Our history dates back to 1967, when the State of Texas was preparing for the World's Fair and more than sixteen million tourists were expected to visit the State. A variety of representatives from diverse entities, including the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, decided that Texas cities and highways should be given a “facelift” so visitors would see a clean, beautiful state. To accomplish this beautification goal, the group created a non-profit educational corporation, supported totally by membership dues, known as the Beautify Texas Council. For a time, the Council became part of the Governor’s office.
Realizing the importance of what had been accomplished via local volunteers and their love of their communities, the Beautify Texas Council continued to support communities in their beautification efforts even after Hemisfair. By 1968, the Council had supplied almost every Texas town with information on how to improve their city’s appearance. In response to enthusiastic efforts from dedicated volunteers across the state, the Council eventually increased its focus to highway beautification, environmental education and public awareness, procurement and distribution of funding and support to local volunteers, and creating and maintaining valuable relationships with state officials and agencies.
In 1985, the Beautify Texas Council officially became Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc., and a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful (KAB). Since that time, KTB has won top honors as an outstanding KAB state affiliate and has grown by creating an extensive affiliate program. Keep Texas Beautiful now has the largest environmental and community improvement network in the state. More than 340 Texas communities are Keep Texas Beautiful affiliates, with more than 70 of those also certified as affiliates of Keep America Beautiful. KTB Affiliate communities range in population from 37 in Quintana to over 2.2 million in Dallas County. Our affiliates have the ability to reach 17 million Texans through their efforts to improve their local environment through litter prevention, waste reduction, and beautification.
Keep Texas Beautiful offers statewide litter prevention, waste reduction, and beautification programs to affiliate communities and participating organizations. Some of our programs include the Great American Cleanup, Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off, Texas Waterway Cleanup Program. In addition to participating in KTB programs, affiliates organize their own local events and programs based on the specific needs of their community. They recruit volunteers to aid in grassroots efforts that include students, youth groups, garden clubs, and service organizations, to name a few.
Follow
the links at left to explore our programs for litter prevention,
cleanup, beautification, education, community outreach,
and youth.
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