NNewsSpring 2003 5_14 - Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful 

® 

Published by 

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 

1010 Washington Blvd. 

Stamford, CT 06901 

telephone: 203.323.8987 

fax: 203.325.9199 

email: info@kab.org 

web: www.kab.org 

spring 2003 

IN THIS ISSUE 

ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTS 

State Leaders Conduct Waste Reduction Survey 

UPDATE: Keep America Beautiful partners with American Forest and 

Paper Association in model school recycling program. Development of 

pilot already underway. Read more about it on our website: www.kab.org. 

Developments in Recycling.............1-2 

50 Years of Improving 

Communities Nationwide.................3 

President’s Report........................4-5 

National Training Roundup............6 

Alabama Power and 

Renew Our Rivers............................7 

Building on the Foundation 

for the Next Fifty Years...............8-9 

National Awards Luncheon 

Speaker Robert Swan...........................9 

2002 Keep America Beautiful 

Awards........................................ 10 

Volunteer Spotlight.........................11 

Networking the News..............12-13 

Community-Based Solutions 

Meet Technology......................13-14 

2003 Great American Cleanup TM 

Springs Forward............................15 

2003 South Carolina Litter Summit 

Celebrates the Start of the Great 

American Cleanup TM ..........................15 

3M Honored as 2002 Vision 

for America Award Recipient.....16-23 

Join Us for the 2003 

Midyear Affiliates’ Forum..............24 

Keep America Beautiful’s 2003 

National Awards Program.............24 

Printed on recycled paper 

Managing Editor: 

Monica Surfaro Spigelman 

Contributors: Becky Amsden, 

Gail Cunningham, Barbara Dorr, 

Ray Empson, Jane Ferry, Jeff Foote, 

Larry Kaufman, Conni Kunzler, 

Heather Leo, Heather Link, Becky Lyons, 

Sara Morris, Bob Phelps, Jane Polson, 

Kelly Rotkewicz, Dyane Sonier, 

Carrie Gallagher Sussman, Jack Singleton, 

Sue Smith, Jim Smith, Lisa Tella, 

Connie Wiggins, Susanne Woods. 

As the country grapples with solid waste management issues, 

a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national recycling 

goal, and how to develop alliances that foster stewardship – 

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) is studying the role of our network 

and our programs in addressing waste reduction issues. 

In one follow-up effort, KAB State Leaders are conducting a 

waste reduction survey to determine trends and the local affiliate’s 

role in this critical issue. “We want to identify the best tools and 

practices to help communities address waste reduction,” reports 

Becky Lyons, KAB Vice President of Training and Affiliate 

Services. Survey results and recommendations will be discussed 

by the State Leaders this summer. 

2002 NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOCUS 

At the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) 49th National Conference 

held December 2002 in Washington, DC, experts representing 75 

years in the solid waste industry participated in a Conference session 

devoted to the trends and challenges of solid waste reduction. 

Panelists included Jim Steele, (moderator) Keep America 

Beautiful, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful Georgia affiliate chairman; 

Jerry Powell, Resource Recycling magazine; Lori Scozzafava, 

SWANA, and Ed Skernolis, Waste Management, Inc. A question 

posed at the conference: Have we come through years of addressing 

the solid waste crisis to a plateau of complacency about recycling? 

With recycling growth largely remaining flat in recent years, there 

is the challenge now to build a sense of urgency in individuals, 

government and business, according to KAB panelists. In addition, 

they noted, financial incentives, research and new technologies will 

create new opportunities that will help build the recycling rate. 

John Howard discusses recycling goals with affiliate representatives at the 2002 

National Conference. 

Above: Steel remains one of the most recycled materials in North America, according to 

The Steel Recycling Institute. Recently, The Steel Recycling Institute helped communicate 

the recycling message to 50 students of the Orange County public school; here, two 

students proudly display their recycled steel lunch boxes. 

One business response to meet the challenge has been to 

foster partnerships that help keep recycling on track. Jerry 

Powell, a KAB 2002 Conference panelist who also is editor 

and publisher of Resource Recycling magazine, referenced this 

resurgence of alliances in his April 2003 editorial column. 

Powell reported “multi-party recycling alliance(s)” either 

formed or are in development for a variety of industries 

including glass container recycling, plastics and packaging, 

and aluminum and can producers. 

NATIONAL CHALLENGE: 35% 

In addition to releasing Y2000 statistics on municipal solid 

waste (MSW) in the United States, the EPA last year announced 

support of a 35 percent recycling goal by 2005. Recycling rates 

increased to 30 percent of MSW in 2000 (in 1990 it was only 

16 percent). The April edition of Resource Recycling features an 

interview with EPA Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste 

and Emergency Response Marianne Lamont Horinko about the 

national goal and the challenges to reaching it. While there are 

some hurdles, according to the Resource Recycling interview, 

including reaching an “on-the-go” society and developing the 

most efficient plans for new waste streams like discarded 

electronic products, the EPA is optimistic. Successful local 

programs – like composting organic materials, a variety of 

advanced citizen involvement initiatives and even collection 

system efficiencies like the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) incentive – 

are currently in place, helping these communities reach waste 

reduction levels over 40 percent. 

(continued on page 2)

(continued from cover) 

The KAB 2002 National Conference panel concurred that one key to 

achieving practical waste reduction and recycling goals will be partnerships. 

These partnerships will include industry, government and nonprofit alliances 

working in communities with citizens. In addition, economics will continue 

to be a critical factor – improving cost effectiveness while seeking innovations 

(like technology) that continue to improve recycling rates. 

Education also will continue to be a critical factor. “Energizing recycling in 

schools will provide a boost to national recycling rates by educating the next 

generation in this key environmental activity,” reports Dr. J. Winston Porter, 

president of the Waste Policy Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Dr. Porter, who 

previously was EPA’s assistant administrator responsible for solid and hazardous 

waste programs, notes that we need to recycle what makes economic and 

environmental sense. He recommends clear definition of terms (defining trash 

and recycling beyond the regulatory sense), giving people an indication of 

“where to attack” to best boost the recycling rate (going after visual litter and 

problem areas), and tailoring programs at the local level. 

PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP 

In addition to partnerships and education, the National Conference panel underscored 

the importance of product stewardship. Stewardship calls upon manufacturers 

to take on a unique responsibility to reduce impact of their products. From 

electronic products to carpets, industries are reviewing how to take back their 

used products from consumers, re-process and create new products for reuse. 

GET THE FACTS 

Last summer the EPA issued a report on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in the United States. 

In 2000, the United States generated 231.9 million tons of municipal solid waste, an increase 

of 900,000 tons from 1999. A breakdown, by weight and before recycling, of the MSW generated 

in 2000 follows, with paper and paperboard products making up the largest component: 

Recycling Panel Discussion at 2002 National Conference. Panelists (l to r): Jim Steele, Ed Skernolis, 

Lori Scozzafava and Jerry Powell. 

KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL RECYCLING RESOURCES AND EVENTS 

School Guide With Keep America Beautiful, Dr. Porter has produced a School 

Recycling Guide to assist schools in developing recycling programs. The 

Guide is designed for students and educators, middle school through junior 

college. Topics include assessment of potential recyclables; identification of 

local markets; design of actual recycling operations; and development 

of educational programs to support recycling activities. The booklet is 

available from Keep America Beautiful, Inc. for $7.50, with discounts 

available for large-quantity purchase. 

Paper and Paperboard Products........37.4% 

Yard Trimmings...................................12.0% 

Food scraps........................................11.2% 

Plastics...............................................10.7% 

Metals..................................................7.8% 

Rubber, leather & textiles................... 6.7% 

Glass.................................................... 5.5% 

Wood....................................................5.5% 

Other ................................................... 3.2% 

For additional statistics go to www.epa.gov. For a report on the 2003 National Conference 

including the Solid Waste Management Panel Session, write to keepamericabeautiful@kab.org 

Members of the Keep America Beautiful community are responding to the 

call to take back their products for re-process and creative new use. Anheuser- 

Busch Companies is one example. Anheuser-Busch recycles more than 750 

million pounds of aluminum cans annually. Anheuser-Busch Recycling 

Corporation recycles the equivalent of about 130% of all aluminum beer cans 

sold by Anheuser-Busch. Recycling aluminum cans results in a 95% energy 

savings compared to the amount of energy it takes to produce a new pound of 

aluminum. Recycling 80 aluminum cans saves the equivalent of producing 

one gallon of gasoline from crude oil. 51% of today’s aluminum cans in the 

U.S. are made from post-consumer recycled aluminum. 

“Anheuser-Busch has a long-standing tradition of environmental responsibility,” 

says Lise Herren, executive vice president, Anheuser-Busch Recycling 

Corporation. “We take our position as the world’s largest recycler of aluminum 

beverage cans very seriously. We continually seek new ways to minimize our 

environmental impact by reducing, reusing, and recycling whenever possible. 

We also work closely with a wide variety of environmental organizations, such 

as Keep America Beautiful, to encourage other businesses to embody the core 

values of environmental stewardship.” 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Materials In addition to the School Recycling Guide, Keep 

America Beautiful offers the Waste in Place educational curriculum 

and the Waste in the Workplace guide, which was featured at the recent 

Southeast Recycling Conference and Trade Show in Pensacola, Florida. 

Upcoming Conference Session Keep America Beautiful’s Midyear 

Affiliates Forum, to be held July 30 - August 2 in Kansas City, will 

feature a briefing on Source Reduction, Recycling and Illegal Dumping 

by Dr. Lisa Skumatz. Learn more about the session and the Midyear 

Forum through www.kab.org. 

Keep Nebraska Beautiful’s innovative program on Asphalt Shingle Collection 

& ReUse was honored at the 2002 National Conference. To learn more 

about the partnerships and the affiliates Materials Exchange Program, or to 

hear more about North Platte’s successful Hazardous Waste collections 

initiative or Kimball’s educational literature, go to www.knb.org. 

Sherman, Texas supplements its drop-off recycling center program with a 

technology-minded curbside recycling initiative. A state-of-the-art single 

stream collection system to more than 10,000 households uses a mechanical 

arm to pick up carts and empty directly into the recycling truck. The 

program, initiated in January 2002, is supplemented with an education 

program involving city staff, local groups and the school district. The Keep 

Sherman Beautiful affiliate was part of the cooperative city effort conducting 

feasibility studies and educational programs for this successful program. 

“Plug-In Recycling” is a new EPA campaign to encourage Americans to 

reuse or recycle electronics. AT&T Wireless has a special cell phone trade-in 

program in conjunction with Keep America Beautiful’s Great American 

Cleanup : go to www.attws.com/press/releases/2003_releases/042103.jhtml. 

Learn more about the EPA program at www.plugintorecycling.org. 

page 2 keep america beautiful — NETWORK NEWS — spring 2003

50 

YEARS 

HOW ARE YOU CELEBRATING KAB’S 50 TH ? 

In this anniversary year Keep America Beautiful is thrilled that President George 

W. Bush is serving as the Honorary Chair of the Great American Cleanup TM 

. The 

President’s participation is not only a source of enormous pride for us, it is confirmation 

that the work of affiliates and nearly three million volunteers in more 

than 14,000 communities nationwide is vital to our country. Our work continues, 

and it is certainly a busy year. We want to keep track of all our activities for 

50 Years of Improving Communities Nationwide 

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. is a 

national nonprofit organization whose 

network of more than 500 local, 

statewide and international affiliate 

programs educates individuals about 

litter prevention and ways to reduce, 

reuse, recycle and properly manage 

waste materials. Through partnerships 

and strategic alliances with citizens, 

businesses and government, Keep 

America Beautiful’s programs motivate 

millions of volunteers annually to 

50th Anniversary PSA is available online: www.kab.org. 

clean up, beautify and improve their 

neighborhoods, thereby creating 

healthier, safer and more livable 

community environments. The story 

begins in 1953, when a group of 

corporate and civic leaders met in New 

York City to discuss a revolutionary 

idea—bringing the public and private 

sectors together to develop and promote 

a national cleanliness ethic. Keep 

America Beautiful’s many milestones 

are included in the following timeline. 

a special year-end report. So please let us know what you and your community 

are doing to help us celebrate our 50th anniversary milestone! We invite you to 

share your activities by emailing news to us at keepamericabeautiful@kab.org, 

or by sending your information to Monica Surfaro Spigelman, Keep America 

Beautiful Communications, 1010 Washington Blvd., Stamford, CT 06901. 

