2019 NATIONAL CONFERENCE Baltimore, MD Feb. 6-8
P LL A AC CE EM MA K I N G P #DoBeautifulThings #DoBeautifulThings
2018 NATIONAL AWARDS
SPONSOR RECOGNITION
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LEADERSHIP AWARD
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SUE SMITH PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
PROGRAM AWARDS
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GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP CIGARETTE LITTER PREVENTION PROGRAM
YOUTH & EDUCATION AWARDS
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ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
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YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD
LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD
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AFFILIATE AWARDS
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INNOVATION AWARDS
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NATIONAL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS
STATE AFFILIATE RECOGNITION AWARDS
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STATE AGENCY PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
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CAROLYN CRAYTON AWARD LADY BIRD JOHNSON AWARD IRON EYES CODY AWARD
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM - Certified Community Environmental Program
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SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
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ALTRIA SCHOLARS
EXHIBITORS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEADERSHIP SPONSORS
Altria Group Keep Maryland Beautiful Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Reynolds American Incorporated Santa Fe Natural Tobacco
STEWARDSHIP SPONSOR
Anheuser-Busch
STRATEGIC SPONSORS
Keurig Dr Pepper PepsiCo Steel Recycling Institute
SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT
Altria Group
IN-KIND SUPPORT
NATIONAL CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Special thanks to the International Bottled Water Association for providing a product donation.
2018 Keep America Beautiful National Awards Recipients LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Sue Smith Professional Leadership Award Jeannine May Keep the Rez Beautiful Brandon, Mississippi Under Jeannine May’s leadership, Keep the Rez Beautiful (KRB) in Mississippi was formed in 2010, focusing on the Ross Barnett Reservoir. As director, Jeannine serves as an ambassador for the community initiating several campaigns, including its “boat ‘n tote campaign,” which encouraged people to bring their trash off sandbars. She has used several grant opportunities for KRB to execute projects including planting native trees and shrubs at a vacant site, which was registered as a USDA People’s Garden. She also uses Cigarette Litter Prevention Program grants to install cigarette litter receptacles at businesses and in local parks to address the flow of cigarette butts into local waterways. Jeannine has assisted in organizing Great American Cleanup events over the past seven years, which has led to the removal of several tons of litter and recyclables. She has worked with local stakeholders to severely reduce the amount of litter seen on the sandbars, around the waterways and below the Spillway at the reservoir. Project Rezway, a “recycled” fashion show, celebrated its 7th anniversary of raising awareness about the importance of recycling and providing funds for KRB projects. In addition to litter prevention, recycling promotion and community greening, Jeannine places a heavy emphasis on environmental education. She also engages volunteers from all ages and backgrounds and makes them feel valued. Karen West Keep Genesee County Beautiful Flint, Michigan Karen West joined Keep Genesee County Beautiful (KGCB) as Executive Director in April 2004. Because of the water crisis in Flint, KGCB received a grant to develop a pilot program aimed at increasing recycling rates of plastic water bottles. Karen served as part of the team that included employees from the governor’s office, City of Flint departments, police and sheriff departments, and the United Way of Genesee County and Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to educate the 7
public during the water crisis. Notably, recycling rates have risen in the area from 12% to 27% over the past two years. During her KGCB tenure, Karen developed and implemented the “Cultivating Our Community Program,” the largest beautification program ever in Genesee County. The program works to improve the visual landscape of the community and, since 2007, over 70 businesses, places of worship, schools and neighborhoods have provided 7,700 volunteers who have spent 36,000 hours planting and maintaining over 54,000 plants, bulbs, shrubs, grasses and trees at the gateway gardens. In addition, she has worked with Flint’s Downtown Development Authority director to place new ash receptacles in the downtown area and distribute 7,000 portable pocket ashtrays. Under Karen’s leadership, KGCB has become the go-to community organization for information and resources associated with fostering a clean, green and beautiful place to live.
PROGRAM AWARDS
Great American Cleanup Award Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) has been a proud and consistent state organizer of the Great American Cleanup (GAC) since 2002 and has had 100% county participation – with at least one group in every county participating – for nine consecutive years. Through the GAC program, KOB provides communities with free supplies and support to help make a lasting difference across the state. The GAC in Oklahoma involves a variety of organizations, including municipalities, businesses, school organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and civic organizations. In 2018, more than 46,000 people participated and volunteered in events, including litter abatement, waterway cleanups, community beautification, graffiti removal, tree plantings, and educational events. Overall, the collective effort resulted in outcomes ranging from 2.9 million pounds of litter and debris collected to 249 miles of rivers, lakes and shorelines cleaned. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Tampa, Florida Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) annually presents its Great American Cleanup (GAC) as a call to action to foster unity and strengthen community bonds through beautification and community improvement efforts across Tampa Bay. KTBB’s GAC brings together thousands of volunteers and corporate groups from the community to help end littering, improve recycling and 8
beautify the local area. In 2018, KTBB strengthened its connection between youth education and service by encouraging youth volunteers to become environmentally responsible stewards. In addition, KTBB partnered with Valet Living and the City of Tampa to help clean Tampa Bay and promote recycling with the help of nationally-recognized 7-year-old recycling hero, Ryan Hickman. Ryan and his team assisted in cleanup efforts and educated others on the value of recycling, along with recycling opportunities for multi-family residents.
Cigarette Litter Prevention Program Award Keep Tennessee Beautiful Memphis, Tennessee Keep Tennessee Beautiful (KTnB) has engaged business, tourism, residential and volunteer community leaders to make an impact on cigarette litter across the state by utilizing Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP) grants. In 2018, KTnB worked with several partners, such as the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD), Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS), and Metro Beautification Environment Commission (MBEC) to place cigarette receptacles at the 15 state welcome centers. KTnB, in partnership with BMS, completed cigarette scans, which identified a need for more receptacles at the sites. Following the scan, 100 receptacles were installed. MBEC focused on four festivals, where KTnB set up booths, passed out a total of 5,500 pocket ashtrays to adult smokers, and placed 10 receptacles near trash cans/recycling bins. In total, KTnB utilized 486 new and existing stand- and wallmounted receptacles throughout the year. Overall, scans have indicated a reduction in cigarette littering at all sites that have been measured.
