brunswick, Georgia In 2019, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful joined several regional project partners along the state of Georgia’s entire coastline to battle the nation’s number one littered item, cigarette butts, over the course of the summer. It was the second year of the program, targeted at both locals and tourists. The educational initiative “Georgia’s Coast is Not an Ashtray” focused on cigarette butts in relation to coastal waterways. KGIB and its partners followed the Keep America Beautiful Behavior Change Model by utilizing key regional partners, involving education and outreach activities, placing cigarette receptacles, and deploying cigarette litter scans. The campaign, which utilized grant funding from the Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, reached and educated thousands of people about cigarette litter prevention. Notable among the efforts was volunteers distributing more than 50,000 drink coasters to over 200 local bars and restaurants, in addition to the installation of hundreds of cigarette receptacles.
Great American Cleanup® Keep Lewisville Beautiful Lewisville, Texas Keep Lewisville Beautiful (KLB) has participated in the Great American Cleanup (GAC) since joining the affiliate network in 1988. In 2019, KLB, in partnership with several community groups, hosted 22 GAC events and cleanups, including its signature Spring Cleanup GAC event featuring cleanups at over 100 locations. The Spring Cleanup GAC also included educational sessions, the city’s first Butterfly Waystation, an Arbor Day tree planting, and beautification projects. Overall, KLB engaged over 500 volunteers and participants who collected 5 tons of trash. At each event, KLB placed recycling bins next to each trash can with signage to promote recycling and instructed volunteers to separate out recyclables, including metal and electronics, while 14
collecting litter and debris. In conjunction with the Spring Cleanup event, KLB partnered with the City to host a “Mariposa� Butterfly festival focusing on butterfly and pollinator conservation and education in both English and Spanish to help increase pollinator spaces in the area.
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD Max & Liz Schaefer Lorain, Ohio Lorain Proud Quick Picks Max Shaefer is the regional director for the Ohio Environmental Council and OEC Action Fund and serves on the Keep Lorain County Beautiful Advisory Board, the Lorain County Health Board, and the local Lorain County Cigarette Litter Prevention Program Task Force. Following a topic at a community meeting on ways to benefit the neighborhood in the next 30 days, Max had a light-bulb moment while sitting at a laundromat. With his now wife Liz, they thought up a creative way to involve others to join them in cleaning up litter. Fueled by social media and their commitment to the community, Max and Liz created a series of flash-mob style litter cleanup events taking place for just one hour called the Lorain Proud Quick Picks. The effort was started in 2017, and still proves to be an effective effort in the community, with volunteers ranging from community leaders and city council members to students and neighborhood families all looking to make a difference. Annually, Max and Liz organize from six to eight Quick Picks events, each resulting in the collection of 200-300 pounds of trash and debris.
15
LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority Police Department Blakelee, Pennsylvania The Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority Police Department (Authority Police) was established as an enforcement division to facilitate the Waste Authority with minimizing litter issues across the county. The Authority Police is an active participant of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, and the executive director is a board member of Keep Northeastern PA Beautiful. The Authority Police receives and responds to hundreds of complaints each year about illegal dumpsites and unsightly properties to burning garbage and roadside litter. Each complaint is detrimental to the environment and is investigated. To combat litter and illegal dumping, they have encouraged and participated in anti-litter programs and illegal dumping cleanups. They also interact daily with the public to promote proper management and disposal of waste to prevent litter and to change common littering behaviors.
NATIONAL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS
Beautifying Communities Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful Riverside, California Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful (KRCB) launched its Adopt-an-Alley program to address littered alleyways in the area. The idea for this program was presented to KRCB after Riverside City Councilman Andy Melendrez met with the Riverside Public Works Department to discuss the issue of alley maintenance in the Eastside of the city. KRCB was contacted to implement the program and worked to determine which alleyways were most in need of maintenance. Nine alleyways were identified to be put up for “adoption.� Most of the alleys were targeted because of their need for beautification, but also for their proximity to parks and schools. With a focus on volunteerism and community engagement, the organizations that adopt an alley commit to clean it multiple times throughout the year. The overall goal is to ensure the beautification and safety of the alleyways for the residents that live in the Eastside neighborhood. 16
End Littering Keep Brevard Beautiful Cocoa, Florida Through litter reduction, education, and beautification programs, Keep Brevard Beautiful (KBB) and its network of volunteers strive to maintain and protect Brevard County. For the past 38 years, KBB has hosted an annual cleanup event that takes place at multiple locations throughout the county called Trash Dash. In collaboration with the Great American Cleanup, Trash Dash began as a community cleanup initiative but has transformed into a countywide environmental education campaign. The event kicks off with an art contest among the county’s middle and high school students to create a design that advocates for environmental protection. In 2019, 12 municipalities participated, rallying 1,200 volunteers and removing over 54,000 pounds of debris from the local environment. The municipality with the most trash and volunteers also receives a check to donate to a charity of their choosing.
