New tool-lending program flourishes under quarantine "Beautification" has been a buzzword in the City by the Lake for many years. The Colony City Council, Keep The Colony Beautiful Board (KTCB), and the residents they serve continually prioritize programs and services aimed at keeping their community clean and green. Those efforts take many forms, ...

As the weather warms up and stay-at-home orders are lifted across the state, Texas' parks and green spaces have seen a large increase in traffic. Spending time outdoors has become increasingly important for many people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as summer approaches and many camps and summer vacations cancelled, we expect that the increase i...

​The bathroom is full of products that can be recycled. Unfortunately, this area of the house can get overlooked when it comes to recycling in the household. Our friends at Unilever, who created the Love Beauty Planet line of shampoos and personal care products, is committed to making all their products recyclable and helping consumers live mo...

As we all focus on health and safety, we are spending more time at home. This has led to an increased amount of waste and recyclables, including health supplies like facial tissues, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks and disposable gloves. One way you can help protect the environment and sani...

What a Wild Ride it's Been: Our beautification ups and downs  What a roller-coaster our work has been over the last few decades. Starting slow and steady in 1999, the association was ready to roll. The ride enjoyed highs and lows for a while until the inevitable trudging along lead into a dark tunnel of the unknown. For several years, the...

At a time when school has become a sheltered, at home activity, KTB would like to remind you of all the fabulous youth and educators out there that spent last year doing great things in their community.  We received many applications for our KTB Youth and Educator Awards and we applaud all nominees.  Without further ad...

I am a reformed clotheshorse. I worked in e-commerce for an online boutique and one of the perks was an amazing discount. On top of it, I was one of the first to see each piece as they were received. It was easy to say, "that's cute, I'll buy it." It was a thrill to have the latest style before anyone else. I moved through my fashion career and sta...

There are millions of teens and young adults around the globe who are interested in getting involved and making a difference. Sure, they may choose their phones and use social media as their platform, but it doesn't mean they are any less powerful or important than the rest of us.  Take for example Mexican born activist&nbs...

Before COVID-19 became a part of our lives, community organizations were picking up plastic bottles, cigarette butts and fast food litter.  We were fighting for Bottle Bills, Bag Bans and declaring war on plastic straws.  Current trends during COVID-19 show a different future coming for litter cleanups.  We are se...

As we draw nearer to the 50th Earth Day on April 22, it is worth reflecting on the history and legacy that it represents. Earth Day is one of the most visible and effective environmentalist campaigns in American history. Understanding how it came to be and how it has operated over the last five decades is an important piece of understanding federal...

If you're like the average Texan, you're probably trying out teleworking or potentially the new task of homeschooling your children. We see you—hang in in there! Spending more time at home has its perks—no commute, more time with family—but there are also unforeseen consequences, like using more resources (energy and water) and potentially creating...

According to CNBC, only 43% of employees, pre-COVID-19, were able to work from home at least one day per week.  Now that we are in the midst of a global pandemic, those numbers have skyrocketed.  Those of us lucky enough to have the option are working from home full time and even tutoring our children for online school...

Levelland, county seat of Hockley County, is located on the Llano Estacado, 30 miles west of Lubbock and established in 1912 by C.W. Post. Levelland's population is 13,762 and is the 189th largest city in Texas. Keep Levelland Beautiful is happy to serve this rural community on the move.  Just like so many other affiliates, the current pa...

Are you at home with your kids now a lot more than you used to be? Are you looking for a fun and educational activity to do with them? The Junk Art Activity from the Waste in Place (WIP) curriculum is just the thing to combine education and fun! Waste in Place is a Keep America Beautiful educational resource developed for pre-K and up. It offers pa...

Each year, Keep Texas Beautiful reaches out across the Lone Star State to find amazing people doing stellar things to keep Texas clean and beautiful.  We search for leaders, volunteers, businesses and organizations working hard to make a difference in their communities.  After months of collecting and exploring applications we are proud t...

The ongoing coronavirus crisis has caused millions of people to self-isolate, per CDC social distancing guidelines. Public health officials recommend limiting the time we all spend in public spaces to slow the spread of the virus. Adopting these practices is necessary to contain the infection level to one that our healthcare system can bear. As we ...

Our friends at Texas Disposal Systems recently shared some great tips to protect waste processing employees. These brave men and women put themselves at risk every day to help manage our waste. Please follow the tips below to help keep them safe during these uncertain times.  ​Essential personnel brings to mind doctors, nurses, ...

This month, Keep Texas Beautiful is highlighting Texas's aquatic resources by designating March Waterways Cleanup Month. More than 80,000 miles worth of rivers, streams, and bayous crisscross Texas, adding to our state's profound natural beauty. Texas is home to 15 major rivers and 3,700 named streams (per Texas Parks and Wildlife), which are integ...

Friendswood encompasses 21 square miles and is nestled between Houston and the Gulf Coast. Friendswood has grown from a small, close-knit Quaker community into a city with over 40,000 residents. Yet, after 125 years, Friendswood has maintained the charm and volunteer spirit of a small Texas town. Friendswood's anchor is Stevenson Park with rolling ...

To prepare for our upcoming webinar, we thought we should give you some background on the role of citizen scientists and the related programs run by our guest speakers. What is a citizen scientist? The dictionary defines citizen scientist as, "a member of the general public who collects and analyzes data relating to the natural world, typically as ...