YOUTH & EDUCATION AWARDS Eagles Recyclers Club, Springdale Elementary Macon, Georgia Youth Group - On-Campus The inspiration to form the Eagles Recyclers Club at Springdale Elementary School was Macon-Bibb County’s curbside recycling program, which many of the students’ families participate in. The students noticed a lot of paper, plastic and cardboard at the school was being thrown away and from that information they implemented a plan for recycling at their school. The long-term goal of the club, which is comprised of students from 3rd through 5th grade, was to reduce
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the number of recyclables being thrown away. The students participated in Keep America Beautiful’s Recycle-Bowl and continued collecting data throughout the school year. Each week, the Eagle Recyclers recorded the breakdown of the pounds collected from their designated areas. By the end of the 2017-18 school year, the students recorded an additional 3,090 pounds of recyclable materials beyond the more than 2,800 pounds recorded during Recycle-Bowl. Eagle Recyclers noticed a significant decrease in the amount collected in the school’s dumpsters and an increase in volume in the school’s four recycling carts. Lake Jackson Youth Advisory Commission Lake Jackson, Texas Youth Group - Off-Campus The Lake Jackson Youth Advisory Commission (YAC) is a city-sponsored youth board comprised of 60plus 7th through 12th grade students from public and private schools. The group is a key contributor to the success of Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful, and often partners with Keep Brazoria County Beautiful, Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep America Beautiful, Texas Municipal League and many other local organizations. Through partnerships with these groups and others, Lake Jackson’s YAC members have learned to take responsibility for their environment. In the 201718 school year, they spent nearly 4,000 hours doing community service work from cleanups to recycling events. The students were instrumental in helping clean up debris left by Hurricane Harvey during America Recycles Day. They assisted in cleaning efforts, passing out supplies, and helping at shelters. In addition, they educated their peers about litter prevention, beautification and recycling. Mariana Perez Grand Prairie, Texas Youth Leader As the Animals and Environment Chair for the South Grand Prairie High School (SGP) Interact Club, Mariana Perez has a passion for the environment and was motivated to reduce litter and increase recycling. Mariana joined with Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful to make the school a Keep America Beautiful (KAB) School program, executing the three required modules: LitterFree Places, Trashless Tree Trails, and Solid Waste and Recycling Audit. She shared an educational video about what is and is not recyclable, and performed a second waste audit, which found significantly less contamination in the bins and less trash in the recycle bins. Throughout the school year, she continued with waste audits and student awareness campaigns. This resulted in the number of non #1 and #2 plastics found in the bins being reduced by 52%. During this initiative, Mariana and other students learned how to carefully plan and carry out projects that focus on 10
litter prevention and recycling. She also assisted in implementing “Recycle Buddies,” which pairs a club member and a student with special needs to collect recycling from classrooms. Overall, Mariana's guidance in making SGP a KAB School has provided a model of leadership that SGP strives to maintain.
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Young Professional Award Dr. Brett Rushing Mississippi State University Extension Service Newton, Mississippi Dr. Brett Rushing, research professor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, serves as the science advisor to Keep Mississippi Beautiful’s (KMB) signature Wildflower Trails of Mississippi project. To KMB, Dr. Rushing is “Mr. Wildflower.” He helped launch the project in 2015 and helped develop its original seed mix. With a contagious passion for wildflowers, he has educated affiliate leaders on wildflower ecology and maintenance. Moreover, he’s worked with affiliates and local communities to help successfully plant wildflowers throughout the state. Because of the decline of wildflowers across Mississippi, Dr. Rushing actively researches best practices to plant wildflower seeds and fight off competitive species. In addition, his research and outreach efforts are working to solve gaps in knowledge about wildflowers, as well as to gain greater accessibility to seeds.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD
Parks Officer Fred Knaggs Port St. Lucie Police Department Fred Knaggs is a Parks Officer for the City of Port St. Lucie Police Department and has been a member of the Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful (KPSLB) Committee since 2013. Officer Knaggs has served on litter prevention committees and coordinates events at the Civic Center. In response to a resident asking about a tax on bottles, he created a presentation that accurately and visually explained the “Bottle Bill” Returnable Container Act. After KPSLB reached out numerous times to a local business following litter complaints with no favorable response, Officer Knaggs took it upon himself to visit the property, speak to the manager and investigate the issues involved. The effort resulted in a noticeable improvement at the business. He also assists with the community’s Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup and KPSLB’s Great American Cleanup events.
AFFILIATE AWARDS
Bill Nash Award Keep Starkville Beautiful Starkville, Mississippi Since launching in 2017, Keep Starkville Beautiful (KSB) has made significant investments to end littering, beautify public spaces, and improve recycling. While a young organization, KSB has significantly grown its partnerships and support in the community. KSB has organized and partnered on multiple beautification and litter cleanup efforts, including an annual area project called “Get Swept Up!” This KSB-led volunteer initiative took place before Mississippi State’s first home football game to clean the city. KSB has worked to revamp two city parks and enhance recycling options in public spaces. As part of its recycling efforts, KSB received a Keurig Dr Pepper/Keep America Beautiful Park Recycling Bin Grant Program award resulting in the placement of 30 recycling bins placed in parks throughout the city. In addition, KSB has worked with the school districts to coordinate recycling efforts with ongoing recycling opportunities available in the area.
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Affiliate Awards (By Population)
(The Affiliate Awards (By Population) recognizes the top affiliate in four population categories.)
Under 30,000 Keep San Saba Beautiful San Saba, Texas (See description on page 21.)
30,001 - 100,000 Keep Smyrna Beautiful, Inc. Smyrna, Georgia (See description on page 21.)
