February 8 , 2007

CONTACT: Josh Spradling
1-800-CLEAN-TX

Volunteers Called to Take Action for a
Cleaner, Greener Tomorrow
Clean-up and Beautification Efforts to Take Place across Texas

(Austin,Texas) – This spring, thousands of Texans will give their time and energy to help make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. Through participation in Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup™, volunteers across the state will improve their local parks, waterways, hiking trails, roadways, and other public spaces.

The Great American Cleanup takes place annually from March 1 through May 31 and is the largest community improvement program in the nation. Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) oversees the program in Texas and provides participants with free materials such as a planning manual, trash bags, banners, and additional supplies to help facilitate events.

“Americans have always taken pride in the beauty of their communities and country, and Keep America Beautiful has been proudly leading the charge to take care of tomorrow today,” G. Raymond Empson, president of Keep America Beautiful, said. “In its 22nd year, the Great American Cleanup continues to make a lasting impact by creating a cleaner, safer and more beautiful environment.”

Participation increased last year on both the national and state level. More than 200,000 volunteers were involved in one or more of the 1,255 events held in Texas.

KTB is still accepting registrations from individuals or organizations interested in improving their community. The program supports events of any size, and activities may include litter pick-ups, tree plantings, recycling drives, park and playground improvements, graffiti abatement, water cleanups, environmental education events, and more.

The activities had a big impact on communities across Texas in 2006. In the north Texas town of Nocona (population 3,300), Keep Nocona Beautiful collected more than 450 tons of scrap metal and old appliances from the community and donated the earnings from their sale to help a local family in need. The income from the materials was enough for the family to pay off their home mortgage! The uplifting project brought joy not only to the thankful family, but to the whole community as well.

In the central Texas city of Killeen, citizen enthusiasm reached an all-time high at the Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off (Texas’ signature event of the Great American Cleanup), where Keep Killeen Beautiful saw participation increase by almost 600 percent from 2005, despite soggy weather conditions.

“I can’t stress enough how fortunate Texas is to have organizations and individuals who have devoted themselves to preserving the beauty of our state,” Debbie Johnston, president of Keep Texas Beautiful, said. “Each spring we see their commitment to service as they roll up their sleeves to clean up, green up and fix up communities throughout Texas.”

To register a cleanup or beautification event in your community, or to see if one is scheduled, visit www.ktb.org or call 1-800-CLEAN-TX.

The Texas Department of Transportation is a proud state sponsor of the 2007 Great American Cleanup in Texas. Many of America’s leading companies are dedicated to supporting and sponsoring the efforts for the program nationally. The National Sponsors are: American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Firestone Complete Auto Care™ and TiresPlus™, GLAD® ForceFlex® Trash Bags, Pepsi-Cola Company, Sam’s Club®, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Sparkle® Paper Towels from Georgia-Pacific, Sprint Foundation, Troy-Bilt®, Waste Management, Inc., and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company; Educational Partners: Rubber Manufacturers Association and The Wireless Alliance.

Keep Texas Beautiful ,a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement nonprofit and affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, strives to educate and engage Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment. KTB and its more than 340 affiliates work with government, businesses, civic groups, and volunteers to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to take individual responsibility for making Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. For more information on programs and events, call 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit t www.ktb.org.

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