Thank You! 

1953 - 1970 

1953 National Advisory Council 

organized 

1956 First public service 

announcement (PSA) on litter 

prevention appeared 

1960 Work begun with the Ad Council 

for ongoing PSA campaigns 

1965 Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady, joined 

Keep America Beautiful in promoting 

highway beautification program 

1967 Canine TV star Lassie appeared as 

mascot for an anti-litter campaign 

1970 Start of “Crying Indian” PSA campaign, 

iconic symbol of environmental 

responsibility, and one of the most 

successful PSA campaigns in history 

1971 - 1980 

1973 Research reveals the three reasons 

why people litter and its seven 

primary sources 

1975 Artist Bob Timberlake begins 

longstanding partnership with 


1976 Introduction of the Clean Community 

System, precursor to the Keep 

America Beautiful System 

1978 Georgia Clean & Beautiful becomes 

first Keep America Beautiful 

statewide program 

1979 Waste in Place, Keep America 

Beautiful’s first teacher curriculum 

supplement, is launched 

1981 - 1993 

1981 President Reagan endorses the 

Clean Community System 

1984 First Public Lands Day 

1985 Keep America Beautiful and GLAD 

bags launch the GLAD Bag-a-Thon 

program, precursor to the Great 

American Cleanup 

1986 Take Pride in America program, 

created for wise use of public lands, 

begun with federal agencies 

1986 First Vision for America Award 

Dinner held 

1988 Keep America Beautiful expands 

its mission to include solid waste 

education 

1988 Solid Waste Committee formed 

with waste experts from industry 

and government 

1990 First international affiliate, 

St. John’s New Brunswick, joins 


1990 First video conference on solid 

waste held 

1991 First training held on solid waste 

issues for Keep America Beautiful 

coordinators 

1991 Waste in the Workplace waste 

reduction guide for businesses 

published 

1993 Second video conference held, on 

recycling capabilities and limitations 

1993 For Future Generations PSA launched 

1994 - 2003 

1994 The Role of Recycling in Integrated 

Waste Management study published 

1995 Close the Loop, Buy Recycled U.S. 

EPA partnership program unveiled 

1995 Graffiti Hurts created 

1998 Back By Popular Neglect PSA 

campaign launched 

1999 Keep America Beautiful/U.S. 

Conference of Mayors Urban Litter 

Partnership National Summit 

1999 Great American Cleanup launched 

2002 Cigarette litter initiative launched 

2003 President George W. Bush 

named Honorary Chair of 

Keep America Beautiful’s 

Great American Cleanup 

The future - It’s up to all of us! 

keep america beautiful — NETWORK NEWS — spring 2003 page 3

Postcards From Across Am e 

WCBS RADIO 

50th Anniversary Road-Trip Reflections 

from KAB President G. Raymond Empson 

This is an extraordinary time in the 

history of Keep America Beautiful. 

My travels over the past few months 

have brought me across the country, 

where—in state after state—I see the 

growing momentum and a rededication 

to our mission as we celebrate our first 

half-century of improving communities. 

I am continually awed by the dedication 

of individuals working together to 

make their neighborhoods, their workplaces 

and their public places better 

today and for future generations. 

ARKANSAS 

ORLANDO 

We started our anniversary year in 

Orlando, with the Board of Directors 

meeting in this extremely clean city! 

Keep Orlando Beautiful provided 

Directors with a briefing on outstanding 

Orlando programs, including a visit to 

Orange County Elementary School to 

preview their environmental education 

program. Directors were enthusiastic 

about the visit; our thanks to Keep 

Orlando Beautiful coordinator Jane 

Ferry for hosting the terrific event. 

TENNESSEE 

My travels took me next to my birthplace, 

Tennessee. It was a celebratory 

atmosphere in Nashville—not just 

because of our 50th anniversary – but 

because this year also marks Keep 

Tennessee Beautiful’s 20th anniversary. 

It was an exciting gathering of our 

affiliates, hosted by Edith Heller—an 

exemplary state leader and program 

director. As the former mayor of 

Nashville, Governor Bredesen is familiar 

with Keep America Beautiful and 

through the Tennessee Department of 

Transportation has helped the state 

embrace a commitment to education, 

litter prevention and beautification. 

WEST VIRGINIA 

SOUTH CAROLINA 

Then it was on to South Carolina to 

be part of opening the 2003 SC Litter 

Summit. I am extremely pleased that 

Keep South Carolina Beautiful is associated 

with Palmetto Pride. Senator 

David Thomas, Palmetto Pride 

Campaign Coordinator Becky Hill 

Barnes and Keep South Carolina 

Beautiful Coordinator Sarah Robinson 

all provide great leadership and hosted 

an outstanding Summit. This Litter 

Summit was another example of the 

comprehensive efforts being undertaken 

here to engage all the critical 

players required to bring about sustainable 

litter prevention solutions. 

We salute South Carolina’s involving 

legislators, state and local government 

officials, educators, law enforcement 

officials, the judiciary, corporations, 

citizens and the media because they 

all play vital roles in accomplishing 

positive long-term results. 

WEST VIRGINIA 

Later in March I was privileged to participate 

in another outstanding conference 

in West Virginia. This was very 

well attended by a group of outstanding 

“Make It Shine” award winners; 

KAB Education Director Sue Smith 

conducted training workshops for the 

group. I am very excited by the efforts 

to grow affiliates under the leadership 

of Emily Fleming, Chief Environmental 

Resources Section and state coordinator 

of Keep America Beautiful System in 

WV. I was able to tour a number of 

outstanding river reclamation programs 

including Robin and Terry Moore’s 

River Works Downstream Cleanup. 

LAS VEGAS 

We went on to Las Vegas, where we 

participated in the Great American 

Cleanup activities including an event 

with Brad Hauter in his 5,600 crosscountry 

“Mow Across America” journey. 

GEORGIA 

Crisscrossing the country, on April 2 

we shared in the celebration of the 25th 

anniversary of Keep Georgia Beautiful 

(KGB). Many of you have already heard 

my descriptions of Georgia as the cradle 

of KAB. Indeed it is! Macon-Bibb was 

KAB’s first local affiliate and KGB 

became our first state affiliate four years 

later. Though many front-runners don’t 

finish the race, KGB has been, and 

remains today, a national model for 

state affiliates that deliver positive, 

sustainable improvements to the qual- 

MIS 


ica 

SISSIPPI 

ity of life across their states. With 67 

pre-certified and certified affiliates, 

KGB is, today, our largest state affiliate. 

Congratulations and happy 25th 

birthday, Keep Georgia Beautiful. 

My thanks in particular to Governor 

Purdue whose words at the Conference 

confirmed his support. His leadership, 

together with that of Commissioner 

Meadows and the Department of 

Community Affairs, exemplify the best 

in a government partnership. My thanks 

also to State Coordinator Lynn Cobb, 

who is a great leader and whose experience 

is so valued by our organization. 

MISSISSIPPI 

I was in Mississippi in late April, for 

another birthday party celebrating 

KAB’s 50th. Among the balloons 

and festivity of the 11th annual 

SOUTH CAROLINA 

GEORGIA 

Mississippi Awards luncheon, I saw 

and felt KAB spirit again represented 

at its best. Everyone in the room— 

from the law enforcement officers to 

our partners from the business world to 

dedicated individuals—was an example 

of how we are living the principles that 

will help us fulfill and expand upon 

our mission for another 50 years. 

At the heart of everything we do 

are the special individuals who are 

the prime movers, the ones who take 

personal responsibility for building 

the KAB spirit. The “first lady” of 

keeping Mississippi beautiful—Mrs. 

Louise Godwin—was at the 

Mississippi state luncheon. It was 

because of her love of community, of 

neighborhood beauty and cleanliness, 

and of gardens, that Keep America 

Beautiful got started in this state. I 

TENNESSEE 

had the privilege of thanking Mrs. 

Godwin—a former Mrs. LBJ 

winner— during the luncheon, as 

well as recognizing other outstanding 

Mississippians, including Mary Jo 

Wentworth, another Mrs. LBJ winner, 

and Barbara Dorr, a member of Keep 

America Beautiful’s Board of 

Directors. Barbara is truly on a 

crusade to save Mississippi from the 

pitfalls of a littered landscape and 

to educate her state about core 

principles of community improvement 

and sustainability. I salute all of our 

Mississippi teammates! 

ARKANSAS 

At the end of the month it was on to 

Arkansas, where I was treated to the 

world’s most unique and “trashy” 

fashion show, as well as to a superb 

state conference hosted by Keep 

America Beautiful Executive Director 

Rob Phelps and his team. I also participated 

with Governor and Mrs. Mike 

Huckabee in a presentation of the 

“ARKeeper Award” to Charlotte 

Nabholtz, from Keep Faulkner County 

Beautiful. It was the first-ever presentation 

of this award and we gave 

Charlotte the “keys to a brand new 

pickup”— a Yard Vac from MTD 

Corporation. Carl Garner also attended 

the Arkansas conference. Fifteen years 

ago, Carl was the first winner of the 

The Iron Eyes Cody Award. Carl is a 

true environmental pioneer, a visionary 

who launched the first public lands 

day at Greers Ferry Lake. Take Pride in 

America, a program of the 1980s and 

1990s which was at the heart of Carl’s 

public lands initiative, is back and 

being reenergized by President George 

W. Bush this year. When we awarded 

Carl our Iron Eyes Cody Award we saw 

the promise and vision of his work, 

and we see the rewards of it still being 

reaped today. 

Across the country—no matter 

where I travel—one message comes 

through loud and clear. Keep America 

Beautiful—our mission and the 

individuals who live it—are more 

important than ever to our country. 

Our work is truly reaping results, and 

our focus areas of litter abatement, 

community improvement and beautification, 

as well as waste reduction 

are addressing vital national issues. I 

am both proud and energized by the 

work of our organization. 

As we start shaping the next 50 

years I know ours is the team that will 

make it happen. It a privilege to work 

with you all. See you in Kansas City! 

keep america beautiful — NETWORK NEWS — spring 2003 page 5 

Permission is hereby granted to reprint any article in whole or in part with the following credit line: Reprinted by permission of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. from Network News, Spring 2003 edition.

NATIONAL 

TRAINING 

Roundup 

Training Notes from Sue Smith - National Education Director 

FEBRUARY NOTES 

ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI - We held what I call our “Hands Across the Border” 

meeting in Montgomery AL, with 73 executive directors and board members 

from Mississippi and Alabama assembled for Keep America Beautiful training. 

Attendees took our “24x7 Challenge,” describing what they do for community 

improvement in 24 words and 7 seconds. Some sang their description; some 

rapped and some read poems – these were great sessions. 

MICHIGAN - We precertified Keep America Beautiful’s first Michigan affiliate, 

Keep Genesee County Beautiful, in Flint on February 18. The Ruth Mott 

Foundation, a key partner with Keep Genesee County Beautiful, is strongly 

committed to beautification and held an informational meeting at the Mott 

home, which is also an environmental center. 

