Massachusetts Beautification Bulletin | September 2023
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Our wet and windy summer has continued into September. Our best wishes go out to residents of Leominster, North Attleboro, Andover, and many surrounding communities that have been hit hard by powerful storms and flash flooding in recent days. As the calendar inches closer to the start of fall, scroll down for information on ways you can take action to improve your community or make small changes to your habits to help protect our environment.
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Great Results So Far This Year!
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Gearing Up for Fall Cleanup Season!
The official start of fall is just nine days from today. Typically, the fall and early winter are great times of the year for organizing community cleanups. Poison ivy and ticks are less of a threat and the cooler temperatures are more conducive to this type of work.
So far this year, volunteers from across the state have collected more than 92 tons of trash and litter—thanks in large part to your efforts. So THANK YOU for what you do!
If you are planning additional cleanups this year, please be sure to register them on our calendar and report your results afterward. And if you live near a beach, lake, or river, check out our calendar for the many COASTSWEEP events that are scheduled for this fall.
P.S., If you don't see your town or city listed in the graphic here, it's most likely because you did not report your results to us. If you did report and we failed to list you, please let us know!
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Lauren Morley of Mansfield
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Announcing Our 2023 Next-Gen Environmental Leader Scholarship Winner
Lauren Morley, 18, of Mansfield, has been awarded our 2023 Next-Gen Environmental Leader Scholarship grant of $2,500.
Starting this fall, Morley is majoring in Biomedical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is also considering a minor in Environmental Sciences.
Earlier this year, Morley earned the Girl Scout Gold Award in recognition of her efforts to pass a Mansfield bylaw in 2020—euphemistically known in Mansfield as “Lauren’s Straw Law.” This bylaw made plastic straws and stirrers available by request only, rather than being automatically handed out to local customers. Since then, other organizations—including Walt Disney World —have adopted a similar approach. Morley also earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2022—the first female Eagle Scout in Mansfield’s history.
“I appreciate Keep Massachusetts Beautiful’s financial support for my education,” said Morley. “As an aspiring biomedical engineer, I believe it will be important for people from my generation to solve problems using cleaner energy, greener fuels, and sustainable materials. I am excited to study how medical advancements at the cellular and genetic level may also extend to improvements in our food and water sources, as well as waste management in our communities.”
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Did You Know? Black Plastic is not Recyclable
Sadly, the common type of takeout food container used by so many restaurants in Massachusetts is only partially recyclable.
The recycling facilities that sort plastics bounce a beam of light off them to identify the resin code and sort them into different streams. Because black plastics (and other dark colors) absorb light, the optical sorters can't read the resin codes or sort the items, which end up going straight to a landfill or incinerator.
On a more positive note, the clear plastic covers can be rinsed and recycled. Many local restaurant managers are unaware that black plastic can't be recycled, so be sure to encourage them to choose a different type of container (politely, of course) the next time you place an order for takeout food!
Source: MassDEP.
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From The KMB Blog:The Lunacy of Balloon Releases and Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste in the Bathroom
Key takeaways about plastic waste in the bathroom:
- Swap products made from plastic with products made from renewable resources (bamboo) or recycled plastic
- Buy refillable containers to hold shampoo, body wash, etc., and refill them at a refill store
- Use bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, or lotion to avoid plastic packaging
Key takeaways on helium balloons:
- Balloon releases create avoidable litter, harm wildlife, and even cause power outages
- Helium balloons are a colossal waste of helium, which is in short supply and necessary for medical procedures, including MRIs
- Look for alternative ways to commerorate events, such as planting a tree, blowing bubbles, flags, banners, or candle-lighting ceremonies
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Quotable: "Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or a conservative challenge, it's common sense."
— Ronald Reagan
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Volunteers from the Bridgespan Group taking action!
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Join Our Employers For Clean Communities Program
Are you and your co-workers looking for an easy way to make a positive impact in the communities where you work? If so, sign up for our new Massachusetts Employers for Clean Communities program and keep the neighborhoods and parks near your place of work litter-free all year long.
Once you identify the areas you want to target for cleanup, sign up through our website. You can adopt a particular street, park, or beach, or target different areas around your workplace! We will ship you all the litter cleanup supplies* you need, including:
- Garbo Grabber trash pickup tools
- Company-branded safety vests
- Gloves
This program offers a convenient way for your business to make a positive impact in your community!
*Please note: a donation is required to cover the cost of supplies and shipping.
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Last year's KMB Chapter Leaders of the Year from Keep Framingham Beautiful
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Give Credit Where It's Due: Submit Your Clean Community Awards Nominations!
Each year, we honor Massachusetts residents, nonprofits, government leaders, and businesses for exceptional environmental protection and community cleanup efforts in the following categories:
- Environmental Legislator of the Year
- KMB Business Partner of the Year
- KMB Chapter Leader(s) of the Year
- KMB Rookie Chapter of the Year
- KMB Litter Buster of the Year
- KMB Youth Volunteer of the Year
Please take a few minutes to nominate a deserving candidate or chapter. We are now accepting nominations through December 1, 2023, with an awards presentation to follow in early 2024.
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Zero Waste Zone:Podcast Offer Insights on Latest Recycling Trends
Are you a recycling nerd—or do you aspire to be one? If so, we highly recommend listening to Mass Recycle's Podcast.
Hosted by Gretchen Carey and Waneta Trabert, each episode delves deep into the challenges and promise of recycling different types of materials here in Massachusetts. Recent episodes include:
- Demolition vs. Deconstruction: Careful Practices for a Sustainable Future
- The State of Paper Recycling
- Sustainability on Campus: 2023 Edition
On a related note, America Recycles Day is coming on November 15. Take the pledge to reduce the amount of waste you produce, recycle more, and buy products made with recycled content.
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KMB Chapter News:Welcome To Keep Barnstable Beautiful!
We're excited to welcome Keep Barnstable Beautiful to our network of local KMB chapters. Cape Cod receives more than its fair share of tourists (and the subsequent trash and litter), so we're eager to work closely with the steering committee to help them prevent litter and clean up what's already out there, as well as achieve other beautification initiatives.
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Take Action to Keep Your Neighborhood Litter-Free!
Does the sight of plastic beverage containers, aluminum cans, styrofoam cups, cigarette butts, or plastic bags littering your neighborhood impact your sense of community pride?
Do you wish you could set an example that would encourage others to care about keeping your community clean as much as you do?
Are you ready to take action to keep your neighborhood and community clean and litter-free?
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Enviro-Newsworthy Developments...
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Thank you for reading our newsletter and please contact me if I can answer any questions you may have about our programs, launching a local KMB chapter in your community, or sponsorship opportunities.
Sincerely,
Neil Rhein, Founder & Executive Director
Keep Massachusetts Beautiful
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