The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation has launched the Litter Awareness Campaign. The campaign is a statewide public service campaign designed to bring attention to the issue of litter in Georgia with the use of digital and print media, local programs, and community outreach activities, including an online pledge component. In addition to harming wildlife and the environment, litter negatively impacts economic development, health, and safety across our state. Throughout this campaign, targeted messaging, programs, and initiatives will highlight these impact areas and provide resources for everyday actions to help reduce—and ultimately eliminate—litter in Georgia.
Why We Need This Campaign: National Statistics on Litter & Blight:
• The direct cost of cleaning up litter: $11.5 billion nationally; $10 million in Georgia
• When litter is present, property value decreases by 7%.
• 93% of homeowners say that the presence of litter would influence their purchasing decision.
• 36% of business development officials say that litter impacts their decision to locate to a community.
• The number of people stealing doubles when litter and illegal graffiti are present.
• Plastic trash in our environment is valued at $7.2 trillion, including 2% that is incinerated.
• 80% of ocean plastic comes from land-based sources.
• Areas with beautified vacant lots have seen a 27.5% reduction in depression.
• There is a 12% lower mortality rate associated with exposure to outdoor green areas.
• There are more than 50 billion pieces of litter on our nation’s roadways, with 4.6 billion pieces larger than four inches in size.
• Most roadway litter—76%–originates from motorists and pedestrians. • 15% of litter occurs in already blighted environments.
• Approximately 85% of littering results from individual attitudes. Changing individual behavior is key to preventing litter.
• 83% of litter near storm drains consist of smaller items under 4 inches.
• Motorists not properly securing truck or cargo loads, including collection vehicles, representing 20.7% of roadway litter 4 inches-plus. Vehicle debris and improperly secured containers, dumpsters, trashcans or residential waste/recycling bins represent another 8.1% of litter over 4 inches.
Join in our fight against litter!
Sign the pledge to end litter at https://www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org/end-litter
Learn more and share these helpful brochures with your family and friends.
Litter in America Fact Sheet: Costs of Littering
Litter in America Fact Sheet: Sources of Litter
Litter in America Fact Sheet: Littering Behavior
Cigarette Litter Prevention Program Infographic
Georgia Litter Laws and Penalties
Secure Your Load in Georgia
KMB had a wonderful 11th Anniversary Oyster Roast and BBQ Fundraiser Saturday-great attendance, delicious oysters, clams, BBQ and desserts and beverages, music and lots of dancing with Michael Hulett Entertainment., a Silent Auction full of great items, 3 Drawings for 25 pounds of shrimp from Shell Creek Seafood, and Wine Toss fun – all at beautiful Hudson Creek Lodge! Please send photos we can post, or if you post, mark #keepmcintoshbeautiful.
Thanks to all who organized, helped, cooked and attended and to all our generous Sponsors and Contributors. All of you made this year’s Fundraiser a big success! We hope you had a wonderful time!
Thanks to all of our Platinum and Gold Oyster Roast Sponsors for 2020
Thanks to our Silver Sponsors
Southeast Georgia Health System, Southeastern Bank and Crescent Equipment
KMB received a $3,500 Think Green Grant from Waste Management. Russ Hightower presented this to KMB Director Brandi Fisher November 12th at the County Commission meeting.
Brandi Fisher
NEWS RELEASE
DATE 9.20.19
Keep McIntosh Beautiful Announces New Executive Director
Keep McIntosh Beautiful (KMB) has named Brandi Fisher its new Executive Director, effective October 1. She succeeds Julie Sowell who has served in the position since 2016 and will now be joining the KMB Board of Directors. Fisher will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the volunteer non-profit, the local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and one of 78 state affiliates in the Keep Georgia Beautiful network.
“I’m very excited about taking on the role of Executive Director for Keep McIntosh Beautiful,” says Fisher. “I look forward to serving the community and am dedicated to helping lead efforts to ensure the beauty of the place we call home is protected and maintained.”
Most recently, Fisher has been employed with the Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority as a Development Assistant. Many in McIntosh County may know her from the McIntosh County YMCA, where she served as business manager for five years. She also has previous experience in the hospitality industry, and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. Fisher grew up in Brunswick and has lived in McIntosh County since 2012. She and her husband Al Fisher have a two-year old daughter, Tilly. The Brunswick High School graduate is currently pursuing a General Business degree through Troy University.
It’s the mission of KMB to engage residents, businesses and organizations in working together for a clean, green environment that enhances economic activity and helps make Darien and McIntosh County a great place to live, work, play and visit. And together, we are making a difference!
Community involvement and support are what make possible Adopt-A-Highway, land and water cleanups, beautification projects, recycling and waste reduction events, our award-winning Abandoned Buildings Program and other activities.
KMB was named Non-Profit of the Year for 2017 by the Darien-McIntosh Chamber of Commerce.
CLICK HERE to Learn More, Renew or Join
Join us TODAY during our Summer Membership Drive. Your membership donation is 100% tax deductible.
KMB is already into an exciting new year. There are so many ways to be involved in Keeping McIntosh Beautiful.
Cigarette Butts are America’s single most littered item!
Georgia’s Coast is Not An Ashtray is a Coast-wide awareness campaign funded by a grant from Keep America Beautiful that will have activities all summer long focused on proper disposal of cigarette butts and the problems caused by cigarette litter. READ MORE