100,001 - 250,000 Shreveport Green Shreveport, Louisiana (See description on page 19.)
250,001 & above Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana (See description on page 15.)
Award of Excellence
(Affiliates scoring 90 or above on the 2018 application.) Keep Alachua County Beautiful Gainesville, Florida Keep Alachua County Beautiful’s (KACB) mission is to work with citizens, business and government to beautify, conserve resources, recycle, educate and preserve its community’s environmental legacy. Over the last 27 years, KACB has successfully reduced litter through cleanup and beautification events. The Great American Cleanup message is used to power events year-round. In addition, its “Drive It Home” campaign in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation focuses on reducing roadside litter. KACB maintains a landscape bank offering free plants for right of ways, parks, and school routes. The affiliate planted as many as 18,000 trees in a year with a Keep America Beautiful/UPS grant. The KACB partnership with the GROW HUB program, supported through a Keep America Beautiful/Lowe’s Community Partners Grant, sells plants at a reduced cost and teaches horticultural and craft job skills to adults with disabilities and veterans horticultural and craft job skills. Graffiti prevention and the reduction of blight 13
are ongoing initiatives with KACB’s graffiti prevention specialist identifying approximately 150 incidences each month to remediate. KACB and Alachua County work to promote the importance of recycling and composting, as well as proper municipal solid waste disposal. Moreover, KACB assists the community in recovering from storms and building resiliency. Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful Albany, Georgia Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful’s (KADB) mission is to educate and challenge its citizens to take greater responsibility for protecting and enhancing its community’s environment. KADB’s programs have targeted blighted areas and focused on the abatement of dilapidated structures, litter and vegetation overgrowth. The affiliate has coordinated eight volunteer efforts in the area that targeted litter abatement. KADB partnered with The Albany Herald on features highlighting business environmental issues, such as solid waste disposal, junk cars, recycling, illegal dumping, graffiti, litter, and storm drain pollution. It also served as a vehicle to express the important role that the visual appearance of every business plays in Albany’s economic development success. KADB also partnered with the Dougherty County School System in an ongoing elementary school classroom paper recycling project. From July of 2017 through June of 2018, the KADB Board of Commissioners engaged thousands of Dougherty County citizens in educational, environmental improvement activities. Public/private partnerships achieved environmental awareness through hands-on involvement. During the year, participants and volunteers donated thousands of hours of environmental service, which has and will continue to positively alter attitudes and behaviors that will impact future generations. Keep Citrus County Beautiful Lecanto, Florida Because Citrus County, Florida, depends heavily on tourism, litter is not only an aesthetic issue, but an economic one. As a result, Keep Citrus County Beautiful (KCCB) focuses much of its programming on litter prevention. KCCB’s annual Adopt-a-Highway (AAH) Blitz, in cooperation with County and State AAH groups, engaged more than 240 volunteers who collected 3,260 pounds of litter and debris this past year. KCCB’s Snag'N'Bag is a longstanding program that prevents litter from entering rivers, lakes, springs and coastal waters. KCCB and government partners have established a series of 15 stations located at public boat ramps, waterside parks and fishing piers that contain litter bag dispensers and monofilament recycling receptacles. KCCB also partners with the County for the Rivers, Lakes and Coastal Cleanup as part of International Coastal Cleanup each September, with as many as 1,000 volunteers. The affiliate also provides an anti-littering lesson plan for the Sheriff's Office Teen Driver Challenge program, reaching 14
nearly 400 high school students annually. And on the beautification front, KCCB partnered with the Homosassa River Garden Club to provide landscaping for 12 Habitat for Humanity homes. Keep Cobb Beautiful Marietta, Georgia Keep Cobb Beautiful (KCB) covers Cobb County, the third most populous county in Georgia. KCB has been aggressive in moving its recycling program forward, helping to increase the county’s community recycling event participation rate by 900% over the past three years and kicking off its new Hefty® EnergyBag® Grant Program in 2018. The affiliate wrote new rules and guidelines to encourage greater Adopt-A-Mile (AAM) participation and engage new groups to take over abandoned miles in the county. As a result, AAM membership grew from 115 to 184 groups, making a significant impact on the cleanliness of Cobb County’s roadways. KCB provided grants to local schools for the Dig n’ the Dirt Learning Gardens as well as partnered with the Cobb County Water System to provide plants for a butterfly garden. KCB also manages the Cobb Tree Fund (CTF), which offers trees at no cost to public lands, school properties, and government properties to replenish tree canopy lost through land development or drought. A public-private partnership helped CTF provide 170 trees to senior citizen communities. Keep Douglasville Beautiful Douglasville, Georgia Keep Douglasville Beautiful (KDB) has significantly increased community participation by creating events such as the Cache in Trash Out (CITO) Geocache Event in which participants removed approximately 450 lbs. of litter from a local park and creek, tripling the amount collected from the previous year. KDB released its first PSA – a music video affectionately known as the “Trash Mob,” targeting local youth. It also introduced an Adopt-A-Road Program, and revitalized its community parks, downtown area, and city cemetery with over 3,000 trees, shrubs and flowers. Its signature project, the Military Honor Garden, was initially designed to honor one of Douglas County’s fallen soldiers. The dedication of “Josh’s Tree” ultimately led to the creation of an area honoring all members of the Douglasville military community and their families. The Honor Garden was successfully completed through the efforts of over 150 volunteers. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana With a mission that’s both humanistic and ecological, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) brought together nonprofits, government, and community organizations to make Indianapolis a cleaner, greener, more beautiful place to live. Each year, tens of thousands of volunteers 15
