The month of September marks the return of National Cleanup Month. This national annual observation stemmed from the development of Clean Trails by two avid hikers who wondered, “What if everyone picked up just one piece of litter?” It started with one day – National Cleanup Day – in September 2017. In the years since the inaugural event, it has grown to encompass millions of volunteers picking up tens of millions of pieces of litter in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, five US Territories, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia. With the tagline, “Together we can make a difference,” Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful embraces the same spirit that fuels the Clean Trails team and encourages our neighbors to do their part to clean up our little corner of the world. Here are four easy ways to get started…

1. Add a New Element to Your Daily Walk – September is a beautiful time of year for a stroll. If you strive to take a walk around the park or your own neighborhood every day, in addition to a water bottle to stay hydrated, we suggest you include a small trash bag and garden gloves or a litter picker among your tools. As you walk, pick up litter along the way. Following the 2020 Litter Study conducted by Keep America Beautiful, one of the key findings was that if every resident of the U.S. made the individual action of picking up 152 pieces of litter (all at once), there would be no litter on the ground until someone littered again. Every piece you pick up makes a difference. If you walk with your children, just imagine the impact you will have by teaching them the value of putting litter in its place.
2. Volunteer for an Upcoming Cleanup Event – Gwinnett County, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, many of our local municipalities, and a variety of organizations often plan cleanup events throughout our community. For instance, the Yellow River Water Trail, Gwinnett Parks & Recreation, Gwinnett Department of Water Resources, and Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful are all teaming up to host the Yellow River Trash Bash at a variety of sites along the Yellow River on Saturday, September 7. All volunteers will meet at the Yellow River Park pavilion at 3232 Juhan Rd SW, Stone Mountain, GA 30087, to register, get their assignments, and divide and conquer during this half-day event from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Once the cleanup has ended, volunteers are invited to return to the pavilion for lunch kindly provided by the Yellow River Water Trail Association. 

You can learn about other cleanup events by subscribing to our monthly e-newsletter (you’ll find the form at the bottom of our homepage at www.GwinnettCB.org) and following us on Facebook.

3. Partner with Us Through Adopt-A-Road – Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and Gwinnett County Department of Transportation are proud to offer Adopt-A-Road among our signature programs. A terrific initiative for civic groups, schools, churches, companies, neighborhoods, and other groups, Adopt-A-Road is a litter prevention initiative that enables citizens to show their pride in Gwinnett and safely reduce the amount of unsightly trash and illegal signage alongside county roadways. In addition to being a great team-building exercise and an excellent way to beautify the community, Adopt-A-Road provides an opportunity for your group or company to be recognized for your civic engagement. Shortly following your second cleanup, each adopted section of the road will be marked with two signs showcasing your group’s name as thanks for your participation.
4. Plan a Cleanup of Your Own for National Cleanup Day on September 21 – In the spirit of the original National Cleanup Day, designed to inspire individuals to take action, you can create your OWN cleanup day. Whether it’s in your own neighborhood, in the area surrounding your kids’ school, at a favorite park, or in a commercial area that has become somewhat of an eyesore, we encourage you to take a lot of photos, post them on social media, and tag us @gwinnettcb on Facebook or @greengwinnett on Instagram! It’s a bye week for the University of Georgia, so National Cleanup Day is well-timed for Dawg fans. However, if you have a conflict that day, you can apply for a Litter League project as part of our year-round Great American Cleanup initiative. You could qualify for supplies – like trash bags and litter pickers – to ensure a successful event.

Thank you in advance for your part in making National Cleanup Month 2024 a great success!

KB 8/28/24