Improving Recycling Keep Akron Beautiful Akron, Ohio Keep Akron Beautiful (KAB) launched a 12-week education campaign called “Recycle Right” in response to significantly high contamination rates in the community. In partnership with the City of Akron, The Recycling Partnership, the Ohio EPA, and Summit ReWorks, KAB educated the community on contamination and the importance of recycling. To support awareness, KAB sent targeted mailers to all participating customers. During the campaign, teams of recycling inspectors checked local recycling carts for contamination. Residents with contaminants in their carts received an ‘Oops’ tag with feedback on how to improve. As a result, the contaminated cart would not be emptied; residents were given the opportunity to fix their mistake for the following week. Residents with carts tagged more than three times were no longer allowed to participate in the recycling program. KAB pulled 500 carts that were being used as trash cans during the campaign. Overall, Keep Akron Beautiful was successful in helping to reduce contamination at the curb and plans to develop additional programs to keep people recycling right.
17
Overall Community Improvement Keep Clark County Beautiful Springfield, Ohio The Clark County Sunflower Project is a collaboration between Keep Clark County Beautiful (KCCB), the National Trail Parks and Recreation District, the Clark County Land Re-utilization Corp., and the City of Springfield. The effort transformed an abandoned industrial site into a sunflower field designed to beautify an area hit hard by the recent recession. The agencies worked together to clear the field, plant the seeds, and cultivate the flowers. They also cleaned up and painted an old, unused garage on the property. They displayed pop art sunflower murals onto the building, which has made the sunflower field even more of a destination for residents and out-of-town visitors. Following the project, several neighbors have renovated and cleaned up their properties, and the community has seen a decrease in litter.
YOUTH & EDUCATION AWARDS
Youth Leader — Under 25 Keiko Huffman Keep Cobb Beautiful Marietta, Georgia Keiko Huffman is a senior at the Academy of Mathematics, Science, & Technology at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. Keiko joined Keep Cobb Beautiful (KCB) as an intern in 2018, assisting with litter prevention, recycling, and environmental related projects. She has since helped KCB with its Litter Index Survey, volunteered at several events, and has collaborated on a new glass recycling program for Cobb County. Additionally, Keiko is a founding member Cobb County STEAM Punk Invitational Competition, which encourages students to learn about environmental topics. At her high school, she is also the co-founder and president of the Environmental Science Club, an environmental chair member of the Science Club, and a member of the Model United Nations Club.
18
Youth Group – On Campus Stratford Academy Ecology Club Macon, Georgia The Ecology Club at Stratford Academy in Macon, Georgia provides upper-school students with the opportunity to be a community contributor as they collect recyclable materials throughout their school and actively participate in several community litter cleanup and recycling events. During the 2018-19 school year, the 28-member Stratford Ecology Club volunteered a total of 135 hours. Members participated in the Macon Water Authority annual Ocmulgee Alive litter pickup event where they helped collect 300 pounds of litter. Additionally, they volunteered with the annual Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission (KMBBC) Bring One for the Chipper event to recycle and mulch Christmas trees. Since 2012, the Ecology Club has worked with KMBBC and its President and CEO Pamela Carswell, who has mentored and advised the club on recycling and community leadership.
Youth Group – Off Campus Lake Jackson Youth Advisory Commission Lake Jackson, Texas The Lake Jackson Youth Advisory Commission (YAC) is a city-sponsored youth board comprised of 40-plus 7th through 12th grade students from area public, private, and home schools. YAC is a vital component of Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful (KLJB), and has partnered with Keep Brazoria County Beautiful, Keep America Beautiful, Texas Municipal League, Keep Texas Beautiful, and many other local organizations. In the 2018-19 school year, members contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours across a variety of projects. YAC members volunteered at the Fall Sweep/ America Recycles Day cleanup event and helped shred over 3,000 pounds of paper. They continued efforts to clean up debris remaining from Hurricane Harvey, as well as participated in landscaping and beautification projects across the city.
19
Educator/Teacher Chuck Rhoads Brandon, Mississippi Chuck Rhoads is an art teacher at Puckett High School in Rankin County, Mississippi. Chuck teaches his students about art not only in the classroom, but also in the landscape around campus. He launched a “Gardens of Puckett� project challenging students to improve the aesthetics and sense of place on campus. Additionally, he shows his students how to recycle and transform discarded items into something new. Although not connected to an affiliate, Chuck and his students work closely with Keep Mississippi Beautiful (KMB), Keep the Rez Beautiful, and Keep Jackson Beautiful on a variety of efforts. For instance, students used recycled granite remnants and leftover copper to make awards for a KMB awards ceremony.