from local businesses and churches joined KIB to plant and care for their local community. KIB has contributed to its beautification effort by transforming vacant lots into beautiful, functional greenspaces, restoring acres of habitat, and removing nearly 2 million pounds of litter from Indianapolis streets. Through KIB programs, local people are connected to City resources and achieve professional development at environmental education workshops. KIB inspires community action with a goal to engage 100,000 individuals to volunteer or act independently on behalf of the environment by 2022. Keep Katy Beautiful Katy, Texas Keep Katy Beautiful (KKB) promotes litter mitigation efforts and environmental health in its community. After Hurricane Harvey, KKB was able to clean and improve more than 20 public spaces. With the launch of a "Keep Katy Clean" campaign, residents got the support they needed in their cleanup efforts of flood damaged properties. KKB also partnered with local police to address illegal dumping. Using a bilingual brochure, KKB addressed illegal dumping and provided resources for recycling yard waste and bulk items, which decreased its Litter Index score from 2.2 to 1.7. KKB, in partnership with local Boy/Girl Scout troops, led programs dedicated to educating children on environmental issues. At the conclusion of the project with the troops, 62 trees were mulched at the Katy Arboretum. The City, in partnership with KKB, is developing a 90-acre Katy Boardwalk District with walking trails and educational signs for trees, grasses and animals. And over 10,000 volunteer hours were logged at Katy Prairie Conservancy, with volunteers replacing non-native species with native plants. Keep Keith County Beautiful Ogallala, Nebraska Keep Keith County Beautiful (KKCB) is the go-to organization for all green activities in its area. With an emphasis on behavior change, KKCB has partnered with local schools to promote Keep America Beautiful’s Litter Free Schools program. KKCB put together a task force of 120 kids called the “Green Team” to promote best recycling practices and educate their classmates on how easy it is to be green. During America Recycles Day, 400 students pledged to decrease litter and increase recycling. KKCB partnered with the local Chamber of Commerce to structure a Keith County Area Leadership Class (KCALC) that utilized its “Recycling at Work” program. KCALC went on to conduct a Waste Audit, which recycled over 22 tons of material over the year. KKCB strives to continue to be an invaluable resource to the Keith County community and a leader in all things clean and green.
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Keep Kingsport Beautiful Kingsport, Tennessee Keep Kingsport Beautiful (KKB), in the foothills of Northeast Tennessee, continues to build on the enthusiastic participation it receives by its local volunteers and sponsors. KKB has developed nine specific programs to be implemented during 20182020 that will be funded by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Litter Grant program. Trashbusters volunteers worked 11 litter-free events including the nine-day Fun Fest festival, which has an attendance of 180,000. KKB’s Trash Barrel Paint-In is another popular annual event. Volunteers painted over 500 donated barrels which are then provided to the city for use as trash cans at over 110 events. Clean Sweep Kingsport, KKB's Great American Cleanup event, featured eight different cleanups with 365 volunteers collecting more than 15 tons of litter and debris. KKB’s Recycling Education On the Go mobile classroom takes the classroom to city and county schools, reaching over 29,000 students, and to KKB's Conservation Camp, reaching over 800 students from three school systems. And, in 2018, KKB created a new partnership with the Kingsport Farmers Market by holding a spring and summer series of free gardening classes. Keep Liberty Beautiful Midway, Georgia A Keep America Beautiful affiliate since 1983, Keep Liberty Beautiful (KLB) is a community education, volunteer action program focusing on Keep America Beautiful’s three pillars as well as stormwater pollution and water conservation education. KLB’s 22-member advisory board represents the business sector as well as all seven municipalities and commission districts in Liberty County. KLB’s board creates a plan that puts the ‘action’ in the KLB community education. This past year, more than 5,300 KLB volunteers contributed nearly 22,750 hours (valued at nearly $545,000) in KLB’s initiatives. Liberty County partnered with local volunteers to construct a dog park, a playground, and a Veterans Memorial Walk Garden. KLB also partnered with seven youth groups, 15 agencies, three schools, two community park organizations, two neighborhood associations and three municipalities to maintain 27 community gardens and 10 fruit tree community orchards. KLB schools have enjoyed learning and practicing proper solid waste practices through their recycling program. In the last three years, one of the local middle schools placed in the Top 10 in state recycling contests, including the GACR Aluminum Can Recycling Contest and Recycle-Bowl, as well as placing nationally in the PepsiCo Recycle Rally.
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Keep Manatee Beautiful Bradenton, Florida Established in 1991, Keep Manatee Beautiful (KMB) is dedicated to promoting community awareness and involvement in litter prevention, recycling and beautification throughout Manatee County. KMB’s programs and events, including its Adopt-A-Highway, Road and Shore programs, have a significant effect on the community. Since its inception, KMB has removed graffiti from over 1,000 sites via its Graffiti Hurts Program; planted more than 7,000 trees; led 12 schools to become certified in the Leave Your Mark Keep America Beautiful Schools Program; installed 166 cigarette bins at public beaches, trolley stops and piers; and mobilized over 147,000 volunteers. KMB has not only generated more awareness in the community but has also created a deeper sense of responsibility. Keep McAlester Beautiful McAlester, Oklahoma Keep McAlester Beautiful (KMB) is a Keep America Beautiful nonprofit affiliate in a rural Southeastern Oklahoma community of 18,000 citizens. More than 600 volunteers spend thousands of hours collecting more than 1 million pounds of waste annually for proper disposal and recycling. The affiliate, founded in 2008, also paints public property, advocates for clean water, plants trees and flowers, educates the community about sustainability, supports pollinator gardens, and installs public art. The organization partners with other entities to organize projects, loan equipment, and provide access to their network for awards and grants. From July 2017 to June 2018, KMB administered five programs, completed 19 projects, improved 21 public spaces, cleaned 15 miles of roadway, planted 67 trees, and directly impacted nearly 4,200 citizens with only one employee and an operating budget of just under $100,000. The organization received numerous local and statewide awards for its programs and was recognized with the Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award in 2016 and 2017. Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Inc. St. Petersburg, Florida Keep Pinellas Beautiful (KPB) strives to conserve and beautify its natural environment by applying the Keep America Beautiful Behavior Change System. KPB has adapted its efforts toward a comprehensive education and community engagement plan that is reinforced through Community Appearance Index findings. Over the past year, KPB has worked to expand its Beautification Program to help reconnect communities with the outdoors and shift perceptions of ownership and personal pride within its communities.
