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Governor Carney Announces Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance

Posted May 24, 2019 by Keep Delaware Beautiful

Delaware Governor John Carney

Governor Carney Announces Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance

Coalition of local officials, organizations is an initiative of Keep DE Litter Free campaign

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney joined Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, Wilmington City Council President Hanifa Shabazz, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, members of the General Assembly and advocates to announce the Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance – a coalition of local leaders committed to reducing litter in Delaware.

The coalition is an initiative of the Keep DE Litter Free campaign that Governor Carney announced last month in Rehoboth Beach. Towns, cities, and organizations that joined the Alliance have pledged to encourage their residents and members to not litter, to pursue anti-litter policies, and to hold at least one litter cleanup each year – with the goal of reducing litter in Delaware over time.

“Litter threatens our natural resources, our communities, and our economy,” said Governor Carney. “I’m proud to stand with mayors, county executives, legislators and advocacy organizations statewide to encourage Delawareans and visitors to not litter, to protect our outdoor spaces, and respect our state’s unique natural heritage. We share a collective goal to reduce litter in our state over time. Together, we are committed to keeping Delaware a beautiful place to live, work, and raise a family.”

“Wilmington is pleased to join with our partner cities and towns throughout Delaware in support of Governor Carney’s anti-litter efforts,” said Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, who launched Wilmington’s Beautiful City Initiative in 2017. “We can support each other as part of the new alliance and within a reasonable amount of time lay claim to Delaware being the cleanest and most beautiful state in the nation.”

“This statewide campaign is so timely and complements our efforts to beautify Wilmington,” said City Council President Hanifa Shabazz. “The campaign also aligns with the implementation of City Council’s Strategic Plan for a beautiful and clean city. We are engaging civic groups to encourage educational initiatives about how removing litter instills community pride among our children and people of all ages. Thank you Governor for this initiative, and we are happy to be supportive.”

“Litter is more than just an eyesore; it pollutes our streets and can end up doing damage to infrastructure, costing state and local governments money for cleanup and repairs,” said State Representative Nnamdi Chukwuocha, who represents the 1st District in the City of Wilmington. “I’m proud to be joining the Anti-Litter Alliance to help protect our environment and keep our state clean and healthy.”

“As a community it is important to take these vital steps on improving our environment now and for years to come,” said Dover Mayor Robin R. Christiansen. “Little steps can leave a big imprint. Our hope is that every town encourages their constituents to take those steps. Secure your trash and recycling cans, keep a bag for litter in your car, make use of recycling bins and reusable bags and participate in a community cleanup day. If we all do our part, we will all reap the benefits.”

“Throwing trash along a roadway or in a park or dumping it on a vacant lot hurts our environment, imposes cleanup costs on the government and disproportionately impacts our neighborhoods that are most in need,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “New Castle County is proud to join and support the Governor’s anti-littering alliance. Our success will depend on the choices made by individuals across our state, so let’s work together as a team to make Delaware pristine!”

“I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to Governor Carney and everybody that helped launch the statewide Anti-Litter campaign,” said Rehoboth Beach Mayor Paul Kuhns. “Not only is a clean city so important for the people that live and work here, but it’s also crucial for our tourism industry. Visitors to our state contributed $3.3 billion to our tourism economy. I am proud of the efforts to keep the City of Rehoboth Beach clean. We have dedicated staff that works day and night to keep our streets, neighborhoods, and beach clear of litter. This campaign is so important to keep your neighborhood clean and your city healthy – for your family, for the environment, for the economy, for the community, and future generations.”

“Sussex County is proud to join the Keep DE Litter Free campaign, which gives a boost to some of the collective cleanup efforts that are already underway here in the county,” said Sussex County Administrator Todd F. Lawson. “From our incentive-based complaint program through CrimeStoppers to the recent partnership with the State correction and transportation departments to organize special cleanups for trash trouble spots, the new awareness campaign will really drive home the message that it takes everyone – municipalities, counties, the state, organizations, businesses, and the general public – to tackle this problem once and for all.”

“Our business community, residents and civic leaders have been dismayed by the increase in litter in recent years and have taken matters into their own hands – literally – by organizing weekly litter pick up patrols downtown and neighborhood cleanup projects,” said Milford Mayor Archie Campbell. “We are proud to be an inaugural member of the Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance so we can unite to take this effort to the next level.”

