Waste Management Inc. of Florida Awards Think Green Grant to
Keep Charlotte Beautiful
Waste Management Inc. of Florida Awards Think Green Grant to Keep Charlotte Beautiful
– Charlotte County, FL
Submitted by Stephanie Kissinger, Waste Management, Inc. of Florida
Waste Management Inc. of Florida is always looking for ways to help our municipalities improve their neighborhoods. Keep Charlotte Beautiful was recently awarded a Think Green Grant in the amount of $3750 for their Youth Advisory Council Litter Index Project at Port Charlotte High School.
The project was with the Youth Advisory Council, a Keep America Beautiful initiative. The students conducted a Litter Index: an audit of litter on their campus to identify their main problem areas. At the high school, they found gum is the biggest problem. Removal of the gum proved to be very expensive and extremely time consuming so the students focused on an educational approach. Banners were erected alerting all students about the gum problem.
The Youth Advisory Council also identified areas on campus that lacked garbage or recycling cans. The Think Green Grant allowed for the purchase of four blue recycling and four red garbage cans with lids to be stenciled with information to encourage students’ use and pride in their school. These cans were placed in areas where litter was found but no disposal receptacles present.
Just before the winter break, the students conducted a ‘Pirate Pride Cleanup.’ T-shirts were purchased to encourage student involvement. Pizza was donated by the local Little Caesar’s Pizza, and drinks and giveaway items were donated by local businesses. After the winter break the containers were placed and banners put up in the campus common areas educating the student population about the gum and about litter in general. Photos of the students who assisted in the cleanup are depicted on the banners. A litter index was completed just before the winter break and another will be conducted a few weeks into the second semester.
So far, the program at Port Charlotte High School is generating so much enthusiasm that Murdock Middle School will be conducting a similar program this spring.
To learn how you can adapt equally successful programs about recycling, community beautification and litter prevention where you do business in your municipality, visit www.kab.org.