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For example, KPB developed new programming, including Adopt-A-Community and Adopt-A-Alley, which allows a community member to take ownership and maintain a public space. KPB relies on its network of volunteers, partners and support of sponsors. Since 2015, KPB has seen growth in participation of community improvement initiatives, and in the past year, KPB engaged nearly 15,600 volunteers in more than 1,450 community improvement initiatives for a total of 52,565 volunteer hours. Metro Beautification and Environment Commission Nashville, Tennessee The Metro Beautification and Environment Commission (MBEC), a division of Metro Nashville Public Works, aims to deliver services that help define the quality of life for Nashville and Davidson County’s residents, businesses and visitors by ensuring a safe and convenient complete streets transportation infrastructure; protecting the environment; and creating cleaner, beautiful, and more livable neighborhoods. It coordinates the efforts of volunteers, city departments, business and community groups, and government agencies to provide environmental programs, beautification projects, and training and educational opportunities for the residents and visitors alike. On average, MBEC helps organize over 600 volunteer cleanups a year, with nearly half of them falling during the Great American Cleanup. Nashville is currently working on a 30-year solid waste master plan to achieve zero waste. The MBEC has made several improvements in the last year to increase education in the recycling program. In addition to working with area schools, the MBEC has educated nearly 6,000 residents and distributed several hundred backyard compost bins at free classes. Shreveport Green Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport Green, located in the largest metropolitan area in Caddo Parish, is dedicated to promoting a healthy, sustainable and economically vital community through public outreach, community enhancement and respect for the natural and built environment. To deliver a higher Community Appearance Score, Shreveport Green decided to take action. The affiliate worked closely with community stakeholders, including Shreveport Police Department’s Neighborhood Assistance Team on addressing illegal dumpsites as well as other litter problems in the neighborhoods. Shreveport Green conducted nearly 300 cleanups in the last year, including a city-wide Great American Cleanup. The group also launched its first digital tree inventory, and, as part of the initiative, more than 1,400 trees were planted at four intersections on Interstate 49.
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Shreveport Green also continued its recycling education program, which included presentations in schools and neighborhoods, reaching over 2,100 citizens. This outreach is responsible for garnering a 40% participation rate in the city curbside recycling program.
Sustained Excellence Award (Winners of the Sustained Excellence Award won an Affiliate Award in 2016 and 2017, and scored a 90 or above on this year's judging.) Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Cincinnati, Ohio For 40 years, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) has been a resource for the 52 neighborhoods that comprise the city, concentrating its work on five programs: Great American Cleanup, Environmental Services, Green Space, Arts, and Education. KCB works with the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability and other partners to increase recycling rates through education and the Great American Cleanup programs. KCB’s citywide Litter Index scores from 2018 showed a dramatic 24% decrease across the City, with some districts seeing as high as a 40% decrease. KCB provides free classroom programs, fieldtrips, and service learning opportunities. The Don't Trash my 'Nati litter prevention program reached more than 27,000 children at 85 schools and daycare centers through more than 250 events. KCB’s Urban Revitalization programs (Arts, Environmental Services and Greenspace) tackle quality of life issues that exist in many neighborhoods by strategically addressing blight, litter and crime in targeted areas. During the 2017-2018 program year, KCB painted 82 new vacant buildings, completed one new mural, and one art installation. Moreover, KCB helped divert over 500,000 pounds of recyclables from the landfill at schools and community centers. Keep Irving Beautiful Irving, Texas Formed in 1992, Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) strives to educate the community about litter abatement, recycling and beautification to help preserve environmental health and promote the city’s social and economic prosperity. KIB addresses litter conditions with three behavior strategies: written expectations, consequences and tools, technology and education. Litter conditions have improved, with Community Appearance Index scores down 29% from the initial baseline of 1.90 in 2001. KIB works on litter prevention through cleanups, an active Adopt-a-Spot program and anti-litter laws. It views cleanups as an opportunity to teach volunteers in conjunction with programs such as the National Public Lands Day, the “Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off” and KAB’s Great American Cleanup. 20
And for its recycling focus, KIB offers a Green Events Program, which provides recycling and trash containers, double-sided English/Spanish signs, and volunteers to monitor and replace bags while educating attendees about proper waste management. Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful Lake Jackson, Texas Litter prevention has been the backbone of Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful (KLJB) since its inception as a KAB Affiliate. KLJB works with the city to coordinate projects like graffiti abatement, cleanups and plantings, while focusing on restoration, preservation and enhancement of Lake Jackson’s scenic beauty. To assist in combatting litter, KLJB started putting litter bags in Newcomer Packets, distributing 10,000 litter bags as part of this campaign. KLJB also created a “Business Affiliate Program” to encourage businesses to promote a cleaner, litter-free downtown area. KLJB has been named a “Tree City USA” for over 36 years. To achieve this, KLJB coordinates efforts to preserve, replant and replace trees throughout the area. KLJB also assists in curbside recycling, electronic collection, paper shredding, and code enforcement efforts. Keep San Saba Beautiful San Saba, Texas Rural San Saba, “Pecan Capital of the World,” has aggressively combatted litter, actively engaged volunteers, and beautified the town since becoming an affiliate in 2009. Keep San Saba Beautiful (KSSB) cleanup numbers reached an unbelievable level because of the San Saba Independent School District collaboration. District leadership worked with KSSB to create the “Armadillos Get Involved” project, which took a normal school day and turned it into an “out-ofclassroom” community workday. Almost one-third of San Saba’s population showed up to work on 29 community projects. Included in the 900-plus volunteers were 750 students. KSSB also continues to sustain its Community Garden and Elementary Native Garden. In 2018, KSSB planted 3,500 native annuals and perennials in 49 downtown planters and other locations. Keep Smyrna Beautiful, Inc. Smyrna, Georgia Keep Smyrna Beautiful (KSB) brings together government, businesses and residents to protect and improve the quality of life of the City of Smyrna. KSB aims to establish a litter-free norm in its community. For instance, three city concerts were held as Litter Free Events to raise awareness about personal responsibility for litter prevention and recycling. In 2018, KSB worked with over 1,800 volunteers who gave more than 6,600 hours of service. The affiliate also focuses on community greening projects, including a 21
