Oct 07 2023
Don’t mess with Texas® Trash-Off
April 1-30
Texas’ signature event for the Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program, helping clear Texas roadsides of litter.
What:
The Don’t mess with Texas® Trash-Off is part of Texas Department of Transportation’s litter prevention program, which includes Don’t mess with Texas®, and Adopt-a-Highway, Registered participants will have access to the online event toolkit and will receive trash bags, disposable gloves, and hand sanitizer. Groups cleaning up TxDOT-maintained roadways will also be eligible for additional supplies.
When:
April 1-30.
Be sure to order supplies 3 weeks prior to your scheduled cleanup to ensure timely shipment. Cleanup data must be submitted within two weeks of the event date.
Where:
Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off events can take place on any TxDOT-maintained roadway.
Who:
Anyone can participate! Volunteers come from all walks of life: students, civic and non-profit organizations, individuals, community groups, sports teams and more.
Your health and safety are our number one priority at TxDOT and Keep Texas Beautiful. KTB reminds Texans to stay safe when choosing to go outside and clean up your communities.
Request Supplies
Fill out this quick form to register your cleanup and get your supplies. Be sure to order supplies 3 weeks prior to your scheduled cleanup. Supply requests will open in early 2024.
Toolkit
- When picking up litter, KTB recommends participants to do so responsibly and at their comfort level. Please have participants wear a disposable gloves and use a litter grabber (when available).When participants are finished collecting litter, please make sure their trash bags are securely tied to protect sanitation workers. Advise them to immediately wash their hands with soap and water and/or use hand sanitizer after collecting litter. Please have them dispose of single-use face masks and disposable gloves properly and in the waste bin. Please follow all CDC guidelines surrounding COVID-19.
- Identify a location in your community that could be cleaned and that is safe and accessible. Come up with a plan to dispose of the trash and recyclables you collect properly. Visit the site in advance of the cleanup date to determine where to set up a check-in station, where to leave bags of trash and recyclables and what areas volunteers will clean.
- Request your cleanup supplies and materials. Be sure to register your event in our events calendar.
- Encourage friends, family and colleagues to get involved and help organize the cleanup. Create a Facebook event so interested volunteers can RSVP, and you can easily communicate with attendees. Spread the word through email, social media, and e-invites. You can also print and post event flyers in the area.
- Arrive early to set up and post appropriate signage for attendees. At your check-in station, ensure you have pens, pencils and sign-in sheets ready for your volunteers.
- This will depend on the type of event your hosting. Be prepared for everything. Make sure group leaders have a volunteer welcome and safety speech to give. For cleanups, provide a volume to weight estimation sheet and data card. Consider other things you might want from volunteers, such as a photo release waiver.Establish a point-person to stay at the check-in station in case of health emergencies or any late arrivals.
- Take before and after photos of the cleanup site as well as shots of your volunteers in action and a final group picture with all of the trash collected. You can submit these with your data card or tag @KeepTXBeautiful online with #GreatAmericanCleanup. If you’re hosting a cleanup, remind volunteers to review the information they entered into the Data Cards and then make sure they submit! Collect all completed paper data forms to submit to Keep Texas Beautiful. Ensure all trash is left in the designated drop-off location and that no materials are left behind as you leave the cleanup location.
Looking for more information about how to enter your cleanup data?
The Event Wrap-Up Guide includes information about how to use the Litter Database and submit your event data.
2023 Impact
Don’t Mess with Texas® Trash-Off
The data in the following infographic includes DMWT Trash-Off eligible activity performed between April 1 – 30, 2023 and reported to KTB
Please Note
Participants interested in using the Don’t mess with Texas logo must receive prior approval from TxDOT as Don’t mess with Texas® is federally registered and owned by TxDOT, thus cannot be used without permission.
The use of the Don’t mess with Texas® logo for the printing of t-shirts is not allowed, regardless of if they are not for profit. You may use the Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off® logo, as part of our agreement with TxDOT, but the Don’t mess with Texas® logo by itself cannot be used.
If you have any questions about which logo needs approval, please contact the Marketing team.
After The Event
Sharing Your Event’s Results Helps Us Magnify Impact Across Texas…and the World.
Don't mess With Texas® Trash-Off is Supported with Funding By