Educational Institution Turnip Green Creative Reuse Nashville, Tennessee Turnip Green Creative Reuse (TGCR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Nashville, Tennessee with a goal of diverting material from the landfill and getting it back to people in its community such as students, teachers, and artists. Since starting in 2011, TGCR has diverted 600,000 pounds of materials from landfills. Through education outreach programs, partnerships with several local group, and resources from Keep America Beautiful, its team of 72 teachers facilitate litter cleanup events to tens of thousands of residents each year. Additionally, TGCR is the contracted education vendor for Metro Nashville Public Works to educate the community on compost, litter prevention, and how to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
20
CAROLYN CRAYTON AWARD Alan Lindner United Dairy Farmers Cincinnati, Ohio Alan “Brad” Lindner, president and C.E.O. of United Dairy Farmers, is the 2019 recipient of the Carolyn Crayton Award. The Carolyn Crayton Award recognizes the contributions of an individual board member or board member company or organization for a local Keep America Beautiful affiliate. The Lindner family, and United Dairy Farmers (UDF), has been an important part of Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) for nearly its entire 40-year history. In 1980, KCB approached the Lindner family to discuss the litter and UDF stores. Rather than deflect the blame, UDF got involved in providing solutions, becoming KCB’s first corporate partner in the Great American Cleanup. Now, almost 40 years later, UDF is still one of KCB’s most valuable corporate partners, being the primary sponsor of Cincinnati’s Neighborhood Enhancement Program, tackling litter, blight, and enhancing neighborhoods twice per year. Brad has stewarded KCB as Board President for 15 years, providing insight, counsel, and support bringing KCB from a litter abatement-only agency to one that solves community problems through community engagement, collaboration, and partnership. KCB is poised to double in impact over the next 10 years, with Brad creating the framework to make this possible. He will be retiring as Board President in 2020, leaving an indelible mark on future KCB Board, staff, and community leadership.
21
AFFILIATE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE (Affiliates scoring 90 or above on the 2019 application.) Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful Athens, Georgia Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (KACCB) is a hybrid program of the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Solid Waste Department and a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. With a mission to educate and empower citizens and business with the resources to take action as environmental stewards of litter prevention, waste reduction, and beautification, KACCB works with a variety of stakeholders and partners each year. Last year alone, KACCB improved upon 22 existing outreach programs, engaged over 1,600 students in environmental education activities, completed over 200 cleanup events, and distributed nearly 700 trees. Its collaborations include the Georgia Department of Transportation to beautify state roads leading into the local community and private companies to engage employees in events, such as Rivers Alive and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service cleanup events. Keep Golden Isles Beautiful Brunswick, Georgia Since 1979, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful (KGIB) has led its community in litter prevention, recycling and waste reduction, community greening, water resource awareness, and environmental education. Working in conjunction with local governments and community partners, KGIB has engaged thousands of volunteers and implemented impactful and unique programs and projects. Located in a coastal community, KGIB addresses marine debris with several initiatives, including a Cigarette Litter Prevention Program campaign, beach and salt marsh cleanup events, and the implementation of a “carry in-carry out� policy at local beaches. In addition, KGIB organized litter removal at two local National Monuments during the 2019 Federal Government shutdown.
22
Keep Indian River Beautiful Vero Beach, Florida Keep Indian River Beautiful (KIRB) was created in 1998 by a group of volunteers dedicated to reducing waste. KIRB nearly doubled its impact during the 2019 Great American Cleanup from the previous year, resulting in over 4,600 volunteers who removed 52,000 pounds of litter. Through its beautification projects, KIRB shares information and education on proper planting, maintenance techniques, and the economic and environmental benefits of beautification. Last year, KIRB restored three hurricane-damaged areas by planting 2,600 native shrubs and flowers and 40 native trees. Additionally, KIRB has increased public space recycling by providing and maintaining permanent outdoor bins at locations, such as local beaches and the downtown area. It has also created a thrift store that sells items for reuse, upcycling, or consignment from local upcycle artists. In 2019, the store diverted 24,000 pounds of material from landfills. Metro Nashville Public Works Beautification Division Nashville, Tennessee The Metro Beautification and Environment Commission is a division of Metro Nashville Public Works and strives to make Nashville clean, safe, and attractive. The Commission coordinates the collaborative efforts of volunteers, city departments, businesses, community groups, and government agencies to provide environmental programs, beautification projects, as well as training and educational opportunities. Over the past two years, the Commission implemented extra initiatives to combat Nashville’s litter problem, including increasing its Adopt-a-Street Program, adding litter cleanup events, and enhancing its litter education programs. Additionally, it started using the Litterati app to help gather data to combat litter at the source. In partnership with the Mayor’s office and other departments, the Commission is also actively working on a goal of planting 500,000 trees by 2050, following loss in trees in the area due to a rise in population.