TEXAS - Keep Texas Beautiful held a “Train the Trainer” retreat in Austin for key 

trainers who travel throughout the state training other affiliates, and mentoring and 

assisting them. These volunteers, formerly known as Regional Governors, voted to 

change their name to Executive Trainers. The retreat was held in an inspiring setting 

on Lake Travis. Donna Albus, the Chair of Keep Texas Beautiful, was in attendance, 

as was Sharla Hotchkiss, a former Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Award winner. 

STARTING MARCH IN OMAHA 

NEBRASKA - Jane Polson, Executive Director, Keep Nebraska Beautiful, and I 

held three cluster meetings across the state. In addition to meeting for information 

exchange and training, Great American Cleanup TM material was distributed 

and the Great American Cleanup TM banner was unfurled in celebration. Keep 

North Platte Beautiful organized an environmental education play attended by 

300 children, called “Every Litter Bit Hurts.” Did you know that 70 percent of 

all Nebraska citizens live in KNB/KAB cities? 

Some additional, quick notes about our far-west, panhandle meeting – a 330-mile 

drive to Sidney! We started at the radio station in Sidney on the morning show. 

Then there was a full day with the affiliates and four board members of Keep 

Sidney Beautiful. We were joined by a reporter from the Sidney paper. Finished 

there by handing out Great American Cleanup TM program materials from Jane 

Polson’s SUV! Drove to North Platte, where 

we participated in a local school assembly for 

300 kids! Then there was a full day of training 

with the three affiliates represented. We were 

joined by the mayor and 4 board members. 

WEST VIRGINIA - A precertification was held 

in Charleston on March 18 for 11 communities. 

Keep America Beautiful President Ray 

Empson delivered a keynote address. Elected 

officials and other volunteers came for training, 

and the staff of the State Department of 

Natural Resources also chose to sit in on the 

training to be supportive of the new affiliates. 

GEORGIA - Near the end of the month we 

spent time with the Cherry Blossom Festival! 

Every time I return to Macon I recall with 

pride that it is the birthplace of Keep America 

Beautiful where the tools we use were first 

tested proven. The Festival was a community improvement initiative of Keep 

Macon-Bibb Beautiful and its growth has been unbelievable. The home of the 

cherry blossoms lives up to its name – pink bows are everywhere. There is a 

“Think Pink” house decorating contest along with 500 other activities over a 

10-day window. Pink grits at the Krystal drive in, pink buns at the Fuddruckers 

hamburger place and pink water at the car wash. The lines on the pavement are 

pink and there are cherry blossoms painted at the intersections. The trees were 

right on cue this year, the sky was tinted pink with the blossoms and the canopy 

was heavy (and heaven!) as you walked downtown. I left Macon early by shuttle 

to the airport and then took the MARTA to downtown Atlanta, where I had an 

opportunity to visit with Katherine McCladdie at Keep Atlanta Beautiful. The 

Atlanta mayor is a strong supporter of KAB. Atlanta has a Pot Hole Patrol – so 

far 5,000 have been repaired. The latest city campaign will involve Trash 

Troopers and will get a major push from the mayor. 

APRIL AND EARTH DAY 

NEW MEXICO - In glorious Santa Fe – Joe 

Lobato held a comprehensive meeting for 

his amazing group of affiliates. So much 

activity – from litter education grants in 

Las Cruces to plantings and skateboard 

parks in Ruidoso. Bloomfield is working 

on illegal dumping after combating (and 

overcoming!) the litter issue for 12 years. 

There’s a “yard of the month” program in 

Clovis, an outdoor environmental ed classroom 

in Roswell, code enforcement in Las 

Vegas, and 11 events crammed into the 

Great American Cleanup TM Albuquerque program. Joe capped off the sessions by 

by-lining a great commentary about Keep Mexico Beautiful for the Santa Fe 

New Mexican paper, which appeared on April 5! 

ILLINOIS - We conducted a 

Waste In Place Workshop with 

enthusiastic and dedicated teachers 

on April 12. On Earth Day, 

April 24, I visited two schools 

and seven classes as part of our 

kick-off for the Great American 

Cleanup TM and Earth Day here in 

Michigan. The classes will all do a 

campus cleanup this next week. I 

taught students about the history 

of KAB and worked on two litter 

lesson plans – it was great fun! 

So my dear friends, the trips 

across America and our great 

Keep America Beautiful organization 

continue. All are full and 

satisfying. I am inspired by the 

great work of our affiliates. Expect 

to see many more of you in the 

months ahead, as future trips 

will take me from California to 

South Carolina. 


ALABAMA POWER& RENEW OUR RIVERS 

A Continuing Success Story 

What began just a few years ago as a single reservoir 

cleanup has grown into the largest campaign of its kind 

in the Southeast. Renew Our Rivers, formerly known as 

Renew the Coosa, began in May 2000 after employees 

from Alabama Power’s Plant Gadsden became concerned about litter found in and 

on the banks of the Coosa River. Renew our Rivers is now the Southeast’s largest 

organized river system cleanup and one of the largest of its kind in the nation. 

Alabama Power received Keep America Beautiful’s first place National 

Award for litter prevention among business and professional organizations at 

the 2002 National Conference in December. 

“In just three years, Renew the Coosa has grown from a single event to 

a nationally recognized cleanup campaign that spans two states, three river 

systems and brings together thousands of volunteers,” said Charles McCrary, 

president and CEO of Alabama Power. “Renew Our Rivers better reflects the 

scope of the cleanup campaign and Alabama Power’s commitment to protecting 

Alabama’s rivers. Every year, it’s getting bigger and better.” 

Last year more than 1,700 volunteers removed more than 142 tons of litter and 

debris. Renew Our Rivers now includes 11 lake cleanups on the Coosa, Tallapoosa 

and Black Warrior rivers in Alabama and on the upper Coosa River in Georgia. 

This year the Alabama Power Foundation will join lake organizations to provide 

Renew Our Rivers educational grants to teachers at Alabama schools. The 

$1,000 grants are designed to help educate students about Alabama’s environment. 

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company, owns and 

operates 14 hydroelectric plants in Alabama, providing clean, low-cost electricity. 

The lakes created by the facilities provide more than 157,000 acres of water 

and more than 4,000 miles of shoreline for the public’s use and enjoyment. 

Keep Etowah Beautiful Board Members joined by Alabama Power volunteers to 

celebrate the new logo. 

Renew Our Rivers 2003 features 11 volunteer cleanups on lakes along the Coosa, Tallapoosa and Black 

Warrior rivers in Alabama, and on the upper Coosa River in Georgia. 

Testing an Approach to Cigarette Litter Prevention 

Keep America Beautiful’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program moves from literature review and research to ACTION 

After research and data collection related to cigarette litter...a review of successful 

Keep America Beautiful affiliate programs and best practices...and the study 

of community, national and international programs that address cigarette litter – 

Keep America Beautiful has developed a 2003 Cigarette Litter Prevention “Test 

Campaign.” Later this summer Program Director Carrie Gallagher Sussman will 

work with affiliates and teams of stakeholders in select U.S. markets to test a 

three-pronged approach to decreasing cigarette litter: 

Distribution and use of POCKET ASHTRAYS. 

Increased strategic placement of ASH RECEPTACLES. 

PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGES in the media for adults who smoke. 

Results from the Test Campaign and continued research on this emerging litter 

issue will support development of a grassroots Cigarette Litter Campaign and 

Campaign materials. KAB will work with program sponsor Philip Morris USA, 

a division of The Altria Group, to make this campaign available to communities 

nationwide in the coming year. According to Sussman, who is currently working 

with affiliates in test locations within their cities, the KAB partnership with 

Philip Morris USA on the Cigarette Litter Program – less than a year old – is 

becoming an exemplary model of nonprofit/industry collaboration.“It has 

allowed the perspective of an industry leader to blend with the perspective of a 

grassroots organization to achieve a shared goal: reduction of cigarette litter 

nationwide,” said Sussman. 

Visit www.kab.org - review new cigarette litter information. 

Visit www.philipmorrisusa.com - note their litter information. 

Contact us with related information at litter@kab.org. 


BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION 

FOR THE NEXT FIFTY YEARS 

KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL’S 49 TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE 

Award winners on the dais. 

I 

n celebration of its past accomplishments 

and ambitious plans for the 

future, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 

(KAB) brought together more than 

300 affiliates, volunteers, business, 

community and government leaders 

from December 4 - 7, 2002 at its 49th 

National Conference in Washington, 

D.C. Themed “Building on the 

Foundation for the Next 50 Years,” the 

Conference featured a four-day program 

of wide-ranging and relevant presentations, 

exhibits and sessions. 

A welcome reception at the 

National Geographic Society’s 

Exhibition Hall featured an exhibit 

on biodiversity and provided the backdrop 

for affiliate networking. 

Attendees were able to meet peers, 

become reacquainted with old friends 

and meet new affiliate staff members 

in an inspiring and striking setting. 

The key advantage for full-capacity 

crowds was the opportunity to 

share ideas and resources with each 

other, which the National Conference 

agenda provides each year. 

Conference sessions addressed 

topics and trends in community 

improvement, solid waste management 

and recycling, litter abatement, 

as well as ancillary economic development 

issues, legislation and leadership 

action. Other issues of key interest 

to attendees, such as cigarette litter 

and electronics recycling, were also 

highlighted. 

In his keynote address, White 

House Federal Environmental Executive 

John L. Howard praised Keep America 

Beautiful affiliates for their positive, 

measurable community improvements, 

and noted how the Keep America 

Beautiful organization and its volunteers 

exemplify the spirit of service 

President George W. Bush enthusiastically 

supports and hopes to reinforce. 

He urged affiliates to consider 

new partnerships with the Federal 

Government, stating, “the President’s 

desire is for the Federal Government 

to be a good neighbor in your community, 

and we will continue working 

with you to find opportunities to be 

good neighbors.” (The full text of 

Mr. Howard’s presentation is available 

on the Office of the Federal 

Environmental Executive’s website: 

www.ofee.gov.) 

Recycling was the focus of one 

Conference panel discussion. The Solid 

Waste Management panel, representing 

75 years in the recycling industry, 

addressed trends in waste management 

and recycling, such as the emergence 

of single stream recycling programs, 

the impact of legislation, and effective 

product stewardship programs. The 

panel reminded attendees that every 

effort counts, and that all need to 

work together to promote the message 

that solid waste recycling deserves a 

prominent place in the larger environmental 

picture. 

Volunteer liability was another 

relevant session, given that more than 

100 million citizens volunteer each 

year. Melanie Herman, executive 

director, Nonprofit Risk Management 

Center, noted the unique human 

resources challenge posed to a volunteer-driven 

organization like Keep 

America Beautiful. 

This session helped affiliates 

explore the legal implications of volunteer 

liability by defining terms, 

reviewing current regulations and 

various types of insurance. While 

risk can’t be entirely eliminated, 

affiliates were reminded to be educated 

and prepared in order to best protect 

volunteers and the organization. 

Attendees at this session were 

given comprehensive handouts on volunteer 

liability, including a review of 

state and federal protection laws and 

tools and checklists for assessing organizational 

exposure to risk and providing 

safeguards to exposure. 

Many free resources were distributed 

to Conference attendees. A tree 

planting idea kit was one example; 

conference sponsors also provided 

product samples. At breakfast sessions 

and general conference workshops, 

attendees shared program ideas and 

exchanged materials with fellow 

Conference participants. The 

“Constructing Change” breakfast session 

provided ideas and tools to help 

effect community improvement; the 

“Steel This” session, sponsored by 

The Steel Recycling Institute, featured 

innovative programs that attendees 

could “steal.” An Award Winners 

Museum displayed Keep America 

Beautiful award winning entries and 

exhibits. As an added feature, attendees 

were invited to be audience 

members in the television program, 

Crossfire. 

