A recent statewide study on litter found an estimated 502 million pieces of litter along Pennsylvania’s roadways polluting our environment and affecting our quality of life. How can you help?
Organize and register a cleanup event now or volunteer for one as part of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick It Up Pennsylvania initiative.
This annual event begins on March 1 and ends on May 31 and supports the national Great American Cleanup.
Events can include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and education events and must be registered at gacofpa.org to receive free cleanup supplies.
“We can’t hide from the results of the Pennsylvania Litter Research Study. There is an urgent need for systems to properly manage our municipal waste, but we also need to change behaviors to stop litter from happening in the first place,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “We are so grateful to our volunteers, local officials and sponsors who are willing to give up a day, get dirty and pick up other people’s trash.”
“Your help is needed more than ever. We all need to take responsibility for clean and beautiful neighborhoods. Pick Up Pennsylvania provides tools and resources at no cost to our residents. If everyone picked up one bag of litter this spring, the results would be pretty powerful,” added Reiter.
Free Supplies
Registered cleanup events can get free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests donated by the departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation and Keep America Beautiful, as supplies last.
Free Litter Disposal
As part of this event, the Department of Environmental Protection and PA Waste Industries Association are sponsoring free or reduced cost trash disposal for registered program participants at participating landfills from April 1 through April 30, with prior approval.
Leaders For A Beautiful PA
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is also encouraging state leaders to “lead the way” with their newest initiative, Leaders for a Beautiful Pennsylvania.
The initiative asks legislators and public officials to support community volunteers and improvement events in their service areas.
Video Contest
Keep PA Beautiful is also offering cash prizes for groups who participate in the Pick It Up Pennsylvania Video Contest showing how your event keeps your community clean and beautiful.
The top three videos entered in the contest will earn cash prizes.
Click here for all the details in submitting your 60-second video entry.
Pick It Up PA sponsors
Current 2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania supporters include: Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania funded by the NiSource Charitable Foundation, Coca-Cola, Giant-Martins Food Stores, Mahantango, PA Food Merchants Association, PA Waste Industries Association, Sheetz, Wawa, Wegmans, Giant Eagle, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Republic Services and Vistra-Luminent.
If you are interested in becoming a supporter of the 2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania initiative, contact Barb Christner at 724-836-4121 or send an email to bchristner@keeppabeautiful.org.
Register events here
To host an event or join a cleanup event near you, visit the KPB Pick It Up Pennsylvania webpage. Questions can be answered by Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 877-772-3673 ext. 113 or send an email to mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click here to become a member. Click here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, follow on Twitter, discover them on Flickr and visit their YouTube channel.
Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.
Nature nugget
The name of March comes from Martius, the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. In Mesopotamia at around 2000 B.C., the New Year was celebrated during the time of the vernal equinox, which was around March 25. There were only 10 months then. The calendar during that time was based on the season, and March was when the planting season started. It was therefore chosen as the first month of the year.
“Porcupine Pat” McKinney is environmental education coordinator for the Schuylkill Conservation District and provides programming for people of all ages with an emphasis on schools, public programming and nature center development. “Porcupine Pat” hails from Marion, Ohio and has a BS with Distinction in Natural Resources – Environmental Interpretation from Ohio State. He is a recipient of the prestigious Sandy Cochran Award for Excellence in Natural Resources Education from the PA Forestry Association, the Schuylkill Pride Award, and the PAEE “Outstanding Environmental Educator Award.”