Massachusetts Beautification Bulletin | June 4, 2026

Dear Friend,

With warm weather arriving (finally!) and spring cleanup season winding down, we are looking ahead to a productive summer and fall! Scroll down for news about the state of litter in America, as well as other program and event updates.

New Study Provides Positive News on Litter in America

The new Keep America Beautiful 2026 National Litter Study has been released, and the findings are eye-opening. For a quick summary, watch this video.

The good news is that litter across America has declined by 34% since 2020. The bad news? An estimated 35 billion (that’s billion with a B) pieces of litter remain in our communities, waterways, and public spaces.

From our observations across the state, it does not appear that Massachusetts has enjoyed a similar decline in litter, despite the best efforts of thousands of our volunteeers.

That’s why we continue to urge our state leaders to follow the lead of many other states and take proactive actions to reduce litter and change behavior.

We're calling on the Legislature to pass Senate Resolve 2390, which received unanimous support from the Joint Committee on Transportation last fall. It now awaits action by the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Please contact the chair and co-chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and urge them to move this initiative forward. And if you have thoughts about the state of litter in Massachusetts, email us.

Massachusetts Leaders Against Litter

Deadline For 2026 Scholarship Applications Is June 30

The deadline for applications for our annual $2,500 Next-Gen Environmental Leader Scholarship is coming soon on June 30.

This scholarship supports a high school senior who has demonstrated a commitment to environmental protection, environmental justice, or community service to improve the environmental health or sustainability of their community. Please share this information with anyone you know who could benefit from some financial assistance for their future environmental education expenses.

Submit An Application

Quotable: "The National Litter Study proves what we’ve always believed: litter is solvable when people, systems, and partners work together.”

― Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful

Volunteers from Keep Mansfield Beautiful

Take Action to Clean Up and Green Up Your Community

Massachusetts native Tip O’Neill, the former Speaker of the House from Cambridge, was famous for stating that “all politics is local.” We agree and would take that sentiment one step further: “All litter is local.”

Change starts at the local level, and across Massachusetts, passionate community leaders are stepping up to make a difference.

Our network of 45 local Keep Massachusetts Beautiful chapters continues to grow thanks to the dedicated volunteers who are committed to creating cleaner, greener, and more connected communities. From organizing cleanups and beautification projects to inspiring environmental stewardship, our local chapters are proving that when people take pride in their own neighborhoods, towns, and cities, long-lasting impact is possible.

Are you passionate about your community? Ready to bring people together and create positive change where you live?

Launch a local KMB chapter and become part of our statewide movement to build cleaner, greener places to live, work, and play.

On that note, we're happy to welcome two new chapters that launched last month: Keep Weston Beautiful and Keep Swansea Beautiful.

Launch a KMB Chapter in Your Community

Volunteers from Fidelity Investments

Boston-Area Businesses Volunteer To Keep Our Communities Litter-Free

Thank you to our amazing business partners who volunteered with our Company Community Service Cleanup program this May!

Alarm.com on Boston Common on May 7
KPMG in Peters Park in Boston's South End on May 12
Rockhill Management at Carson Beach in South Boston on May 21
Fidelity Investments at Dorchester's Allen Park and surrounding neighborhood on May 28

If you’d like to get out and make a positive impact in your community with your co-workers, learn more at www.keepmassbeautiful.org/ccs.

Watch Our Latest Anti-Litter Video

Help us pass legislation to create a statewide Litter Prevention & Cleanup Task Force

Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

From the KMB Blog: The Hubcap Dilemma

After cleaning up the litter in your neighborhood, you’re feeling pretty good about what you’ve accomplished. But then….later in the day, you’re driving along that same route on an errand, and there it is: a hubcap lying on the sidewalk. What should you do when your litter cleanup efforts are thwarted by a fresh piece of litter?

Read Our Blog Post

Make a Fashionable Statement

Order a KMB anti-litter shirt or sweatshirt and help raise awareness for our mission.

Shop Now

Environmental News Worth Your Precious Time

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