Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania supports the International Coastal Cleanup to Keep Litter from Reaching our Waterways
(October 12, 2023) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania supports the International Coastal Cleanup to Keep Litter from Reaching our Waterways
~ Free cleanup supplies available for registered cleanups through November 30 ~
Groups and individuals are cleaning up their favorite shared public spaces through Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania program, supporting the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. The International Cleanup is an initiative to keep trash from reaching our waterways and oceans. Through November 30, volunteers will be provided trash bags, gloves, and safety vests, as supplies last, when they register a cleanup with Pick Up Pennsylvania. Both waterway and land-based cleanups are eligible for the program since a significant portion of waterway pollution originates on land. Wind and rain wash litter into storm drains or directly into creeks and rivers that eventually flow to the ocean where it impacts marine life, human health, and coastal economies.
The Heritage Conservancy has been participating in Pick Up Pennsylvania for over 15 years. Recent cleanups have focused on keeping litter out of Bristol Marsh, a freshwater tidal marsh, and Croydon Woods, one of the last remaining coastal plain forests in the state. Because of their proximity to the Delaware River, these cleanups help stop trash from ending up there, preserving habitat for wildlife and migrating birds.
“Keep PA Beautiful has been instrumental in helping Heritage Conservancy in our efforts to host cleanups on properties in Bucks County. It is through Keep PA Beautiful that we have received access to supplies that help us facilitate our cleanups, as well as additional promotion of our events. Working together helps us all keep our home clean!” said Melissa Lee, Volunteer and Historic Events Coordinator, Heritage Conservancy.
Events must be registered with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful to receive supplies. You can join an existing cleanup event by visiting Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Calendar of Events, or register your own, large or small, by visiting Pick Up PA.
Listed below are just a few of the Pick Up Pennsylvania events scheduled in support of the International Coastal Cleanup. If you would like to join an event please contact the coordinator to confirm participation.
- Big Spring Watershed Association Fall Clean Up – Sat, Oct. 14 9:00AM – 11:00AM
Big Spring Watershed Association. Meet at Big Spring Headwaters parking lot. Intersection of Big Spring, Log Cabin & Springfield Rds. Contact Linda Watson at watsonlinda501@gmail.com or (717) 385-2297. - Uwchlan Township Tree Vitalize – Sat, Oct. 14 9:00AM – 12:00PM
Families are welcome to join! There will be a self-guided Halloween themed scavenger hunt through the park for kids as part of this event. Gloves and tools will be supplied. Uwchlan EAC, Baird Park 715 N. Ship Road, Exton. Contact Jim Warihay at jim.warihay@gmail.com or (484) 680-6913. - Fall Street Sweep – Sat, Oct. 21 11:00AM – 1:00PM
Scranton Tomorrow, an affiliate of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, 307 Linden St., Scranton, PA 18503. Contact Steve Ward at steve@scrantontomorrow.org or (570) 877-2513. - North Braddock Clean Up Day – Sat, Oct. 28 10:00AM – 2:00PM
North Braddock Borough. Contact Jerome Sepesy at streetdept@northbraddockborough.com or (412) 852-8248. - Moshannon Creek Watershed Association Fall Cleanup – Sun, Oct. 29 9:00AM – 12:00PM
Moshannon Creek Watershed Association, Dike Road, Philipsburg PA 16866 (Near Cold Stream Dam, meet at the soccer fields). Contact Marcus Englert at marcusenglert1@gmail.com or (412) 292-9216.
“We want to thank all the volunteers who help make our program successful. We are counting on the generosity of Pennsylvanians to roll up their sleeves again this fall to pick up trash before it makes it way to our waterways. Organizations, civic groups, schools, individuals, friends, and family can organize a cleanup of their favorite waterway, park, trail or other place they care about. Big or small, all cleanups make a difference!” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.
Free trash bags, gloves and safety vests are provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and the Ocean Conservancy, as supplies last. Events must be registered to receive the free supplies.
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Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’ s vision is a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Since 1990, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has worked with hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the state to pick up nearly 155 million pounds of trash from Pennsylvania’s roadways, waterways, greenways, vacant lots, forestlands and other community spaces. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s core programming focuses on litter and illegal dump prevention, cleanup, community greening, and proper waste handling and sustainable practices. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful works with many partnering organizations on the state and grassroots level to accomplish our goal of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. To learn more about Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, visit www.keeppabeautiful.org.