The National Conference also provided 

the opportunity for state leaders 

to conduct targeted business meetings 

with their affiliates, and facilitated 

mentor connections between veteran 

directors and new affiliates. These sessions 

provided invaluable advice and 

counsel, and an exchange of fresh ideas 

and perspectives for all parties. 

One Conference highlight was the 

annual Awards Luncheon and presentation 

of awards. Luncheon keynote 

speaker and polar explorer Robert 

Swan talked with the group about his 

“The President’s desire is for the federal government to be 

a good neighbor in your community, and we will continue 

working with you to find opportunities to be good neighbors.” 

John Howard, Federal 

Environmental Executive 

life-altering adventures and environmental 

awareness work. In 1986, Swan 

and two colleagues trekked over 900 

miles of treacherous polar ice cap to 

reach the geographical South Pole – 

a journey fraught with danger that 

could have ended in tragedy at any 

time. Following this remarkable 

achievement, Swan again braved polar 

bears and hidden crevasses and trekked 

to the North Pole to become the first 

man in history to reach both the 

North Pole and South Pole on foot. 


50 

The journeys changed his life forever. 

The environmental damage he 

witnessed inflicted by man on planet 

Earth, such as the ozone hole and early 

polar ice melt, prompted a new life 

strategy. Swan now works to draw 

attention to the environmental damage 

we bring upon ourselves, and 

works also to preserve the last true 

wilderness on Earth – the Antarctic. 

Over the past five years, he has 

worked closely with the Russian government 

to pack up 1,000 tons of rubbish 

from the Russian Antarctic Base 

Bellingshausen, which was successfully 

removed in January 2002. 

Swan continues to take young 

people, teachers and representatives 

from Industry and Businesses down to 

the Antarctic to lend support to the 

cleanup action, as well as to give individuals 

the chance to see this unique 

place for themselves and understand 

the importance of protecting it. 

Conference attendees who were 

treated to Swan’s gripping and motivational 

talks can return to their affiliates 

and apply Swan’s lessons of teamwork, 

management and effective 

communication to their own lives and 

work. Coca-Cola helped make his 

appearance at the Conference possible. 

National Conference Sponsors 

included: The Coca-Cola Company, 

The Procter & Gamble Company, SC 

Johnson – A Family Company, and the 

Steel Recycling Institute. 

Keep America Beautiful also thanks 

the 2002 National Awards Luncheon 

Sponsors: BASF Corporation; Illinois 

Tool Works; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Shell 

Oil Company; and Target Corporation. 

We gratefully acknowledge AT&T 

Environment, Health & Safety for the 

donation of AT&T phone cards and The 

Steel Recycling Institute’s sponsorship 

of the “Steel This” work session and 

donation of lunch box mementos. 

Below: Henry Moore, the former assistant city manager 

of Savannah who spearheaded inner-city improvements 

there for more than 17 years, spoke to Conference attendees 

about how they can mobilize local neighborhood 

assets to improve communities. Moore, currently a faculty 

member of Northwestern University’s Asset-Based 

Community Development Institute (ABCD), reviewed 

the Institute’s “ABCD” tools and problem-solving techniques 

during his interactive Conference session. 

Below: John L. Howard, White House Federal 

Environmental Executive, delivered the keynote 

address. His remarks included an overview of the 

Office of the Federal Environmental Executive and an 

historical perspective on President Bush’s environmental 

commitment as governor and then as president. 

Conference Postscript: National Awards Luncheon Speaker Robert Swan 

W 

hen Robert Swan, Antarctic explorer, spoke at the December National Conference, 

attendees were riveted by his account of environmental exploration and leadership 

advice. Now there is a postscript to Swan’s story. The Coca-Cola Company, 

which funded and sponsored Swan’s National Conference presentation, sponsored a trek back 

to Antarctica in February, when 36 Coca-Cola associates representing Coke employees, 

bottling partners and customers from 18 different countries, traveled with Robert Swan back 

to the South Pole. 

The Coca-Cola team experienced the worst Antarctica could throw at them – below zero 

temperatures, Force 12 winds and 15-meter waves. Overnight friendships, cross-cultural 

alliances and trust in one another made overcoming the range of significant physical and 

emotional challenges possible, according to expedition participant Jeff Foote, Director of 

Corporate Environmental Affairs of Coca-Cola. 

Through this trek, Coca-Cola became the first corporation to undertake a mission to help 

preserve the pristine wilderness of Antarctica. Foote explained that the group broke into three 

teams to evaluate existing waste management procedures on seven scientific bases on King 

George Island. Plans for removal of above-ground storage tanks were outlined; renewable 

energy opportunities to heat and light for research huts were investigated; and opportunities 

and recommendations for cooperative solid waste management planning between these 

research stations were documented, said Foote. He also indicated that these environmental 

assessments, evaluations and recommendations will pave the way for future Coca-Cola 

activities to support the Antarctic environment. 

Foote reported that everyone returned home inspired to be more efficient and effective in 

their jobs and better people for the effort. His comments: “While, not finalized, (Coca-Cola is) 

Networking opportunities were another Conference highlight. 

planning to take a new team back to Antarctica to begin work implementing the plans we 

developed to get some of the bases to work together to increase recycling efforts, improve 

waste water cleanup efforts, test some solar and wind technologies to power huts, and 

remove nine 250,000 gallon rusting oil tanks.” 

Here Robert Swan and Jeff Foote, Coca-Cola Director of Corporate Environmental Affairs, are photographed 

during February’s Antarctica Expedition. 


2002 KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL AWARDS 

AFFILIATE AWARDS 

A: 30,000 AND UNDER 

First Place - Keep Scottsbluff-Gering 

Beautiful, Scottsbluff, NE 

B: 30,001 TO 75,000 

First Place - Keep Smyrna Beautiful, 

Inc., Smyrna, GA 

Second Place - Keep Sugar Land 

Beautiful, Sugar Land, TX 

Distinguished Service Citation - 

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful, 

Rio Rancho, NM 

C: 75,001 TO 150,000 

First Place - Angelina 

Beautiful/Clean, Inc., Lufkin, TX 

Second Place - Keep Waco Beautiful, 

Inc., Waco, TX 

Distinguished Service Citation - Keep 

Roswell Beautiful, Roswell, GA 

D: 150,001 TO 500,000 

First Place - Keep Cincinnati 

Beautiful, Cincinnati, OH 

Second Place - Keep Sandy Springs- 

North Fulton Beautiful, Atlanta, GA 

E: 500,001 AND ABOVE 

First Place - Memphis City Beautiful 

Commission, Memphis, TN 

Second Place - Keep Greater 

Milwaukee Beautiful, Inc., 

Milwaukee, WI 

NATIONAL AWARDS 

FOR BEAUTIFICATION 

AND COMMUNITY 

IMPROVEMENT 

BUSINESS/PROFESSIONAL 

ORGANIZATIONS 

First Place - Shell Oil Company, 

Houston, TX 

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 

First Place - Keep Columbus 

Beautiful, Columbus, OH 

Second Place - Morrow Police 

Department P.R.O.U.D. 

Program Submitted by City of Morrow- 

P.R.O.U.D. Program, Morrow, GA 

Distinguished Service Citation - Keep 

Alamogordo Beautiful, Alamogordo, 

NM 

NONPROFIT, CIVIC AND 

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS 

First Place - Prince William 

Clean Community Council, 

Prince William, VA 

Second Place - Keep Indianapolis 

Beautiful PIE Phase I and II 

Submitted by Keep Indianapolis 

Beautiful, Inc., Indianapolis, IN 


The Loop Group 

Submitted by Keep Marietta Beautiful, 

Marietta, GA 

YOUTH GROUPS/SCHOOLS 

First Place - Cooper Elementary 

Ecology Club 

Submitted by William Mason Cooper 

Elementary School, Hampton, VA 


FOR LITTER 

PREVENTION 


ORGANIZATIONS 

First Place - Alabama Power 

Submitted by Keep Etowah Beautiful, 

Inc., Gadsden, AL 


First Place - Hampton Clean City 

Commission, Hampton, VA 

Second Place - Keep Columbus 

Beautiful, Columbus, OH 


Mississippi Department of 

Transportation, Jackson, MS 



First Place - St. John’s Clean And 

Beautiful, St. John’s, NF, Canada 

Second Place - Adopt-A-Trail Georgia 

Native Plant Society 

Submitted by Keep Cobb Beautiful, 

Marietta, GA 


First Place - Wise Primary School, 

Wise, VA 


FOR WASTE 

MINIMIZATION 


ORGANIZATIONS 

First Place - Virco Mfg. Corporation- 

Conway Division, Conway, AR 

Second Place - BASF Corporation, 

Freeport, TX 


Target Corporation, River Falls, WI 


First Place - Captain M.S. Boensel 

Submitted by: Naval Air Station, 

Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL 

Second Place - Electronics Recycling 

Program 

Submitted by Frederick County Public 

Works, Winchester, VA 



First Place - Keep Mobile Beautiful, 

Inc., Mobile, AL 

Second Place - Keep Nebraska 

Beautiful, Lincoln, NE 


First Place - Leon H. Sablatura 

Middle School K.I.P.P.E.R.S., 

Pearland, TX 

INNOVATION AWARDS 

PARTNERSHIP FINALIST 

Canada Post Partnership - 

St. John’s Clean And Beautiful, 

St. John’s, NF, Canada 

The Wartville Wizard Partnership - 

Memphis City Beautiful 

Commission, Memphis, TN 

EcoGarden Partnership - 

Norfolk Environmental Commission, 

Norfolk, VA 

C.A.R.E.S. Partnership - 

The Glen Cove Beautification 

Commission, Glen Cove, NY 

Winner - Canada Post Partnership - 

St. John’s Clean And Beautiful, St. 

John’s, NF, Canada 

PROGRAM FINALIST 

Art of Recycling - 

Keep McMinn Beautiful, Athens, TN 

Read for the Environment Month - 

St. John’s Clean And Beautiful, St. 

John’s, NF, Canada 

Cell Phone Recycling - Keep Sandy 

Springs-North Fulton Beautiful, 

Atlanta, GA 

GumBusters Program - Keep Oak 

Park Beautiful, Oak Park, IL 

Winner - Art of Recycling - Keep 

McMinn Beautiful, Athens, TN 

MRS. LYNDON B. 

