Keep PA Beautiful is now accepting registrations for local 2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania litter cleanup and beautiful events.  This year’s program runs from September 1 through November 30.

Registered events can get free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and the Ocean Conservancy, as supplies last.

“Our spring cleanup program was cancelled due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), so your help is needed now more than ever,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.  “Though we can’t gather in large groups, we can still make a shared and cooperative effort to improve our communities by picking up litter.

“While this seems like a small effort when faced with such grave challenges, it is something that everybody can do. Individuals, families or small groups can safely support our communities by picking up litter,” said Reiter.

Most communities have experienced an increase of visible litter lining their streets, parking lots, trails and waterways during the past few months under stay at home orders.

The results of a pre-pandemic statewide study on litter, conducted by the Departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, estimated 502 million pieces of litter on Pennsylvania roadways, most of it cigarette butts and plastic items.

It is safe to say there is even more litter now. Among other things, this litter pollutes our environment and affects our quality of life.

To prevent litter from ending up in our waterways, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful urges Pennsylvania residents to participate in Pick Up Pennsylvania, in support of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

This annual event is an opportunity to improve neighborhoods by coordinating or participating in a litter cleanup. 

In addition to waterway cleanups, land-based cleanups are also eligible since a significant portion of waterway pollution originates on land. Individuals, families, neighbors, students, civic organizations and local governments are all invited to participate.

The group suggests doing a cleanup either solo or with household family members and encourages adhering to the recommendations for social distancing. All that is needed is a trash bag, gloves and bright colored clothing, if you are cleaning up near a roadway.

Sponsors

Current 2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania supporters include: Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania funded by the NiSource Charitable Foundation, Coca-Cola, The GIANT Company, PA Waste Industries Association, Sheetz, Wawa, Weis Markets, Mahantango Enterprises, PA Food Merchants Association, Wegmans Food Markets, Giant Eagle, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Luminant, a subsidiary of Vistra Corporation and Republic Services.

If you are interested in becoming a Keep Pennsylvannia Beautiful program supporter contact Barb Christner at 724-836-4121 or bchristner@keeppabeautiful.org.  

Registration

To host or join a cleanup event near you visit the KPB 2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania webpage. Questions can be answered by Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 877-772-3673 ext. 113 or 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 Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

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[Posted: August 4, 2020]

8/10/2020