20 Tips for Safe, Clean & Healthy Communities

Millions of Americans are celebrating clean, safe, and healthy communities this spring as they volunteer for Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup. Now in its 22nd year, the Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest annual community improvement program. More than 30,000 events are being planned in more than 15,000 communities.

Here are 20 great tips for improving community environments year-round:

Work with the local civic groups to identify and eliminate eyesores, and beautify the local environment
Pick up a piece of litter every day
Keep a litter bag in your car or your recreational vehicle so you dispose of litter properly
Create a trash fishing contest in your waterway to increase awareness about illegal dumping and littering
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper asking others to respect public lands and keep them clean
Help your local schools conduct recycling drives and clean-up projects
Create a beautiful green space by planting trees and shrubs in an area in need of improvement.
Ask local businesses to adopt-a-spot and take care of it
Paint and fix up playground equipment
Organize a paint-out with family and friends and create a community paintbrush mural over a wall of illegal graffiti
Recycle your old tires
Report graffiti to your local authorities
Donate your old computer equipment or dispose of it properly
Conduct a recycling drive in your neighborhood or your business
Volunteer to help your employer conduct paper recycling drives at work
Donate gently used clothes to needy organizations and shelters and identify other items that you can reuse
Compost yard and food waste and seek advice if you don't know how
Find out how pollution in storm drain runoff can impact our aquifers and ecosystems and be passionate about doing your part to reduce litter and solid waste
Ask your local government officials to establish regular community improvement activities and to support and promote volunteer efforts
Help your library establish an environmental corner that offers books and other educational materials about taking care of the Earth