JOHNSON AWARD 

Rachel L. Cooper, Keep Indianapolis 

Beautiful, Indianapolis, IN 

IRON EYES CODY 

AWARD 

Jim Steele, Gwinnett Clean 

& Beautiful, Inc., GA 

THE ROGERS AWARDS 

LOCAL TELEVISION 

ADVERTISING 

First Place - Conserva el Encanto, 

Inc., Puerto Rico 

Second Place - Keep Jacksonville 

Beautiful, Jacksonville, FL 

Honorable Mention - Keep 

Covington/Newton Beautiful, 

Covington, GA 

STATE AND LOCAL RADIO 

ADVERTISING 

First Place - Keep Texas Beautiful 

Second Place - Keep Mobile Beautiful, 

Mobile, AL 

Honorable Mention - Keep Tennessee 

Beautiful 

STATEWIDE TELEVISION 

ADVERTISING 

First Place - Keep South Carolina 

Beautiful/Palmetto Pride 

Second Place - Keep Texas Beautiful 

Honorable Mention - Conserva el 

Encanto, Inc., Puerto Rico 

Honorable Mention - Keep Georgia 

Beautiful 

GREAT AMERICAN 

CLEANUP AWARDS 

OUTSTANDING 

SPONSOR SUPPORT 

Hancock County Commissioners 

Special Projects, Findlay, OH 

Keep Akron Beautiful, Akron, OH 

Keep Islip Clean, Inc., Islip, NY 

Keep Knoxville Beautiful, 

Knoxville, TN 

Keep Nebraska Beautiful, 

Lincoln, NE 

Keep North Platte/Lincoln County 

Beautiful, North Platte, NE 

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful, Rio 

Rancho, NM 

Keep Wickliffe Beautiful, 

Wickliffe, OH 

Lorain County Beautiful, Elyria, OH 

Shreveport Green, Shreveport, LA 

BEST DOCUMENTED CLEANUP 

Keep Tennessee Beautiful, Memphis, 

TN 

US STATE DEPARTMENTS 

OF TRANSPORTATION 

PARTNERSHIP AWARDS 

Georgia Department of Transportation 

Nominated by Keep Georgia Beautiful 

Mississippi Department of 

Transportation 

Nominated by Keep Mississippi 

Beautiful/People Against Litter 

South Carolina Department 

of Transportation 

Nominated by Keep South Carolina 

Beautiful/Palmetto Pride 

Tennessee Department 

of Transportation 

Nominated by Keep Tennessee Beautiful 

Texas Department of Transportation 

Nominated by Keep Texas Beautiful 

WILLIAM B. NASH AWARD 

Keep Williamson Beautiful, Franklin 

TN 

PROFESSIONAL 

LEADERSHIP AWARD 

Gwen Emick, Keep Louisiana Beautiful 

Cecile Carson, Keep Texas Beautiful 


VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 

IRON EYES CODY AWARD 

Jim Steele (left) received the Iron Eyes Cody 

Award from Keep America Beautiful 

President Ray Empson. 

Jim Steele, chairman of Gwinnett Clean & 

Beautiful, GA, is the recipient of the 2002 

Iron Eyes Cody Award, in recognition of his 

decades of commitment to environmental 

education for youth and adults, and his leadership 

role in increasing public awareness 

about activities that preserve and enhance 

natural resources and minimize waste. 

Steele’s work stretches back 35 years, 

when as a young engineering graduate he 

first built schools using state of the art 

practices to minimize erosion, reduce 

waste, conserve water and use building 

materials wisely. In the 1970s he saw the 

need for environmental education in his community, and so formed Gwinnett 

Clean and Beautiful (GC&B) with other concerned citizens. For decades, Steele’s 

tireless involvement and positive influence on GC&B’s Citizens Advisory Board 

has helped GC&B become a regional and national leader in providing grassroots 

environmental solutions. 

His goals for educating his community are based on sound science. Steele 

has helped educate more than one million citizens about conserving natural 

resources, waste management, and water and air quality issues. He developed 

the Clean Schools program to educate all 190,000 students and 10,000 faculty 

on ways to keep schools clean. 

Steele was also instrumental in implementing Keep America Beautiful’s 

Waste in Place and Waste: A Hidden Resource curricula in each of Gwinnett’s 87 

county schools. Through this effort, the eighth class of students has graduated 

after completing 13 years of comprehensive environmental education. As school 

system’s director of public safety, he has led the county-wide effort to establish a 

Graffiti Hurts coalition. 

Steele spearheaded the effort to design and construct the Recycling Bank of 

Gwinnett. Currently, more than 120 community groups, 13,000 individuals and 

60 businesses use the bank. This recycling facility has grown from a 2,000 square 

foot center to a 20,000 square foot, 100 ton per day intermediate processing center 

for recyclables. It is a state and national model for recycling facilities and is the 

seventh largest recycling facility in Metro Atlanta. 

Steele believes in involving volunteers and saving tax dollars. He led the effort 

to develop and implement a comprehensive solid waste management plan for 

Gwinnett’s 600,000 citizens. Because of his work, the county saved $250,000. 

His leadership in litter prevention programs also resulted in a sustained 70 percent 

or better reduction of litter in major areas. During the past 12 months his 

efforts have involved more than 195,000 volunteers and returned more than $30 

in benefits to citizens for every $1 invested by county government. 

Jim Steele has served as chairman of GC&B since 1989, and has received 

many accolades while he helps Keep America Beautiful’s presence grow. In 1990, 

he was awarded Keep America Beautiful’s first Chairman of the Year Award, and 

in 1998 he received the Keep Georgia Beautiful Man of the Year Award. Steele 

donates his time to help other communities develop their own Keep America 

Beautiful affiliate programs. He helped found the Metro Atlanta Keep America 

Beautiful Partnership, which includes 16 affiliates. 

“Jim Steele’s leadership ability has made a dramatic difference in the environmental 

practices of thousands of young people and adults,” said KAB President G. 

Raymond Empson. “Like Iron Eyes Cody, he is an example of the power of an 

individual to be a catalyst for change.” 

The Iron Eyes Cody Award was named in honor of Keep America Beautiful’s 

landmark public awareness campaign of the 1970s, “People Start Pollution. 

People Can Stop It,” which features the iconic face and tear of Iron Eyes Cody and 

is credited with awakening the environmental consciousness of an entire generation. 

This award honors outstanding men for their leadership in raising public 

awareness of the importance of litter prevention, community beautification and 

improvement, responsible solid waste management, and preserving and enhancing 

natural resources and public lands. 

MRS. LYNDON B. JOHNSON AWARD 

The recipient of the 2002 Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Award is Rachel L. Cooper, 

for her tireless years of work in beautification and anti-litter initiatives that have 

helped make her community grow and prosper as a safer and more beautiful 

place to live. 

Cooper first became involved with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) in 

1996, through the Glad Bag-a-Thon, the precursor to the Great American 

Cleanup, and then Project 180 IPL Revive-a-Neighborhood. As president of 

the South East Community Organization (SECO), a volunteer post, she and 

SECO each year plant a new garden or beautify a new spot. These include 

median beautification at two major intersections, a children’s garden, and beautification 

of the baseball park where her summer baseball teams play. This year 

SECO beautified the entrance to Capitol City Metals, an automobile shredding 

business whose property had been looked at unfavorably by some in the community. 

Cooper decided that partnering and relationship-building would benefit 

the community more than fighting, and so with help from the company, KIB 

and local volunteers, she led the beautification of the property entrance by 

planting trees, shrubs, flowers and a brick wall enclosing the raised beds. 

SECO has truly flourished under Cooper’s direction. When she first became 

president, the organization had $37.50 in the bank and very little community 

support. With her leadership and fund-raising skill, they now bring in enough 

funds to support eight teams of 17 children each in a summer baseball league, 

as well as a crew of up to 35 youth who work each summer at house painting, 

grass cutting for the elderly, and weekly trash cleanups. 

SECO also plans anywhere 

from 12 to 20 cleanup events 

through the Great American 

Cleanup TM . Cooper hosts a “community 

dumpster” for heavy trash 

items provided by the Department 

of Public Works. Twice a year she 

hosts a mobile transfer station in 

which the city supplies a trash 

truck, dumpster and truck with 

mechanical claw for very heavy 

items. At this time residents can 

drop off anything they wish at no 

charge; both Cooper and the 

Department of Public Works 

believe this keeps many of these 

items from ending up in illegal dumpsites. 

Keep America Beautiful President Ray Empson (left), 

Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Award winner Rachel 

Cooper (center) and former Keep Indianapolis 

Beautiful President Greg Fennig (right). 

In addition to these busy activities, Cooper still finds time to serve as a 

crime watch block captain, as she has for the past 15 years. Since 1994, she 

has been instrumental in the removal of 48 drug houses in her community. 

She is also an active volunteer member of the Southside Community Court, 

which puts community work service offenders back into the community 

where they committed their crime. 

“Rachel Cooper’s ability to draw people together to accomplish environmental 

goals is remarkable,” said G. Raymond Empson, President of Keep 

America Beautiful. “She has taught by leadership and example the dramatic 

change that one inspired person can bring.” 


NETWORKING THE NEWS 

A Look at What’s Happening Around the Country 

N 

etwork News as a regular feature showcases affiliates 

around the country who create innovative ways 

to prevent litter, beautify and improve their 

communities, and encourage recycling and minimize 

the impact of waste. What is your affiliate doing? We 

want to celebrate your achievements and we encourage 

all readers to contact us with your story suggestions, 

affiliate news updates, and inspiring stories that 

would be of interest to and educational for other 

affiliates, to be published in future editions of Network News. 

We urge you to share photographs of your good work 

as well, which will be returned to you. Please write, 

call or email Monica Surfaro Spigelman, Director of 

Communications, Keep America Beautiful, 1010 

Washington Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901, tel. 

203.323.8987, x811, or email mspigelman@kab.org. 

NEW PROVIDENCE, 

BAHAMAS 

Bahamas Students participating in Project Green 

BLUEPRINT FOR A “GREEN” BAHAMAS Keeping the Bahamas clean and green is the 

focus of Project Green, a new program launched by the Bahamas National Pride Association, 

Ministry of Tourism and Dolphin Encounters. 

Enlisting the help of students and businesses, Project Green’s mission is to recycle large 

oil containers to make trash receptacles for private and public areas. Students are invited to 

paint the cleaned oil containers with eco-friendly pictures and slogans, and the new receptacles 

are places on school grounds, beaches and in parks. 

The Ocean Conservancy, formerly the Center of Marine Conservation, supplies students 

with materials and resources to create the environmental messages, indicates Alpheus 

Ramsey, Executive Coordinator of Bahamas National Pride Association. “Project Green is not 

just about cleaning up beaches and creating receptacles – it is about children being stewards 

of the environment and taking an active role in being part of the solution,” he said. 

According to Ramsey, the program was a natural partnership of the Bahamas National 

Pride Association. “Students who participated in our Junior Pride and Clean Campus programs 

also noticed the need for more trash containers around the island,” he continued. 

Project Green was created as a response to students who felt there were not enough 

receptacles on the beaches and playgrounds in their communities, reports Annette Dempsey, 

director of education at Dolphin Encounters. Local businesses, including C&S Steel Building 

Supply and The Paint Place, supported the kick-off event, and New Providence Development 

donated the oil drums to be used as receptacles. 

With Bahamas an important destination, it was important to raise local stewardship consciousness 

and help the community get involved in protecting its natural heritage, indicated 

Michael Jervis, a manager with the Ministry of Tourism. 

KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FROM 

CHEVRONTEXACO Keep Houston Beautiful was selected to be one of eight recipients of the 

48th annual ChevronTexaco Conservation Awards for 2002. The Award is in recognition of the affiliate’s 

model programs to prevent urban litter, reduce crime and rejuvenate neighborhoods. 

The ChevronTexaco Conservation Awards, presented September 26, 2002 at the Houston 

Museum of Natural Science, are North America’s oldest privately sponsored conservation awards 

program. Since 1954, more than 1,000 citizen volunteers, professionals and nonprofit organizations 

have received these awards for protecting air, water, land and wildlife. 

This awards program was created by the late Ed Zern, a nationally recognized sportsman 

and former columnist for Field & Stream magazine. Under his direction the program was designed 

to seek out and honor individuals and groups who work to protect natural resources. Honorees 

also work effectively with diverse organizations to achieve consensus and meet difficult environmental 

challenges in practical ways. “Through the efforts of Keep Houston Beautiful we have 

actually improved the quality of life in our city,” said Lee P. Brown, Mayor, City of Houston. “We 

are proud that they have been honored by ChevronTexaco.” 

Since it began in 1977, Keep Houston Beautiful has conducted an amazing 2,600 cleanups 

involving 121,000 volunteers to pick up 13,000 tons of litter. Thousands participate in Keep Houston 

Beautiful programs, such as Adopt-a-Block, the Great American Cleanup TM and the Youth 

Environmental Conference. Attendance topped 9,000 at this year’s Little Kids’ Litter Party, which 

brings conservation lessons to young Houstonians. An acclaimed Keep Houston Beautiful program 

called Keep Five Alive is credited with revitalizing the City’s 5th Ward. This success resulted 

in the Clean Neighborhoods program, now a national model for reviving neighborhoods. As part of 

the program, patrols report illegal dumping, overgrown lots are landscaped, and youths create 

murals to eliminate graffiti. The program is now in 14 Houston neighborhoods. 