23
Shreveport Green Shreveport, Louisiana For 29 years, Shreveport Green has been dedicated to promoting a healthy, sustainable, and economically vital community through public outreach, community enhancement, and a respect for the natural and built environment. In the last three years, Shreveport’s community garden program has expanded to 17 new sites at schools and recreation centers. The large urban garden alone has 24 garden beds and produced 2,000 pounds of produce last year. As a Tree City USA, Shreveport Green plants an average of 75 large trees annually. To target litter, Shreveport Green implemented a Tarp Your Load program where it gave out 500 tarps. The affiliate also hosts neighborhood and citywide cleanups, educates the public on recycling, and hosts several hazardous waste collections each year.
AFFILIATE AWARDS OF SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
(Winners of the Sustain Excellence Award won an Affiliate Award three years in a row scored a 90 or above on this year’s judging.) Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful Albany, Georgia Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful (KADB) was formed by a joint resolution between the City and County Commissioners. KADB works to educate and challenge its citizens to take greater responsibility for protecting and enhancing the community’s environment. Annually, KADB engages thousands of locals in educational, environmental improvement programs and activities. Last year, over 26,000 volunteers and 110,000 participants donated more than 154,000 hours of service to improve their community. During its annual America Recycles Day event, which focused on collecting outdated electronics, volunteers collected nearly 12,500 pounds of e-waste. KADB’s work also included removing graffiti sites, donating trees, partnering in the Fight Albany Blight initiative, and collecting litter and debris during the Great American Cleanup.
24
Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Cincinnati, Ohio Since 1978, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) has helped the city’s 52 neighborhoods be safe, clean, and wellconnected. KCB’s mission is to empower residents to build community and create a positive future through neighborhood revitalization, education, and mobilization. Its programs – Arts, Greenspace, the Great American Cleanup, Environmental Education, and Environmental Services – are a catalyst for change, transforming underinvested neighborhoods and empowering communities to create vibrant spaces. In just the past 10 years, KCB has educated 200,000-plus children, planted more than 100,000 trees and flowers, coordinated 120,000-plus volunteers, and painted more than 1,000 buildings. During last year’s Great American Cleanup, KCB hosted and supported over 1,600 cleanup events, coordinating the efforts of nearly 12,000 volunteers. KCB also offers several litter prevention education programs; transforms discarded places into art; restores underutilized public spaces into socially, culturally, and environmentally responsible places; and partners on initiatives and events to increase recycling rates. Keep Cobb Beautiful Marietta, Georgia Keep Cobb Beautiful (KCB), located in the third most populous county in Georgia, has a mission to promote stewardship of its communities through litter prevention, beautification, recycling, and environmental education. KCB has grown its recycling events to include the collection of textiles, polystyrene, and hard-to-recycle plastics, and by engaging more community members through a more active social media presence. KCB won the nationally recognized Hefty® EnergyBag® Program grant, becoming the first Keep America Beautiful affiliate and one of only two locations nationwide to receive the innovative plastics recovery grant. Over the past year, KCB increased its recycling event participation by 400%, collecting more than 6.5 million pounds of recyclables. With a focus on volunteerism, KCB participated in 27 events with 3,500 volunteers providing 185,500 hours of service. KCB also focuses on beautification with efforts that include tree plantings and grants for garden programs for local schools.
25
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana With a mission that’s both human and ecological, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) brings together nonprofits, government, neighborhood groups, businesses, churches, and individuals who want to make Indianapolis a cleaner, greener, more beautiful place to live. KIB’s work is rooted in community engagement, connecting residents to each other and matching people with resources from KIB, the City, other nonprofits, and businesses. From corporate groups planting trees and building shelters in pocket parks to nonprofits and local breweries helping organize plogging events, partnerships allow KIB to have a larger impact and work with neighborhoods rather than doing something to them. In addition to increasing biodiversity and contributing to cleaner air and water, KIB seeks to inspire community action, with plans to engage 100,000 individuals to volunteer or act independently on behalf of the environment by 2022. Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful Lake Jackson, Texas Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful (KLJB) has been an affiliate with Keep America Beautiful for 39 years and has a mission to improve the quality of life by enhancing the community environment. With a focus on litter prevention, KLJB works to restore, preserve, and enhance Lake Jackson’s scenic beauty. Last year, KLJB saw a decrease in its Litter Index after implementing litter education and a litter campaign in the community. KLJB coordinates tree plantings with the city, which has been named a Tree City USA for over 36 years and continues to preserve and replace trees following Hurricane Harvey. In addition, KLJB works with the city to coordinate projects like graffiti abatement and cleanup events. KLJB also plays a role in enforcing recycling and recently, placed recycling containers in the local elementary schools and provided education materials for the students and teachers.
