Keep Texas Beautiful’s mission is to educate and engage Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment.
Spring 2013
Page 3
Check out what you missed at
the 2013 Bluebonnet Clay Shoot!
JOIN US FOR THE 46TH ANNUAL KEEP TEXAS
BEAUTIFUL CONFERENCE
Make plans to attend the Annual Conference in San Antonio!
The 46th Annual Conference will be upon us before we know it, and we are busy getting ready for an informative and entertaining event taking place once again in an affiliate favorite - San Antonio!
Pages 4-5
Take a look at the 46th Annual
Conference Schedule-at-aGlance!
The theme for the conference is “Texas Today. Texas Tomorrow. Keep Texas Beautiful.” Our goals for the
conference are three-fold: we want to celebrate and recognize the achievements of youth and community
leaders, businesses and governments; offer a variety of educational sessions that relay pertinent, innovative approaches to community beautification, waste reduction and litter prevention; and provide unparalleled
networking opportunities and exciting presentations from knowledgeable experts.
Texas Today
Pick up helpful hints and new ideas from sessions highlighting what affiliates and other organizations
around the state are doing today to improve their communities. Among the many exciting sessions we have
planned, we will hear from affiliates who have effectively used mascots as a means of publicizing and drawing in volunteers; learn how one affiliate has successfully partnered with a school district to reach families
across the city resulting in increased recycling rates; and find out how three KTB affiliates have expanded
their cleanups to include scuba diving, geocaching, and water quality monitoring.
Texas Tomorrow
Page 7-11
Learn about the GCAA and KTB
Awards winners.
Protecting our surroundings and planning wisely for future generations is an integral part of any community
enhancement program. One of the most pressing issues in this time of drought is the danger of wildfires. In
the “Firewise Landscaping” session, Melanie Spradling from the Texas A&M Forest Service will discuss the
types of plants and best designs to mitigate the risk of wildfires in our communities. Along the same lines,
water conservation is a serious issue affecting our future, with the constant growth in population continuing
to exacerbate the problem. The “Sustainable Landscapes” session will cover site design, native plants, maintenance and water conservation techniques.
Keep Texas Beautiful
Page 13
Win big with the 2013 KTB
Raffle!
Those mentioned above are just a few of the exciting learning opportunities we are looking forward to at the
conference this year. Once again KTB is proud to bring you a wide variety of activities with topics relevant
to all of us as we pursue our common goal of making Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation.
Check out the Schedule-at-a-Glance at www.ktb.org to see all the educational offerings!
So get ready for a marathon of learning, conversing, mentoring and celebrating June 17-20 at the Westin
Riverwalk for our 46th Annual Conference. For the latest information, visit www.ktb.org. We look forward to
seeing you there!
H Keep Texas Beautiful H Keep Texas Beautiful H Keep Texas Beautiful H Keep Texas Beautiful H
Julio Reyes - KTB President
Welcome to our spring 2013 edition of Grassroots! This issue marks a peak of activity in this great state as
our affiliate communities held activities for the Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off and Earth Day celebrations
this month. During the Trash-Off alone, almost 90,000 volunteers gave their time to clean more than 5,000
miles of highway of over seven million pounds of trash!
From March through May, under the umbrella of the Great American Cleanup, committed volunteers
throughout Texas are a force to be reckoned with as they give their communities half a million hours of
work to educate, cleanup, paint, fix up, plant and recycle! Check out some of the creative events that are
happening throughout the state:
Corpus Christi, Citizens from Corpus Christi gathered for the first-ever Trash Summit to discuss all kinds of
litter, including plastic bags and marine debris. KTB affiliate, Keep Corpus Christi Beautiful highlighted the
problem and the importance of a clean environment in this beautiful coastal city. Presentations included
“Garbology: The Archaeology of our Trash” by Christine Reiser Robbins, Ph.D., “Oyster Recycling” with
Dr. Jennifer Pollack from Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Keynote Speaker: Chad Pregracke, President &
Founder of Living Lands & Waters.
There was no shortage of interested folks showing up to talk about the citywide problem, and a panel
discussion enabled citizens to ask questions about our trash problem and its effects on the environment.
Tony Amos with the Animal Rehabilitation Keep in Port Aransas told the audience that he would like to see
police cite more people for littering along our beaches because many marine wildlife animal deaths are
directly tied to our litter habits.
Graham, Spring Trash Bash: Keep Graham Beautiful held a community-wide cleanup event, the Spring
Trash Bash, Saturday, April 6th through Sunday, April 14th. The kickoff for the event was held on Saturday,
April 6th on the Downtown Square. KGB teamed up with several partners to offer opportunities aplenty to
cast off unwanted waste at no cost during the activities on the Square. The Paper Pig Shredding Truck was
present to provide secure shredding of paper documents courtesy of the Graham Chamber of Commerce.