“We’d like Houston to become known as the cleanest city in America. And we’re going to do 

that by empowering people to take responsibility for their own environment,” said Robin Blut, 

Executive Director of Keep Houston Beautiful. 

Robin Blut, Executive Director of Keep Houston Beautiful, Mickey 

Driver, Director of Public Affairs for ChevronTexaco and Bill 

Linthicum, Chairman for Keep Houston Beautiful and Area President 

of Republic Waste Services, pictured by City Hall in Houston. 

HOUSTON, 

TEXAS 


KEEP INDIANAPOLIS BEAUTIFUL HELPS TRANSFORM URBAN SCHOOL 

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful involved hundreds of volunteers in the transformation of Cold 

Spring Academy, an urban public school in its community serving kindergarten through 

eighth grade students with diverse economic and social backgrounds. The school sits on 39 

acres of rolling land and formerly degraded woodlands slightly west of downtown Indianapolis. 

The site is one of only a few remaining landscape designs in Indiana by noted naturalist 

landscape architect, Jens Jensen, dating back to 1911. Sadly, the grounds had been ignored 

for nearly 60 years. Thirteen acres of forest had become overrun and degraded by exotic 

honeysuckle, privet, and Oriental bittersweet, which prevented native plants and healthy 

habitat from flourishing. The school asked Keep Indianapolis Beautiful to help restore the land 

as closely as possible to the original Jensen design, while also creating an outdoor classroom 

for its student body. The work began in the fall of 2001 and provided the opportunity for the 

students and staff to reclaim and restore the property surrounding their school. 

Teachers, students, and volunteers spent weeks pulling out brush and piling it into large 

40-cubic-yard dumpsters. Limbs were mulched for proposed nature trails throughout the 

woods. In the process, 100-year-old stone footbridge was uncovered, having been buried by 

the honeysuckle. Students unloaded 1,400 small saplings, and volunteers from three colleges, 

six middle/high schools, corporations and businesses, parents and grandparents, and professional/resource 

personnel joined the students and staff to take part in the massive business 

of planting the small trees. 

Several miles of paths were cut into the woods and volunteers built 12 picnic tables 

and stained them, finished a dock, and built and installed 30 bird boxes and nesting platforms 

throughout the grounds. Two large butterfly gardens, a medicinal garden and an herb garden 

with wildflowers were planted as well. Bulbs were planted at all entrances to the school, and 

wildlife-attracting shrubs were planted around the dock to encourage more wildlife. 

Last spring, hundreds of volunteers helped the school plant 63 more large trees with 

beaver wrap, 115 more shrubs, 35 flats of annuals, and 150 more perennials. This time students 

planted a vegetable garden, created an archeological dig, built two eight-foot bird blinds in the 

woods, constructed three eight-foot raised beds, built a tracking station, and installed a limestone 

amphitheater into a hillside following Jens Jensen’s theme of using council rings in his 

designs. The school curriculum now incorporates the outdoor classroom, and classes choose 

their area to maintain. Students harvest the produce from their vegetable garden, have class 

in their hidden Jensen council ring or near the various waterfalls on their property, and enjoy 

the gardens and butterflies from their classroom windows. 

INDIANAPOLIS, 

INDIANA 

Students of Cold Spring Academy cleaning and 

planting their outdoor classrooms and gardens. 

KEEP ISLIP CLEAN CONCLUDES RECORD-BREAKING CARD RECYCLING DRIVE 

In its 10th year of collecting card covers for reuse and recycling, Keep Islip Clean (KIC) 

announces that it has broken last year’s record by collecting 353,000 cards at the KIC office for 

shipping to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Boulder City, Nevada. Islip town residents, businesses 

and schools were involved in this annual effort, which enables thousands of pounds 

of waste to be eliminated from the town’s waste stream. According to KIC Director Nora 

Detweiler, cards are brought in from across the community – from schools to town government 

offices. KeySpan provides support for shipping and handling of the thousands of pounds of 

cards collected. KIC is looking to another successful drive in 2004, according to Detweiler. 

Local businesses, town government leaders and 

students support a record-breaking recycling effort 

in the Islip community. 

ISLIP, 

NEW YORK 

Community-Based Solutions Meet Technology 

THREE APPROACHES 

Keep Iowa Beautiful Litter Assessment 

ne Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) 

goal over the next 3-5 years is 

Oto reduce the volume of littering 

in Iowa by 50%. Partnering with the 

Iowa Department of Transportation 

recently, KIB identified a total of 

$13.5 million of public funds were 

spent on litter-related costs in Iowa. 

For its 2001 Roadside Litter 

Characterization Study, KIB identified 

a unique and effective integration of 

technology to help assess the state’s 

litter issue. 

Sue Smith, KAB’s director of 

education, reports that Gerry Schnepf, 

KIB’s executive director, utilized three 

corporations/agencies to develop Iowa 

data on the types of litter, sources 

of litter and Iowans’ litter-related 

opinions: Barker Lemar Engineering 

Consultants, Franklin Associates Ltd., 

and the Iowa DOT. 

Barker Lemar offered this 

description of the technology customized 

for KIB to conduct a physical 

assessment of litter along Iowa 

roadways ...“We wrote an interface 

for users to collect data with tablet 

PCs that was related to GIS/GPS 

tracking technology. Some data was 

collected on hard copy too”. As an 

environmental engineering firm 

working with landfill sites and 

underground tank removal, Barker 

Lemar was able to translate KIB’s 

need for detail into a workable, user 

friendly tool to analyze litter conditions. 

Franklin Associates conducted 

a survey of costs for federal, state 

and local litter control as well as a 

review of legislation in Iowa and 

surrounding states. Iowa DOT conducted 

a direct mail survey of Iowans 

asking about three litter-related 

topics: litter and littering along 

Iowa roadways; littering behaviors; 

and, litter and dumping in local 

communities. 

Each aspect of this two-year effort 

was invaluable, and clarified or emphasized 

need for future action. Next 

steps? Create programs to reduce litter 

and use this model to measure KIB’s 

effectiveness over the next several 

years. For additional information, 

contact KIB’s Gerry Schnepf 

(www.keepiowabeautiful.com). 

(continued on page 14) 


(continued from page 13) 

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, Georgia - 

Tracking the Tree Canopy 

G 

winnett Clean & Beautiful, with 

information from NASA, is using 

the latest in satellite technology 

to improve the environment, and 

quality of life, for neighborhoods the 

affiliate serves. A new program – 

NeighborWoods – addresses the 

effects of hotter temperatures in 

metropolitan areas while bringing 

great value to the community. 

Metropolitan areas tend to experience 

higher temperatures than rural 

areas, as they have more pavement and 

fewer trees, and NASA satellite information 

has pinpointed hot zones in 

Gwinnett County with a scarcity of 

trees. NeighborWoods, a pilot program 

for the state of Georgia, was created 

to increase the tree canopy and 

cool Gwinnett’s neighborhoods. 

“NASA satellite information 

showed that some of these neighborhoods 

were in ‘heat islands,’ or areas of 

the county where temperatures are 

higher,” said Connie Wiggins, executive 

director, Gwinnett Clean & 

Beautiful. “We can minimize the effects 

of growth by planting shade trees in the 

more barren neighborhoods.” 

NeighborWoods provides trees free 

of charge to homeowners in exchange 

for the homeowners’ willingness to 

plant and maintain the trees. Gwinnett 

Clean & Beautiful volunteers have thus 

far distributed 3,300 trees, and will 

plant them for elderly or disabled residents 

if needed. The program is in its 

third year and another set of trees will 

be distributed to selected neighborhoods 

in November, 2003. 

A vital part of the program’s success 

has been the cooperation between 

its partners. Private companies, 

county and state departments have 

all provided essential support to the 

NeighborWoods program. The success 

of NeighborWoods has resulted in 

national and state recognition; 

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful won 

the Georgia Urban Forest Council’s 

Outstanding Civic Organization 

Award and the National Arbor Day 

Foundation’s Project Award in 2002. 

Based on science and reason, not 

haphazard planting, strategic planting 

of street trees will absorb storm water 

runoff and purify the air. Residents 

will also enjoy increased property values 

as well as environmental benefits. 

There is already a waiting list for 

more NeighborWoods trees, as community 

residents see the benefits of 

reduced energy costs and improved air 

and water quality imparted by trees. 

In the years to come too, a scientific 

difference will be seen as well as a 

visual one, as ambient temperatures 

decrease in the county. 

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful, New 

Mexico – Mapping Illegal Dumping 

A 

s one of America’s fastest growing 

cities, Rio Rancho, New 

Mexico has experienced expansion 

on every front – including illegal 

dumping. The city’s mesas (open 

desert space), many with unmarked, 

unmaintained roads, have increasingly 

become preferred places for people to 

dump their unwanted refuse. Keep 

Rio Rancho Beautiful has looked to 

address this problem with the assistance 

of global positioning system 

(GPS) satellites and global information 

software (GIS) technology. 

Using hand-held GPS units, youth 

workers, funded by a grant from New 

Mexico Clean & Beautiful, have begun a 

surveying process to track illegal dumping 

on the city’s mesas. The GPS units 

measure and record precise longitude, 

latitude, and altitude of a location, and 

the worker can also enter the existence 

of a dumpsite into the unit. This information 

can then be downloaded into a 

mapping software program that shows 

all roadways, waterways and property 

lines in the community. 

The first step was for the summer 

youth workers to survey three squaremile 

sections of the city to gather a 

baseline of information, which showed 

certain “hot spots” and areas of high 

frequency of dumping. This helped 

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful begin the 

process of identifying the exact location 

and contents of illegal dumpsites on the 

mesas and then be able to map their 

location as a whole in relation to Rio 

Rancho’s city street atlas. Qualitative 

analysis so far reveals that yard waste 

and construction waste are the most 

commonly dumped items on the mesas. 

The plan is to use the data and 

maps generated to provide easy to follow 

maps to volunteers who want to 

clean up illegal dumpsites. Currently, 

as nearly all mesa roads are unmarked, 

giving directions to dumpsites is virtually 

impossible without the affiliate 

placing markers. 

The affiliate also hopes to generate 

a “hot spot” list that could be used 

by police officers for increased patrol 

of those areas. Maps generated of the 

littered areas could also be presented 

to elected officials and grant-giving 

foundations to better explain the need 

for dumpsite prevention and cleanup. 

Ultimately, by mapping and 

tracking the frequency and volume 

of illegal dumping in the city, Keep 

Rio Rancho Beautiful is better 

armed with information to plan 

awareness and prevention initiatives. 

“GPS/GIS tracking as an educational 

tool puts us in an excellent position 

to help our community,” said Dyane 

Sonier, coordinator, Keep Rio 

Rancho Beautiful. 

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful installs signage in 

NeighborWoods Communities, instilling pride. 

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful volunteers distributed 

1,800 free street trees in 2002 to reduce the “heat 

island” effect. 

From the photo logs: Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful is tracking illegal dumping on the city mesas through photo 

and GPS records. 

page 14 keep america beautiful — NETWORK NEWS — spring 2003

2003 GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP SPRINGS FORWARD 

Helps begin year-long celebration of 50th Anniversary with Honorary Chair President George W. Bush 

GREAT AMERICAN 

CLEANUP 

The Great American Cleanup TM , Keep America Beautiful’s 

signature event and the nation’s largest annual community 

improvement program, was held through May and led 

off the 50th Anniversary Year celebrations. President 

George W. Bush is serving as Honorary Chair. 