26
Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission Macon, Georgia As an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission (KMBBC) works to incorporate beautification, community greening, litter prevention, community revitalization, recycling, waste reduction, and environmental education in Macon-Bibb County. KMBBC implements programs for improvement and works in partnership with local groups to encourage behavior change. A new initiative was added last year to place trash bins at nine bus stops, which has reduced litter at each bus stop by 90%. With the local landfill scheduled to close in 2022, KMBBC continuously encourages, promotes, and models recycling through its education program. KMBBC also partners with several groups annually to prepare for the Macon Georgia’s International Cherry Blossom Festival. Last year, KMBBC helped prune and fertilize the trees, and worked to educate the community on maintenance and replacement of the aging trees. Keep Smyrna Beautiful Smyrna, Georgia The mission of Keep Smyrna Beautiful (KSB) is to bring together the resources of government, businesses, and residents of the City of Smyrna to protect and improve the quality of life and the environment of its community. For over 35 years, KSB has worked to establish a litterfree norm in the community. KSB hosted several cleanup events and initiatives, including its 29-year-old AdoptA-Mile program, the Great American Cleanup, and its annual Rivers Alive Cleanup. Focusing on beautification, KSB partners on several initiatives, including its 19th Arbor Day event, which featured a program on tree care and a tree planting. KSB has provided drop-off recycling since 1991 and currently operates a Recycling Center, which was visited by more than 25,000 people last year. Additionally, KSB provides recycling for local festivals and concerts; provides recycling presentations to students, youth groups, and businesses; and works with the Sanitation Department on education for the curbside recycling program.
27
STATE AFFILIATE RECOGNITION AWARDS Diamond Level Keep California Beautiful Keep Florida Beautiful Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation Keep Louisiana Beautiful Keep Mississippi Beautiful Keep Nebraska Beautiful Keep Ohio Beautiful Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Keep South Carolina Beautiful Keep Tennessee Beautiful Keep Texas Beautiful Keep Virginia Beautiful
Gold Level Keep Alabama Beautiful Keep Delaware Beautiful Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful Keep Maryland Beautiful Keep Massachusetts Beautiful
Good Standing Keep Iowa Beautiful Keep Kentucky Beautiful Keep Michigan Beautiful Keep North Carolina Beautiful
28
EXHIBITORS ArcMate Manufacturing Corporation arcmate.com Bingham Design ClearStream Recycling, Inc. clearstreamrecycling.com Ecoimprint ecoimprint.com Leaf BurritoÂŽ Reusable Yard Debris Bag leafburrito.com Retrieving with EVIE/Keep Evansville Beautiful Mascots eviethelitterdog.com River City Supply rivercitysupply.biz Tennessee Department of Tourism tnvacation.com Tennessee Department of Transportation tn.gov/tdot
29
NATIONAL CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE Keep America Beautiful would like to acknowledge the following members of the 2020 National Conference Planning Committee:
Denise Baker
Transportation Program Supervisor/Environmental Division/Highway Beautification Office Tennessee Department of Transportation
Mike Baum
2021 National Conference Chair Executive Director Keep Virginia Beautiful Virginia State Leader
Robin Cleary
Executive Director Keep Kingsport Beautiful, Tennessee
Kathleen Gibi
Executive Director Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, Tennessee
Diane Garcia
Director of National Accounts Visit Memphis
Jennifer Hoffman
Executive Director Keep Manatee Beautiful, Florida
Missy Marshall
2020 National Conference Chair Executive Director Keep Tennessee Beautiful Tennessee State Leader
30
Pete Rosenboro
Assistant Commissioner Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
Cyndy Grivich Tucker
Program Coordinator Memphis City Beautiful Commission Keep Memphis Beautiful, Tennessee
Eldra T. White
Executive Director Memphis City Beautiful Commission Keep Memphis Beautiful, Tennessee
Pamela Willingham
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Assistant Director Keep Tennessee Beautiful
1010 Washington Boulevard Stamford, CT 06901 kab.org