“Greenwood is involved in the Governor’s Litter Alliance because we really want to see no litter along our highways,” said Greenwood Town Manager Hal Godwin. “Delaware should not look like we have no place to properly dispose of our trash, but all along our highways. Let’s clean it up!”

“We’re proud to join the Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance to raise awareness of the litter issue in Delaware and to beautify our Town,” said Cheswold Town Administrator Sam Callender.

Visit de.gov/litterfree to support the campaign and to view a full list of Alliance partners.

Last month, in partnership with Keep Delaware Beautiful, Governor Carney launched the statewide campaign, Keep DE Litter Free, to encourage Delawareans to not litter, to protect our public spaces, and respect our state’s unique natural heritage. The Governor is partnering with mayors, county executives, and advocacy organizations statewide to spread that message through the Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance – an initiative of the campaign.

A 2018 study from the State of Delaware and Keep Delaware Beautiful identified more than 6,000 pieces of trash for every mile of roadway surveyed. Cigarette butts, plastic bags, fast food wrappers, cans, and bottles accounted for a significant portion of the roadway waste.

“We agree that litter is a real problem throughout our state,” said Julie Miro Wenger, Executive Director of Keep Delaware Beautiful. “We also agree that everyone needs to play a part in taking care of our natural resources and our communities. Littering is a personal action and we need to change behavior. There is no barrier for all residents to participate in taking pride in our community by committing to not litter. Everyone can commit to helping create a more beautiful Delaware.”

Take the pledge and join the effort to Keep DE Litter Free!

Photos from the event are available here.

Great American Cleanup Kicks Off in Delaware

Posted March 20, 2019 by Keep Delaware Beautiful

It’s the first day of spring, which means it’s time to kick off the Keep America Beautiful ® Great American Cleanup ® , the nation’s largest community improvement program. Through this far-reaching effort, which takes place from March 20 through June 20, national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful’s network of more than 600 community-based affiliates and partnering organizations host cleanups, green-ups and fix-ups in more than 20,000 communities across the country, engaging more than 1.5 million volunteers and participants.

Keep Delaware Beautiful, the statewide affiliate of Keep America Beautiful is encouraging Delawareans across the state to participate by helping get the first state into tip top shape. Creating clean, green and beautiful communities takes everyone to do their part. By volunteering in the Great American Cleanup, you can help Keep Delaware Beautiful transform our public spaces into beautiful places – something we can all believe in.

Local hands-on volunteer events and education programs are scheduled to renew public parks, trails and recreation areas; clean, enhance and protect shorelines, beaches and waterways; remove litter and debris from roadways, storm drains and public spaces; reduce waste and improve recycling; and plant trees, flowers and community gardens.

#cleanYOURblock

The 2019 Great American Cleanup social theme – #cleanYOURblock – is a call-to-action to engage more volunteers and participants in public space cleanup, beautification and recycling events. Become a Great American Cleanup volunteer with Keep Delaware Beautiful by visiting KeepDelawareBeautiful.com. Our goal is that our volunteers will be inspired to take that experience home to organize similar, smaller-scale events in their own neighborhood – right on their own block – with neighbors, family and friends. Volunteers are invited to participate in a local Great American Cleanup event – or conduct their own – and then celebrate the hard work.“Our goal is to spread the word on the value of beautifying communities, educate and encourage volunteers to build a sense of community pride and stewardship, and offer experiences that help change behaviors in communities, block by block. Working together, we can help foster communities that are environmentally and economically healthier, while strengthening the critical connection between people and places,” said Julie Miro Wenger, Executive Director of Keep Delaware Beautiful.

2019 Great American Cleanup Delaware Event Highlights

One way Delawareans have been helping to keep Delaware clean has been through DelDOT’s Adopt–Highway program. Since 1990, the program has been a partnership between DelDOT and volunteers whose goal is make Delaware a cleaner place. Groups and organizations who sponsor a roadway agree to care for a two-mile stretch of roadway. During the course of the sponsor’s participation, groups are responsible for conducting and reporting at least three cleanups per year. DelDOT provides safety vests and trash bags. Signs marking sponsors’ involvement in the program are installed at the beginning and end of the two-mile stretch of adopted roadway.