Nearly three million volunteers participated in approximately 

30,000 events in more than 14,000 hands-on activities 

including litter pickups, playground renovations, waterway and seashore cleanups, 

tree and flower plantings, graffiti removal, tire amnesty programs, recycling collections, 

park beautification, building restoration and youth education events. 

National sponsors for the 2003 Great American Cleanup TM 

were: Pepsi-Cola 

Company, GAIN ® Laundry Detergent, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, LYSOL ® Brand 

Products, Film-Gard ® Plastic Sheeting, Waste Management, Inc., Ruffies ® Trash 

Bags, Firestone Tire & Service Centers & ExpertTire & Tires Plus, Yard-Man by 

MTD, The Home Depot ® , all TV Guide ® media platforms, AT&T Wireless and 

Yahoo! Mail. 

Retail sponsors were Hy-Vee, Inc. and The Kroger Co. Educational partners 

were America Online and the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Please check out 

http://www.kab.org/gacsponsors1.cfm for additional information about our sponsors. 

Keep America Beautiful affiliates led the way by providing opportunities for 

citizens to get involved and join their neighbors in improving their communities. 

Watch for Updates: Please visit our website (www.kab.org) to get the latest news, 

including the Presidential Message issued by President George W. Bush. 

Great American Cleanup TM NYFD Lysol Showcase 

event, L-R: Jim Pavel, Great American Cleanup TM 

NY State Program Director, Gail Cunningham, VP, 

Managing Director-Great American Cleanup TM , 

KAB, Lieutenant Frank Carino, Engine Co. 39, 

NYFD and Paul Hogan, Professional Butler - 

“Joe Millionaire” show. 

A Great American Cleanup TM scene from the May 17 

event conducted by our newly certified KAB affiliate 

in Glendale, California. 

Jane Polson (sixth from left) Great American 

Cleanup TM Nebraska State Program Director, and a 

team of volunteers from Keep Nebraska Beautiful, 

proudly display the 2003 program promotion materials. 

2003 South Carolina Litter Summit Celebrates 

the Start of the Great American Cleanup TM 

P 

Record-breaking cross country mower man Brad 

Hauter kicks off the Yard-Man 2003 Mow Across 

America event to benefit Keep America Beautiful by 

mowing at the Presidio in San Francisco. 

almetto Pride’s South Carolina Litter Summit, held March 3-5 in Columbia, 

SC, highlighted cleanup and enforcement efforts in the state and celebrated 

the start of the Great American Cleanup TṂ South Carolina Senator David L. 

Thomas, Chairman, Palmetto Pride, was in attendance along with Keep America 

Beautiful President Ray Empson, and Vice President and Managing Director of 

the Great American Cleanup TM 

Gail Cunningham. 

The Great American Cleanup TM 

has a history of success in the state: last year 

South Carolina volunteers picked up more than 3.3 million pounds of trash. 

Law enforcement officials at the Litter Summit discussed litter laws and 

how to build awareness of littering, illegal dumping, and uncovered vehicle 

loads. Enforcement initiatives and use of the judicial system were prominently 

featured, along with practical steps to take in conducting a successful neighborhood 

cleanup. 

Environmental education presentations included a puppet show for students 

in grades K-4, and discussion of the litter curriculum and anti-litter programs 

under development. 

Palmetto Pride is an umbrella organization that involves citizens, state 

agencies, law enforcement, media, local groups and Keep South Carolina 

Beautiful and its affiliates in beautification and anti-litter efforts. 

North Carolina State University students sign up to 

volunteer for Great American Cleanup TM event in 

Raleigh, NC. 

Group of volunteers scours the bushes during a recent 

Washington D.C. Great American Cleanup TM event. 

Great American Cleanup TM Yahoo! Mail showcase event involved the Second Chance group in San Diego, CA, 

where volunteers renovated homes and were involved in a wide variety of community improvement 

activities in a four-block area. 


3M Honored as 2002 Vision for AmericaA 

Recognizing 3M’s dedication to continuous improvement to its 

products and manufacturing processes while minimizing impact on 

the environment, and to its commitment to the company’s sustainable development 

strategies —Keep America Beautiful (KAB) named 3M the 2002 recipient 

of the annual Vision for America Award. 

Accepting the award for 3M, at a gala black-tie award dinner at the Grand 

Hyatt Hotel in New York City was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer W. 

James McNerney, Jr. 

“We at 3M are proud to receive the Vision for America Award from Keep 

America Beautiful,” said McNerney. “We recognize that 3M’s long-term success 

is linked with our commitment to the principles of sustainable development: 

stewardship of the environment, contribution to society and the creation of 

economic value and worth. As we receive this award, we at 3M continue our 

commitment to these principles.” 

“3M is fostering and furthering the understanding of environmental 

progress,” said Keep America Beautiful President G. Raymond Empson. “Their 

history and vision of sustainability and innovation has mirrored the sense of 

responsibility for the environment that Keep America Beautiful works to 

impress upon citizens. We are proud to honor a corporate leader – the 3M 

Corporation – for a commitment to sustainability that has raised the standards 

for civic, environmental and social stewardship.” 

In 1975, as the environmental movement was gaining momentum in 

America, 3M adopted the 3M Environmental Policy, believed to be the first 

global environmental policy with measurable results from a major manufacturing 

company. That same year, 3M introduced the voluntary Pollution 

Prevention Pays (3P) Program. By 2001, 3P had prevented the creation of 

821,000 tons of pollutants and saved $857 million. More than 4,820 3P 

projects have been initiated by 3M employees worldwide. 

The company’s deep commitment continues today. 3M’s process of moving 

toward long-term sustainable development is called eco-efficiency, first defined 

by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. 

The strategy to achieve this goal is advanced by 3M’s Environmental, Health and 

Safety Management System. This includes continuously improving compliance 

assurance systems to meet and exceed government and 3M standards. 

3M’s Environmental, Health and Safety Management System also involves emphasis 

on Life Cycle Management, a systematic process applied to ensure appropriate consideration 

of environmental, health and safety issues during the development of the hundreds 

of new 3M products each year. 

Environmental, health and safety aspects of a product’s life cycle from development 

and manufacturing through customer use and final disposal are assessed and 

considered during product development. Finally, the Environmental, Health and 

Safety Management System strategy involves moving as close to zero as possible for 

environmental releases, injuries and illnesses. 

3M’s efforts to reduce its generation of solid waste have yielded impressive 

results. In 2001, resource recovery activities in the U.S. recovered and used or sold 

more than $61 million worth of equipment, paper, plastics, solvents, metals and 

other byproducts. Since 1990, the company has achieved a 12 percent reduction in 

solid waste sent to landfills worldwide. 

A high priority too is reducing volatile organic air emissions in manufacturing 

processes. Substantial reductions have been accomplished through the development 

of solventless technologies, pollution prevention programs and pollution control 

equipment. Since 1990, there has been a very significant 91 percent reduction in 

volatile organic air emissions. 

Further reductions have come through focus on greenhouse gases such as carbon 

dioxide and some fluorochemicals. Progress is being made through process changes 

and pollution control equipment. Manufacturing emissions of greenhouse gases 

were reduced by one-third since 1995, and further reduction plans are under way. 

“3M’s environmental commitment proves that companies that contribute to 

sustainability by creating environmentally responsible products and processes also 

enjoy competitive long-term business benefits,” said Empson. 

Christopher M. Connor, Chairman of the Sherwin-Williams Company and 

Chairman of Keep America Beautiful, helped present the (continued on page 18) 

2002 Vision for America Award Contributors 

BENEFACTORS 

3M 

Best Buy 

Freddie Mac 

Goldman Sachs 

Grey Global Group 

The Home Depot 

Kirkland & Ellis 

Morgan Stanley 

Pepsi-Cola Company 

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company 

PATRONS 

Aon Corporation 

AT&T 

BP 

Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation 

EDS 

GE Capital 

General Electric Company 

General Motors Corporation 

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. 

King & Spalding 

Philip Morris Companies Inc. 

Waste Management, Inc. 

SPONSORS 

Amgen 

Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. 

arnoldmcgrathworldwide 

Brushfire Marketing 

John K. Castle 

Clear Channel Spectacolor LLC 

CVS/pharmacy 

Deloitte & Touche 

Graham Packaging Company, L.P. 

Lockheed Martin 

McDonald’s Corporation 

Owens-Illinois Inc. 

The Procter & Gamble Company 

The Sherwin-Williams Company 

Target Corporation 

Tishman Speyer Properties 

Unilever 

Weston Solutions, Inc. 

DONORS 

ARCADIS 

BBDO 

Buck Consultants 

Leo Burnett Worldwide 

Cargill, Incorporated 

The Coca-Cola Company 

Toni Cunningham 

Donald F. Dufek 

Dupont Company 

Edelman Public Relations Worldwide 

Fleishman-Hillard Inc. 

GE Plastics 

GMP International Union 

Harter Secrest & Emery LLP 

The Hertz Corporation 

Hunter Public Relations 

ITW Hi-Cone 

Johnson & Johnson 

The Kaplan Thaler Group 

Lippe Taylor, Inc. 

The Marketing Formula 

MeadWestvaco Corporation 

The National Arbor Day Foundation 

Northlich 

Parker Hannifin Corporation 

PolyOne Corp. 

Precision Industries 

Salomon Smith Barney 

John J. Schiff, Jr. 

The J.M. Smucker Company 

Toyota Motor North America, Inc. 

Wells Fargo Company 

Wyeth 


ward Recipient 

Above: Joyce Kagan Charmate, Keep Chicago Illinois Beautiful with board 

members Matt Hayden, Keep Illinois Beautiful, and Mary Jo Foss, Manager 

of Stockholder Relations, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. 

Below: Board member Tom Roland with his wife, Gay. 

Presentation of the Vision for America Award: From left, Keep America Beautiful President G. Raymond Empson; 3M Chairman of the 

Board and CEO W. James McNerney, Jr.; and Keep America Beautiful Chairman Christopher M. Connor. 

Above: Gary E. McCullough, Sr. Vice President-Americas, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company; Susanne M. Woods, Senior 

Vice President, Development and Environmental Programming, Keep America Beautiful; and Lt. Richard Saracelli, official 

representative of FDNY. 

Right: Thomas Tamoney, Jr., Vice President & Associate General Counsel, PepsiCo, Inc.; and Susan Blohm, Category Director, 

Marlboro, Philip Morris U.S.A. 


Previous Vision for America 

Award Recipients 

2001 

C. Michael Armstrong 

Chairman and CEO 

AT&T 

2000 

Sir John Browne 

Group Chief Executive 

BP 

1999 

Jack M. Greenberg 


MCDONALD’S CORPORATION 

1998 

Alex Trotman 

Chairman, President and CEO 

FORD MOTOR COMPANY 

1997 

Bernard Marcus 

Chairman 

THE HOME DEPOT 

The first lifetime achievement 

award was presented in 1997 

to The Honorable 

BRUCE BABBIT 

Secretary, U.S. Department 

of the Interior 

1996 

William D. Ruckelshaus 

Chairman 

BROWNING-FERRIS 

INDUSTRIES, INC. 

1994 

Charles B. Strauss 

President and CEO 

LEVER BROTHERS COMPANY 

1993 

T. Marshall Hahn, Jr. 

Chairman 

GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORPORATION 

1992 

Joseph E. Antonini 


KMART CORPORATION 

1991 

Edgar S. Woolard, Jr. 


DUPONT 

1990 

Edwin L. Artzt 


THE PROCTER & 

GAMBLE COMPANY 

1989 

Lyle Everingham 


THE KROGER COMPANY 

1988 

Hamish Maxwell 


PHILIP MORRIS 

COMPANIES INC. 

