Massachusetts Beautification Bulletin | February 2025

Dear Friend,

As we count down the days to spring's arrival, we're asking you to urge our state leaders to take a more proactive approach to managing the litter problem in Massachusetts. Scroll down to learn what you can do to help support our Massachusetts Leaders Against Litter campaign, as well as other news and event updates.

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Support Massachusetts Leaders Against Litter!

On this cold and soon-to-be-snowy Sunday, we’re dreaming of spring’s arrival.

When the snowpack inevitably melts away, the mess along Massachusetts roadsides will once again rear its ugly head this spring.

From Cape Cod to Boston to the Berkshires, litter is visible along nearly every Massachusetts highway, sidewalk, public park, and beach.

Along our interstate highways, the problem is more acute, with discarded tires, car parts, construction materials, styrofoam, plastic buckets, plastic wrapping, and “flyaway” litter from truckers dotting the landscape.

The mess in Massachusetts sends the message that our state leaders do not prioritize our state’s appearance or environmental health. For a state with an economy that relies heavily on tourism dollars, and as our state's sestercentennial approaches, is this the message we want to send?

In addition to being an eyesore, cleaning up litter along our roads and public spaces costs the state and its taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

Fortunately, as happens every year, thousands of KMB volunteers in local chapters across the state, along with many other grassroots organizations, will soon spring into action to start their Great Massachusetts Cleanup activities.

However, at the state level, the approach will remain the same. Understaffed MassDOT crews will emerge from their winter hibernation and start the herculean task of trying to clean up hundreds of miles of interstate highways.

This reactive—rather than proactive—approach to litter in Massachusetts is at the heart of the problem. The time is long past due for our state leaders to step up and TAKE ACTION to raise awareness and educate people of all ages about litter’s negative impacts, change littering behaviors, and devote more resources to cleaning up our state highways.

Along with Senator Paul Feeney, we’re calling on our Legislature and Governor Healey to create a statewide Massachusetts Litter Prevention & Cleanup Task Force (SD.1867) and we need your help.

Here are four things you can do to help advance our Massachusetts Leaders Against Litter campaign:

Sign our online petition calling for the creation of a Massachusetts Litter Prevention & Cleanup Task Force
Mail a letter to or call your state Representative and Senator, Governor Maura Healey, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, or MassDOT Highway Superintendent Jonathan Gulliver
Call the Governor’s office at 617-725-4005
Post about this issue on social media using the hashtag #MassLeadersAgainstLitter

A key component of this Task Force would be to launch an Anti-Litter Public Awareness Campaign that would include:

A consistent anti-littering slogan and message: From the Cape to the Berkshires: Love it—Don’t Trash it!
Anti-litter messaging would be displayed on electronic message boards along our highways year-round, as well as on MassDOT-managed and donated billboards
Public Service Announcements (PSA) would be broadcast on TV and radio, local cable access channels, social media, and be integrated with Registry of Motor Vehicles communications to drivers
Students would be educated about the impact of litter on the environment and how they can adopt sustainable habits to reduce waste

Visit our Massachusetts Leaders Against Litter page to access our message template and locate your state Representative’s or Senator’s contact information.

Help Us Thrive in 2025

As an alternative to a one-time donation, please consider a modest monthly sustaining donation to help fund our ongoing efforts to raise awareness, change behaviors, clean up our state, and make Massachusetts a place we can all take more pride in.

With your monthly support, we can continue our mission of taking action to make Massachusetts a cleaner, greener place to live, work, and play!

Donate Now!

Massachusetts Clean Community Awards Tickets Now Available!

We’ll be gathering at the Village Hall in Framingham on May 15, 2025, to celebrate our 2024 Clean Community Awards honorees. Tickets are on sale now!

This event will be a fun evening of celebration featuring inspiring stories, delicious food, cocktails, and entertainment.

Nominations for the Massachusetts Clean Community Awards are being accepted through March 3, 2025. Awards will be presented in the following categories: