Stamford, CT, July 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Keep America Beautiful today kicked off the Greatest American CleanupTM, a campaign to remove 25 billion pieces of litter from the national landscape and create a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful America by July 4, 2026, our country’s 250th birthday.
According to a Keep America Beautiful study released in 2021, 90% of Americans believe litter is a problem in their state. The historic cleanup comes amid a new Keep America Beautiful survey conducted by The Harris Poll* among over 2,000 U.S. adults 18+ that shows 87% of Americans are interested in beautifying their communities – including improving recycling efforts, participating in community cleanups, and creating more green spaces. A majority believe that people coming together to pick up litter can lead to healthier, stronger, “more neighborly” communities.
“This is an historic cleanup for an historic moment,” said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Lawson. “As we come together to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, we all have a role to play in making our country look its very best. We’re inviting all Americans to join us as we pay tribute to the proud legacy and can-do spirit of this beautiful place we call home.”
Over the next two years, more than 25,000 communities across the nation will be invited to make a new “declaration” to clean, green, and beautify their neighborhoods and public spaces. In addition to picking up litter from parks, public spaces, roadsides, and waterways, activities will include planting trees and flowers, cleaning nature trails and recreation areas, painting community murals, and supporting local beautification and recycling efforts.
“The Greatest American Cleanup is not only about picking up trash,” Lawson said. “We want to inspire individuals and communities to work together towards a more beautiful and more sustainable future.”
Honorary Co-Chairs of the Greatest American Cleanup include the grandchildren of two American presidents:
- Lucinda, Jennifer, and Catherine Robb, granddaughters of President Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson, who played a pivotal role in beautifying America as First Lady and remains an inspiration to the Keep America Beautiful movement.
- Lauren Bush Lauren, granddaughter of President George H.W. Bush, whose famous “thousand points of light,” speech encouraged Americans to volunteer their time and talents to their communities.
“Our grandmother, Lady Bird Johnson, believed deeply in the importance of preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of America for future generations, and I think she’d be pleased that her legacy continues to inspire the Keep America Beautiful movement,” said Co-Chair Lucinda Robb. “In memory of our grandmother, my sisters and I are honored and delighted to support this important initiative that brings Americans together to clean and beautify our communities in celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday.”
National sponsors of the Greatest American Cleanup include The Coca-Cola Company, iHeart Media, Hilton, Niagara Cares, Carol Cone on Purpose, and The Harris Poll.
“The Coca-Cola Company is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the Greatest American Cleanup,” said Alba Baylin, Vice President of Stakeholder and Social Impact Management, North America Operating Unit at The Coca-Cola Company. “We care about the impact of every drink we sell, and collection is an important part of our sustainable packaging strategy World Without Waste. Addressing plastic waste takes collective action. We are long-time partners of Keep America Beautiful’s mission and commend their effort on litter reduction across the country ahead of our nation’s 250th birthday.”
“Building a cleaner, greener America where everyone enjoys the benefits of living in a safe, healthy, and beautiful community has been at the heart of our work for more than 70 years,” Lawson said. “We’re excited for the opportunity to demonstrate the spirit of the Keep America Beautiful movement and the power of doing beautiful things.”
Visit kab.org/greatest to learn more and declare your support for the Greatest American Cleanup.
About Keep America Beautiful:
Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful® strives to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify America’s communities. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
*Online survey conducted within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Keep America Beautiful from June 13-17, 2024, among 2,093 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ±2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
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