(continued from page 16) 

Vision for America Award to McNerney during the October dinner. Connor indicated 

that companies that have received this award are symbolic of significantly 

enhancing civic, environmental and social stewardship throughout the United 

States and, in many cases, other countries throughout the world. 

“Just as Keep America Beautiful seeks through its actions to instill a sense 

of individual responsibility in all citizens, we are pleased to see companies such 

as 3M utilize like efforts to engage each of its employees worldwide in projects 

which have a positive effect on their company’s environmental efforts,” said 

Connor. “3M stands as a prime example for other companies that are on the 

cutting edge of positive environmental involvement.” 

1995 

Frank P. Popoff 


THE DOW 

CHEMICAL COMPANY 

1987 

Jere W. Thompson 

President and CEO 

THE SOUTHLAND CORPORATION 

1986 

Donald R. Keough 

President 

THE COCA-COLA COMPANY 

2002 Vision for America Award 

Dinner Co-Chairmen 

C. MICHAEL ARMSTRONG 


AT&T 

JOHN T. HICKEY, JR. 

Partner 

Kirkland & Ellis 

JEFFREY R. IMMELT 


General Electric Company 

A.G. LAFLEY 

Chairman, President 

and Chief Executive 

The Procter & Gamble Company 

EDWARD H. MEYER 


Grey Global Group 

HENRY M. PAULSON, JR. 


Goldman Sachs 

PHILIP J. PURCELL 


Morgan Stanley 

CHRISTOPHER M. CONNOR 

Chairman, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 


The Sherwin-Williams Company 

Top: Thomas Ryan, Chairman, President and CEO, CVS, 3M Chairman of the Board and CEO 

W. James McNerney, Jr., and David Powell, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs, 

3M; Above Left: Keep America Beautiful President G. Raymond Empson and White House Federal 

Environmental Executive John L. Howard, Jr.; Above Right: Dr. Katherine E. Reed, Staff VP, 

Environment, Technology and Safety Services, 3M. 

Vision for America Award 

Since 1986, Keep America Beautiful’s Vision for America Award has 

been presented annually to distinguished leaders of honored corporations, 

whose personal and corporate commitment have significantly 

enhanced civic, environmental and social stewardship throughout the 

United States. For the first time in 1997, a special Vision for America 

Award also was presented for lifetime achievement. 

The Vision for America Award is a limited-edition piece in which the design of the 

crystal pays tribute to America and our country’s beautiful red, white and blue banner. 

The thirteen facets on the massive vertical cylinder symbolize the thirteen stripes of the 

American flag and remind us of our historical beginnings, as a new nation of thirteen 

former colonies. On the top slanted surface of the crystal are etched fifty miniature stars, 

symbolizing the union of the fifty states. 


For the past 100 years, when it 

comes to the support of the 

environment... 

...stands for measurable, meaningful 

and motivational. 

The Wrigley Company congratulates 

3M on the 2002 Vision for America 

award and its long-term focus on 

sustainable development and 

environmental stewardship. 

A Proud Supporter of Keep America Beautiful. 


strengthening 

communities 

People and organizations who make a difference are the 

community’s most valuable assets. 

W e not only congratulate you. 

W e thank you. 

Grey Global Group salutes 

3M and W. James McNerney,Jr. 

for developing the world s most 

innovative products. And for 

manufacturing them in ways 

that protect our planet. 

JPMorgan Chase proudly salutes Keep America Beautiful, Inc. as you 

host your 17th Annual Vision for America Award Dinner. We join with 

you in honoring 3M and W. James McNerney,Jr. for their dedication to 

our environment. 

© 2002 J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. 

©2002 EDS. EDS and the EDS logo are registered marks of Electronic Data Systems Corporation. 

Just how big an impact has 3M 

made on the environment? 

For 100 years, 3M has developed 

technology and products that help 

meet the needs of today – all while 

protecting the environment for 

future generations. We applaud 

3M for its vision and congratulate 

them on earning the 2002 Vision 

for America Award. 

Providing global, environmental, social research, company 

ratings and consulting to the financial community 

Congratulations to 3M on the 2002 

Keep AmericaBeautiful Vision for America Award, 

from yourfriendsat AT&T. 

©2002 AT&T 


Freddie Mac and 

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., 

working together for a better future. 

Freddie Mac is proud to support the 

17th Annual Vision for America Award 

Dinner honoring 3M and its chairman, 

W. James McNerney, Jr. Through your 

commitment to improving the quality of 

life in American communities, and 

Freddie Mac’s focus on making the 

dream of homeownership a 

reality, together we can 

open the doors to a brighter 

future for all. 

KIRKLAND & ELLIS 

proudly joins in honoring 

3M and Jim McNerney 

on their commitment to 


and in celebrating 

3M’s 100th Anniversary 

www.freddiemac.com 

©2002 Freddie Mac 

KIRKLAND & ELLIS 

PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS 

Chicago • New York • Washington DC • Los Angeles • London 

We are proud to support 

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 

and the 17th Annual Vision 

for America Award Dinner 


©Copyright 2002 Credit Suisse First Boston Corp. All rights reserved. 

Keep America Beautiful is a national nonprofit public 

education organization dedicated to empowering 

individuals seeking to enhance their local community 

environment. The men and women of GM are proud 

to support the KAB and their 2002 Vision for America 

Award Dinner. Improving the quality of life in American 

communities is a vision we all find to be quite beautiful. 

CHEVROLET PONTIAC OLDSMOBILE BUICK CADILLAC GMC 

gm.com 

A RARE FEW NEVER STOP LOOKING FOR WAYS 

TO ENRICH OTHER PEOPLE’ S LIVES. CONGRATULATIONS 

TO JAMES MCNERNEY AND 3M FOR BEING AMONG THEM. 

www.csfb.com 

Over the years, 3M has been dedicated to making a difference in many Americans’ lives. That’s why at Credit Suisse First Boston 

we’d like to express our deepest admiration. Thank you for offering so much to the people in our communities across the country. 

And for helping inspire so many others to do the same. Congratulations on winning the 17th annual Vision for America Award. 

Congratulations to 3M for your efforts to keep America beautiful. 


® 

Congratulations 3M! 

We salute 3M for their 

continued commitment 

to the environment. 

The Home Depot ® is proud to support 


From everyday collection to 

environmental protection, look to the 

NEW Waste Management. 


Join Us for the 2003 MidyearAffiliates Forum 

Keep America Beautiful Reunion…50 Years and Counting 

eep America Beautiful invites all affiliates to 

join us in celebrating 50 years of community 

Kimprovement and volunteer action by attending 

the 2003 Midyear Affiliates Forum. The Forum 

will take place in Kansas City, Missouri from July 

30 to August 2, 2003 at the Kansas City Marriott 

Country Club Plaza. 

Value-priced, easy to travel to and packed with 

first-rate sessions, speakers, and workshops, this 

Forum will offer something for everyone to learn and 

take home to implement in their community. Social 

marketing planning, leadership shaping, kick-starting 

a stalled recycling program, and a national 

overview of source reduction, recycling and illegal 

dumping are just a few of the sessions planned. 

Keynote speaker George Kelling, author of 

Fixing Broken Windows, will discuss what has been 

learned about the Broken Windows theory over the 

past 20 years, and address the overall relation 

between disorder and quality of life, and why it is 

so relevant to the work of Keep America Beautiful. 

For the first time, the Forum will feature two 

dual track four-hour workshops for in-depth study of 

Social Marketing Planning and Leadership Shaping. 

In Social Marketing Planning, attendees will learn 

how to develop social marketing campaign strategies 

to change behaviors in their community, and walk 

away with skill-building tools to strategically apply 

to projects at home. This workshop will define social 

marketing, give an overview of the steps in developing 

a strategic social marketing plan, explain the 

principles for success, including five to six case studies, 

such as litter prevention and water conservation, 

and apply the principles to affiliate work. 

The Leadership Shaping workshop will be presented 

in two parts. The first, the Art of Influence, 

will discuss the changing pattern of management 

and offer perspective on motivation and influence 

versus power. Through group discussion and activities, 

attendees will gain an understanding of these 

elements and how to maximize their potential as 

leaders. The second part, the Art of Facilitation, 

will focus on managing groups. This interactive session 

will feature specific techniques for generating 

group discussion, managing problem participants, 

and achieving results in a time-limited situation. 

An additional session at the Forum will cover 

how to effectively break through media clutter 

and target markets and craft key messages. 

Exciting optional tours include a visit to the 

Discovery Center, which houses the Department of 

Natural Resources and the Missouri Department 

of Conservation, and a tour of Boulevard Brewery, 

a Bridging the Gap/Keep Kansas City Beautiful 

Environmental Excellence Award Winner. 

The Forum committee reviewed past Forum 

agendas and evaluation forms in planning a Midyear 

Forum that provides a wide range of topics of 

greatest use to the affiliate network of nonprofit 

and government organizations. “Our aim was to 

offer a Forum that even the most seasoned executive 

director could not miss because there is so much to 

learn, take home and use,” said Kelly Rotkewicz, 

Director, Affiliate Services, Keep America Beautiful. 

To register, go to www.kab.org and 

download a form, email Kelly Rotkewicz at 

krotkewicz@kab.org, or call 203.323.8987 x820 

to request a registration form. 

SAVE THE DATE 

Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. has been 

selected as the 2003 recipient of the Vision 

for America Award. The award will be presented 

in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency on 

October 28, 2003. Accepting the award will 

be August A. Busch III, Chairman of the 

Board, Anheuser-Busch. For more information, 

please contact Keep America Beautiful 

at 203-323-8987 or visit www.kab.org. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE 2003 MIDYEAR 

AFFILIATES FORUM PLANNING COMMITTEE 

Mark Cark - Bridging the Gap, MO 

Julie Macaulay - Keep Kansas City Beautiful, MO 

Jane Polson - Keep Nebraska Beautiful 

Kathy Kropuenske - Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful, NE 

Sara Morris - Keep North Platte/Lincoln 

County Beautiful, NE 

Harry Heafer - Keep Lincoln & Lancaster 

County Beautiful, NE 

Linda Grell - Keep Beatrice Beautiful, NE 

Kirk Suther - Operation Brightside, Inc., KS 

Jane Longmeyer - CREW/Community Recycling 

Environmental Waste, KS 

Chiquita Cornelius -KAB - Topeka/Shawnee County, KS 

Gerry Schnepf - Keep Iowa Beautiful 

Richard Chatfield-Taylor - Keep Kansas City Beautiful, MO 

CALL FOR ENTRIES 

Keep America Beautiful’s 2003 National Awards Program 

KAB’s 50th Annual National Awards Program honors 

business, youth groups, government agencies 

and nonprofit organizations for their work in litter prevention, 

waste reduction, beautification and community 

improvement. The winners will be recognized at Keep 

America Beautiful’s 50th National Conference in 

Washington, DC on Friday, December 5, 2003. 

To be eligible, a program/project must: 

Be a continuing effort, or dramatize the need 

for ongoing action. 

Educate the community about litter prevention, 

beautification or waste minimization. 

Have taken place within the last 12 months. 

We encourage you to submit your project activities in 

the areas of Litter Prevention, Beautification and 

Community Improvement as well as Waste Reduction 

that have taken place within the last 12 months. 

To download an application: www.kab.org/awards3.cfm 

Application Postmark Deadline 

is September 5, 2003 

Hampton Clean City Commission won First Place in the Government 

Agency category of the 2002 Awards Program. The Antaeus Society 

of Hampton High School, VA, with more than 2000 volunteer hours, 

is committed to cleaning-up the Chesapeake Bay through an oyster 

restoration project. Students planted more than 27,000 oysters in the 

bay during the 2001 - 2002 school year.

NNewsSpring 2003 5_14 - Keep America Beautiful

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