Garden Tour that showcases local gardens and raises funds for school campus beautification. In addition, KSB operates a local Recycling Center, which had over 24,000 visitors in 2018. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Tampa, Florida Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) promotes a culture of environmental stewardship through volunteer and educational opportunities by forming partnerships with local governments, corporations, schools, and neighborhood organizations. KTBB believes combining education with environmental initiatives creates a cohesive community effort for change. KTTB’s AdoptA-Road Program has grown significantly with 333 groups participating in removing litter from roads, parks and shorelines compared to 313 the previous year. In 2018, more than 17,000 KTTB volunteers contributed nearly 65,000 hours of service. KTBB’s ongoing beautification efforts included 4,214 pounds of invasive plants removed, 10,584 acres of habitat restored, 214 trees planted, and 833 landscape beautification projects. In addition, the amount of litter collected and removed has been substantial. During a six-month span in 2018, volunteers on a bi-weekly basis removed over 3,740 pounds of litter. KTBB also has a variety of recycling initiatives aimed at creating interest, awareness and motivation to reuse, recycle, and upcycle all kinds of materials. OKC Beautiful Oklahoma City, Oklahoma OKC Beautiful strives to enhance the image and appearance of Oklahoma City through education, programs and community engagement. In 2018, OKC Beautiful celebrated 50 years of making a positive impact on the economic success of its community. Due to its efforts, large single stream containers were implemented in Oklahoma City. OKC Beautiful’s environmental education program, “Mother Earth,” highlights the importance of recycling, waste reduction and graffiti prevention through its activities. Its “Recycle Bin Loan Program” provides recycle bins and trash bags for free to events of any size – from marathons to weddings. OKC Beautiful has also planted 62,000 trees and shrubs in Oklahoma City public spaces, significantly reducing its impact on the environment. In addition, there has been a reduction in its Community Appearance Index due to projects, including LitterBlitz. Through the program, which is part of the Great American Cleanup, volunteers have grown to more than 11,300 annually, picking up 162,500 pounds of trash in 2018.
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INNOVATION AWARDS
Innovation Awards - Program Local Affiliate Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful Tampa Bay, Florida The Hillsborough Trash Free Waters Program is a set of actions developed by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) aimed at reducing or even eliminating the volume of trash entering waterways. The program is continuously implementing new and innovative ideas. KTBB, Zephyrhills 100% Natural Spring Water and its partners have developed a focused set of actions and projects that have significantly reduced and eliminated the volume of litter and debris entering the Hillsborough River Watershed. The newest addition to the Hillsborough Trash Free Waters Program is the WATERGOAT™, which collects litter and debris that washes into storm drains from surrounding neighborhood streets. KTBB enlisted the help of the company to install this innovative device to minimize the amount of litter and debris entering our waterways and trapping the litter before it flows out to the bay. In the last year, the WATERGOAT™ has collected and prevented 7,142 lbs. of litter and debris from entering the bay. In addition, different species of fish and birds have been reintroduced to the area.
State Affiliate Keep California Beautiful Bakersfield, California Keep California Beautiful (KCB) initiated a Collegiate Affiliate Program (CAP), an umbrella program to engage and involve colleges and universities. KCB developed CAP with California State University, Sacramento (SacState). The program was piloted at SacState, where they conducted a litter assessment, waste audit, tree inventory, and beautification projects. KCB worked closely with SacState on designing the criteria for affiliation. The program was designed with flexibility to work with Community Colleges (2 year), State Colleges/Universities (4 year) and Private Institutions (4 year). The overall Program encourages all colleges and universities to follow a similar system to identify campus needs. Each campus implements different, but similar programs. KCB has developed a new on-line reporting system to evaluate results and assist the collegiate affiliate in sharing feedback. The unique design of the points system recognizing existing environmental programs is making the program a welcome companion rather than a competition. 23
Innovation Awards - Partnership Local Affiliate Keep Ridgeland Beautiful Ridgeland, Mississippi Keep Ridgeland Beautiful (KRB) and the Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce formed a successful partnership to develop a city beautification project. The Chamber’s new president approached KRB to help bring her chosen motto, “Rooted in Success,” to life. The project involved the two groups working together to implement a mass planting of zinnias in the city. Members of the KRB board of directors, city officials, and the executive director of the chamber were also involved in the effort, coined as “Rooted in Success – Zinnia Fields Forever!” The team chose to plant the flowers along the city’s section of Highway 51, one of the main thoroughfares and city gateways. There are plans to reseed existing fields, which brighten the lives of those that drive past, and to extend plantings in other parts of the city. In addition, Keep Mississippi Beautiful played a role in leading tours of affiliate directors through the zinnia fields, helping to share the innovation with other affiliates around the state.
State Affiliate Keep Mississippi Beautiful Madison, Mississippi Keep Mississippi Beautiful (KMB) teamed up with The Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott and PepsiCo to develop the state anti-litter campaign, “Don’t Litter… Can It, Mississippi.” Prescott, who was Mississippi State University’s quarterback before playing pro, serves as the honorary chair of the campaign. In 2016, Dak was caught on camera throwing his cup toward a trash can on the sidelines. When he missed, he got up and threw it away. To Dak's surprise, the video went viral, Dak responded with: “I got up and put my trash where it belongs.” KMB wanted to leverage the viral moment to help raise awareness on putting trash in its place. KMB worked with PepsiCo, the Mississippi Beverage Association, and Mann Agency to develop the tagline, campaign information, visuals, and PSAs. In addition, KMB’s affiliate network across the state has played an important role in raising awareness for the campaign.