This year Keep Delaware Beautiful is excited to be working with DelDot during the 2019 Great American Cleanup to help bring awareness to it’s Adopt-A-Highway program. Current Adopt-A-Highway supporters are encouraged to plan one of their 2019 cleanups during the nationwide movement of the Great American Cleanup any time from March 20-June 20, 2019. Those supporters should be sure to contact their local district coordinator to register their cleanup and secure supplies. Now is also a great time for new Adopt-A-Highway supporters to join the program.

Local District Adopt-A-Highway Coordinators:

New Castle County: 302-326-4468
Kent County: 302-760-2424
Sussex County: 302-853-1315

You don’t have to be a Adopt-A-Highway supporters to participate in the Great American Cleanup. If you are interested in organizing a cleanup in your community, contact us.

Kirk Middle School Claims Keep America Beautiful Recycle-Bowl Title

Posted March 19, 2019 by Keep Delaware Beautiful

Kirk Middle School of Newark, Delaware, today was crowned national champion of the Keep America Beautiful® Recycle-Bowl, the national recycling competition for K-12 students, teachers and school communities. Recycle-Bowl engaged more than 720 schools spanning four weeks in the fall, culminating on America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, 2018.

Kirk Middle School students participating in Recycle-Bowl recycled 30.85 pounds of materials per student during the competition. The school launched its Recycle Club in 2012, under the direction of Helene Ross-Williams.

“Teaching students sustainability is important for their future as responsible citizens of the Earth,” said Ross-Williams. “This program has been one of my greatest pleasures and accomplishments.”
“Mrs. Ross-Williams is extremely passionate about recycling and educating the students, staff, and families about environmental issues,” said Kirk Middle School Principal Norm Kennedy. “The students really enjoy taking part in the collection process and also are encouraging friends and families to do the same at home.”

Kirk Middle School experiences a high participation rate among the staff and students who make a conscious effort to place items for recycling in the classroom/office bins. The school was also the state winner from Delaware in 2015 and is also a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School since 2015. Since 2013, the school’s recycling program success has been given a boost because of the collaboration with the 4H After-School Program, under the direction of Fontella Taylor.
“Kirk Middle School is shining a bright light on Delaware and our efforts to recycle more,” said Keep Delaware Beautiful Executive Director Julie Miro Wenger. “Having students lead our change in behavior ensures a positive long-term effect we can all be proud of.”

During the four-week program, participating schools track and report how much recyclable material they collect. At the close of the competition, the school in each state (and the District of Columbia) that collects the most recyclable material per capita is crowned state champion with the national champion chosen from among the statewide winners. Schools that participate in past Recycle-Bowl competitions have been measured as recycling 10 percent more than schools that don’t participate.
“We are so proud of the Recycle Club at Kirk Middle School. These students and educators are leading the way in showing how easy it is to make more sustainable choices and be more environmentally conscious citizens,” said Christina School District Superintendent Richard L. Gregg.

In 2018, more than 260,000 students and teachers nationally participated in Recycle-Bowl. Recyclables recovered during the competition totaled 1.3 million pounds, which prevented the release of 1,842.68 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E). This reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to 4.5 million miles driven by an average passenger vehicle, and 643 tons of material recycled instead of landfilled.

Champions are crowned in five categories: School Division, Community Division, District Division, Waste Reduction and Food Scrap Collection. The 2018 winners are:

Overall Winner: Kirk Middle School – Newark, Delaware
Community Winner: Whitfield County Schools – Dalton, Georgia
District Winner: City of Mesquite – Mesquite, Texas
Food Scrap Winner: Wysong Elementary – Lincoln, Nebraska
Waste Reduction: Huntington Elementary – Lincoln, Nebraska

“It’s always exciting to see students from across the country, and from all age groups, get excited about recycling at school as well as at home or on the go,” said Keep America Beautiful Youth and Education Program Manager Kathryn Joblon. “Our Recycle-Bowl competition is a great way for students to get introduced to the act of recycling through a fun competition. Congratulations to Kirk Middle School for this tremendous achievement.”