Importance of Trees throughout History It's hard to overstate the importance of trees to our daily lives. They offer us basic needs like shade and oxygen, provide habitat for animals, and create beautiful landscapes for us to explore.  Trees are also important resources that provide us with lumber to build ou...

Did your Fall Sweep get canceled in 2020? Are you tired of waiting for the pandemic to end so you can clean up your community?  The wait is over!  With a successful pandemic Fall Sweep and Great American Cleanup under our belts, we have lots of great ideas for you to get out there and engage your community! Check ...

Blog Post written by Karen Maldonado, Project Manager. Most of us are starting to emerge from a long hibernation during the pandemic.  We stayed at home for work and school, postponed visits with family and friends and avoided local stores and eateries.  This slowed many of our affiliates down, too, but it did not...

Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first began working together in the late 1960s. They shared the common goal of making Texas roadways attractive and safe for motorists, which has remained a priority for over 40 years. Since 1985, Keep Texas Beautiful has partnered t...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

One of the biggest sustainability trends these days is the reduction of single-use plastics. We all love the convenience and our lives are definitely easier with a stream of disposable products, but do you ever stop to think about where those containers, straws, and sporks end up? Recycling is always an option, but did you know that only about 35% ...

It's Great American Cleanup time again! A new decade calls for new ways to cleanup our communities. Join us in 2020 with new themes and fun ways to get involved and improve yours. Keep an eye out for webinars, signature events, and monthly themes. March - This month, our friends at Keep San Marcos Beautiful invite fellow affiliates to join them in ...

Fall Sweep is now in full swing and we have an amazing 148 registrations this year!  That's even more than Texas participation in the Great American Cleanup! We are so excited that everyone has gotten into the cleanup spirit and can't wait to see all of your great wrap up data and pictures.   With less than half o...

KTB affiliates come in all shapes and sizes, but every community has the potential to gather volunteers and make a difference. In the past, we have registered events from as small as a family of four to as big as a city with over 1,000 volunteers. No matter what size your community or what needs you have, Fall Sweep is a great time to get everyone ...

In 1985, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) launched an ad campaign to encourage citizens to take care of their state and stop littering. This slogan has been repeated countless times by presidents, athletes, super stars and ordinary Texans. We all know it well. "Don't mess with Texas!" In the 1990s, KTB joined the effort by encouraging...

For 21 years, the Great American Cleanup (GAC)has been a signature program of Keep America Beautiful (KAB). On average, this nationwide event brings out 3.4 million volunteers in 20,000 different communities. The event runs from March 1 thru May 31 and encourages communities to improve themselves in various ways. Although started as a litter cleanu...

​Gracias! Merci! Danke! No matter how you say it, "thank you" is the easiest and most powerful statement you can say to your volunteers. A simple thank you can solidify the positive experience they had with you and not only keep them coming back, but they will bring their friends, too. Thank you can make the difference between feeling appreciated a...

Now that you have recruited a database full of fabulous volunteers, how do you keep them coming back for more? Recruitment can be time consuming and you definitely don't want to start over every time you need volunteers. Make sure you keep notes on who you contacted and collect contact information from all of your participating volunteers.This will...

September 22 is the official start of Fall. Cooler weather is in the forecast and it's a great time to get outside and improve your community! We've got you covered with our Second Annual Fall Sweep supply package. Schedule an event in your area and get FREE bags and gloves from Keep Texas Beautiful! ​There are many ways to get involved in Fall Swe...

Many of you have asked KTB staff how to get more youth involved in your organization. Some of you have adult volunteers that may not be as familiar with technology and social media. Others are concerned about sustainability and passing your hard work and passion on to future generations. Let's face it, none of us are getting any younger and if...