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NATIONAL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS
Beautifying Communities Home Depot Foundation Community Improvement Project for Veterans and Liberty County Midway, Georgia Nonprofit Through the partnership between Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and the Hinesville Downtown Development Authority, the Home Depot Foundation selected Hinesville’s Bryant Commons Park as a location to impact veterans, military families, and Liberty County residents. As part of the foundation’s commitment to improve the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families, the park was chosen after several site visits and numerous in-depth interviews with local stakeholders. Over 400 volunteers from Home Depot and Liberty County helped transform the park through four main projects: Veterans Memorial Walk, which included planting 1,200 jasmines and other species of shrubbery; Cisco’s Dog Park, which was built to include the planting of 50 native trees; creating and assembling Bramble’s Children’s Playground; and assembling two-dozen benches with shade structures. The initiative fostered many community partnerships and reminded members of the community what can happen when volunteers come together to make a difference. Keep Douglasville Beautiful Douglasville, Georgia Affiliate The signature project of Keep Douglasville Beautiful is the Douglasville Military Honor Garden. The project started with the desire to honor one of Douglas County’s fallen soldiers, Staff Sergeant Joshua Bowden, who was killed at the age of 28 while serving in Afghanistan. A large Oak tree, referred to as “Josh’s Tree,” was dedicated in his memory and planted in the center of the three Oaks that anchor the north end of the garden. The location for the garden was selected to compliment an existing memorial that was built in 1998, the Lt. Robert G. Hunter Veterans Memorial. While the Honor Garden was initially designed as a single tree dedicated to the Bowden family, it blossomed into an all-encompassing garden for all to appreciate and enjoy. The project is the largest volunteer-built public garden in the community and is filled with welcoming sidewalks, vibrant colored flowers, shade trees, granite monuments, benches, an open lawn, and service branch flags; creating a social space for all to enjoy while also paying tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
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End Littering Lake County Adopt-a-Lake Program Tavares, Florida Government In 2008, the Lake County Adopt-a-Lake (AAL) Program was created to involve the public to assist in protecting, preserving and restoring Lake County’s more than 1,500 lakes. The AAL program coordinates and promotes lake cleanup, water quality, and education throughout the year at various events. The program consists of multiple options for volunteer participation, including water quality monitoring, pollution prevention, educational outreach, and monofilament fishing line recycling. Volunteers adopt a section of a waterbody or shoreline and perform monthly cleanups of the adopted area. Since its inception, volunteers have removed over 12,000 pounds of litter from Lake County’s waterways. Overall, the efforts have led to a cleaner, more beautiful community.
Improving Recycling West TN Regional Recycling Hub Henderson, Tennessee Government The goal of the West TN Regional Recycling Hub, a government agency servicing West Tennessee, is to partner with surrounding counties to collect and process recycling. The Hub was created to help start recycling programs in rural areas. Currently, the Hub partners with eight other counties and cities to collect recyclables. Partnering with Keep Chester County Beautiful (KCCB), the Hub offers year-round education programs on recycling and litter prevention. It is also dedicated to responsibly eliminating solid waste through waste reduction programs. The Hub worked with KCCB to develop an educational plan in launching the Volunteer to Recycle Program. This program kicked off in Chester County and surrounding counties to help raise awareness about recycling. The Hub also participates in the Great American Cleanup, America Recycles Day, and other Keep America Beautiful events. City of Miami Department of Solid Waste Miami, Florida Government The City of Miami Department of Solid Waste works to offer recycling opportunities, as well as environmental education. The Department of Solid Waste’s Environmental Source Reduction and Recycling Division develops community education programs and workshops to drive behavior changes. To spearhead participation in sustainability and resiliency, the 26
Department of Solid Waste uses the Keep Miami Beautiful Ambassador program, an educational program used to spread awareness in order to prevent illegal dumping, littering, and to encourage recycling participation among youth. The Solid Waste Department also implements the Keep Miami Beautiful Recycling Reading Tour, which helps establish recycling as a responsibility from preschool aged students and beyond. The city also participates in a Summer Youth Program which affords low- to medium-income students the opportunity to gain work experience. In 2018, teens distributed 16,300 educational packets, presented environmental information to 36 Miami Parks Summer Camps, and participated in nine community cleanups. Through these programs and more, the Department of Solid Waste aims to address the problems people have by simplifying processes and making it as convenient as possible to recycle.
Overall Community Improvement Keep Athens-Clark County Beautiful Athens, Georgia Affiliate Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (KACCB) is a program of the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Solid Waste Department/Recycling Division with the mission to educate and empower citizens and businesses with resources to take action as environmental stewards of litter prevention, waste reduction, and beautification. In 2003, KACCB along with the ACC government and the Clarke County School District implemented a Green Schools Program to bring environmental education and programming to students. The Green Schools Program focused on recycling beautification, water conservation, litter and waste reduction, agriculture and natural resources, and the protection of streams and rivers. The initiative is also a way for KACCB to increase environmental literacy and get schools involved with the Great American Cleanup, America Recycles Day, and National Planting Day. Since its inception, the program has grown from just two schools and a handful of teachers to reaching 25 schools and over 5,000 students annually.
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STATE AFFILIATE RECOGNITION AWARDS Diamond Level Keep Florida Beautiful Keep Georgia Beautiful 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 California Beautiful Keep the Hawaiian Islands Beautiful Keep Maryland Beautiful
Good Standing Keep Alabama Beautiful Keep Arizona Beautiful Keep Arkansas Beautiful Keep Delaware Beautiful Keep Illinois Beautiful Keep Iowa Beautiful Keep Massachusetts Beautiful Keep Michigan Beautiful Keep North Carolina Beautiful New Mexico Clean and Beautiful
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STATE AGENCY PARTNERSHIP AWARDS Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Keep Florida Beautiful Mississippi Department of Transportation Keep Mississippi Beautiful Ohio Department of Transportation Keep Ohio Beautiful Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Keep Ohio Beautiful Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Forestry Services Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Oklahoma Department of Transportation 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 Transportation Keep Tennessee Beautiful Texas Department of Transportation Keep Texas Beautiful Virginia Department of Transportation Keep Virginia Beautiful
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ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Carolyn Crayton Award Cynde Martin Dickey Dickey Farms Musella, Georgia Cynde Martin Dickey has been a member of the Keep Roberta-Crawford Beautiful's (KRCB) board, as its treasurer, for the past 30 years. Cynde and her husband, Georgia Representative Robert Dickey (R-Musella), are also the owners and operators of Dickey Farms, which has been growing peaches for over 120 years. As the treasurer of KRCB, Cynde has led the affiliate through both prosperous times and difficult times, but always with a sense of mission. During her tenure, she has assisted in writing in grants, which led to several community improvement initiatives, including the creation of a city park with a walking trail, pavilion, and fountain where an abandoned railroad exchange track existed, and the revitalization of an abandoned church into the Roberta/Crawford Civic Center 10 miles from its original location. As an advocate for proper solid waste management, Cynde supported efforts to install a recycling program in the community. Today, there is a state-of-the-art recycling center in this rural community, collecting cardboard, aluminum, glass, steel cans, plastic, magazines, office waste, newspaper, electronics and used motor oil. In a county with limited financial resources, Cynde does her part to encourage citizens, businesses and the government to believe the seemingly impossible is possible. In addition to her volunteer work for KRCB, she serves on the boards of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, Georgia AgriTourism Association, and Community Foundation of Central Georgia.
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Lady Bird Johnson Award Joanne Weik San Saba, Texas Joanne Weik has been an active contributor of Keep America Beautiful for many years. Joanne has and continues to work with several local affiliates in Texas, including Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful, Keep Brazoria County Beautiful, Keep Angleton Beautiful and Keep San Saba Beautiful, as well as the state affiliate Keep Texas Beautiful, where she serves as Board Member Emeritus. Joanne has given innumerable presentations, attended over 2,200 environmentally-focused volunteer meetings, traveled many miles across the country, and donated tens of thousands of volunteer hours to deliver the KAB message. She has been involved with affiliate programs that have received 150-plus state and national awards, due in no small part to her exceptional leadership. Through her involvement, Joanne facilitated the resurrection of Keep Brazoria County Beautiful, and helped launch and certify Keep Angleton Beautiful and Keep San Saba Beautiful. She has organized and participated in more than 50 Great American Cleanups, 20 annual Litter Index Surveys, and developed and grown recycling programs in three cities and two school districts. Every association and community Joanne has worked with has seen a vast improvement in their solid waste program. Joanne isn’t the only Weik who is a Keep America Award recipient; husband Stan Weik is a past Iron Eyes Cody Award winner!
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Iron Eyes Cody Award Alan Donn Tampa, Florida Alan “Al� Donn has been involved with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) for over 25 years and currently sits on its Board of Trustees. Though retired, Al regularly volunteers by planting trees, abating illegal dump sites, preserving nature trails, and assisting with coastal cleanups. Daily, he removes litter as he walks around his neighborhood and takes the extra step to sort what he collects to recycle as much as possible. When Al moved to Florida in the late 1980s, he joined the Telecom Pioneers, a national organization of professionals who give back to their community through volunteer efforts. His eagerness for environmental stewardship was quickly recognized by the Telecom Pioneers and they bestowed him with the Champion of the Environment Award. On behalf of KTBB, Al has been a site captain and a KTBB Ambassador for the past 25 years. In the 1990s, he initiated efforts to transform an area once used as an illegal dumping site to an oasis now known as Cypress Point Park. Al has led the upkeep efforts of the park through the Adopt-A-Park Program with KTBB. He also leads volunteer efforts in the Great American Cleanup and the Hillsborough River & Coastal Cleanup, among other projects. He also serves on the KTBB Environmental Committee and the By-Laws Committee. His volunteer leadership has led to the removal of well over 188,000 pounds of litter and debris from entering local waterways. Al lives and breathes environmental sustainability and helps KTBB encourage others to be stewards of the Tampa Bay environment. Al has continued to educate the next generation of environmental stewards in hopes that one day they will follow his lead to help preserve and protect the local environment.
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PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Certified Community Environmental Program
Paul A. Bertram - Keep Ft. Pierce Beautiful Evelyn C. Brumfield - Keep Phoenix Beautiful Stephanie Giacomo - McAlister Pride Donna J. Kaehler - Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful Skyra Rideaux - Keep Lafayette Beautiful Amy M. Tasto - Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful Katie Wayar - Keep Miami Beautiful
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Altria Scholars Beth Andress, Keep Casper Beautiful Linda M. Beck, Keep Euclid Beautiful Rhashida Bess, Keep Norfolk Beautiful Richard Brightman, Keep New Hanover Beautiful Joy Dodson, Keep Canton Beautiful Leila Hybl, Keep Fremont Beautiful Amanda Lindbergh, Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful Palmira Miller, Keep Northeastern Pennsylvania Beautiful Lisa B. Synar, Keep Oklahoma City Beautiful
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EXHIBITORS ArcMate Manufacturing Corporation arcmate.com ClearStream Recycling, Inc. clearstreamrecycling.com Ecoimprint promoplace.com/ecoimprint Garbo Grabber, LLC garbograbber.com Glasdon glasdon.com Maryland Environmental Service/Prince George’s County https://bit.ly/2RRUxz8 Recycle Away recycleaway.com RETREET retreet.org Sidewalk Buttler sidewalkbuttler.com TerraCycle terracycle.com Victor Stanley, Inc. victorstanley.com
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1010 Washington Boulevard Stamford, CT 06901 kab.org