Tony Hawkins accepted electronic equipment for recycling to benefit the Helen Hawkins Music Scholarship
Fund, and passenger car tires were accepted at no cost for environmentally safe recycling from private
individuals.
The all-volunteer organization cleans up the town; literally picking up one piece of trash at a time and often
using their green litter buggy, an old car that formally served as a mail carrier to pick up trash. “Graham had
started to lose some of its unique charm and there were some areas that needed help and cleanup,” said
Roy Robinson, President of Keep Graham Beautiful. Last year, after being inactive for six years, volunteers
resurrected the Keep Graham Beautiful organization.
All-Valley Trash Bash & The Texas Country Cleanup: Valley Proud Environmental Council (VPEC) held
their All Valley Trash Bash and Texas Country Cleanup April 6th-13 this year. VPEC organized the first All
Valley Trash Bash in 1990, which was the first multi-county cleanup effort in the state of Texas. In 1996, the
Trash Bash was expanded to a week for the collection of household furniture, appliances and other nonhazardous materials from rural residents in the four-county area.
Trash thrown out by thoughtless individuals destroys the natural beauty of our Valley roadways and
landscape. Thousands of caring volunteers work hard to clean up after those people who keep trashing
our countryside. Valley Proud is happy to be at the forefront of eradicating litter. The more people and
organizations that become involved, the more that can be accomplished in trash removal and illegal
dumping prevention throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
Austin Clean Sweep - Imagine over 5,000 volunteers joining together on an ordinary Saturday morning
to make an extraordinary difference in the city of Austin. Each April, KAB hosts Clean Sweep, a city-wide
service day spanning 140 sites in 31 zip codes throughout Austin and resulting in over 29 tons of trash
removed and more than 11,600 volunteer hours contributed. The network of cleanups was followed by a
not-to-be-missed volunteer party and environmental fair that features free lunch, live music, a climbing wall,
children’s environmental activities, recycled art, a unique object contest, fantastic door prizes and more!
All KTB communities throughout Texas should take pride in your actions; our calendar was consistently
filled with community cleanups, beautification and recycling events, and education and training sessions,
representing hard work from every corner of Texas. The KTB family is vast; the board, our affiliate network,
KTB staff, sponsors, partners, friends and the thousands of people to whom we are connected do an
outstanding job of keeping Texas Beautiful.
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your board president this year, and I hope to continue working with
you in the future.
Sincerely,
Julio Reyes
2
Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc., is an educational, nonprofit organization
working in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and
19 million concerned citizens, government entities and private industries
in a public/private venture to eliminate litter and create a cleaner and
more beautiful environment.
Keep Texas Beautiful Board of Directors
Officers
President – Julio Reyes l AEP Texas, Corpus Christi
Vice President – Jamie Wolman l Keep Katy Beautiful, Katy
Secretary – Myra Glover l Entergy, The Woodlands
Assistant Treasurer – Jon Stephens l Avangard Innovative, LP, Houston
Past President – Stan Weik l City of San Saba, San Saba
Board Members
Terri Cardwell l Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful, Lake Jackson
Luisa Casso l Coca-Cola Refreshments, San Antonio
Dan Eden l Dan Eden Consulting, Austin
Stephanie Gibson l Texas Retailers Association, Austin
Maggie Hernandez l H-E-B, San Antonio
Dennis Hobbs l Texas Disposal Systems, Austin
Joe Jaynes l Waste Management, Inc., Lewisville
Lisa LaBean l Dow Chemical Company, Freeport
Ben March l LeTourneau University, Longview
Sherlyn McAnally l Republic Services, Arlington
Joan U’ilani Meeks l Electronic Waste Disposal, Irving
Steve Perry l Chevron, Austin
Cheri Reynolds l ECS Refining, Fort Worth
Terri Ricketts l IESI, McKinney
Clint Schelbitzki l Union Pacific Railroad, Fort Worth
Jon Stephens l Avangard Innovative, LP, Houston
Mary Jo Tellin l Keep Grapevine Beautiful, Grapevine
Bettina Tolin l Gold Star Investigations, LLP, Laguna Vista
Johnny Womack l City of Big Spring, Midland
Board Members Emeritus
Ebby Halliday Acers l Dallas
Donna Albus l Abilene
Sharla Hotchkiss l Midland
Ruthe Jackson l Grand Prairie
Joanne Weik l San Saba
Keep Texas Beautiful
Staff and Contact Information
Cathie Gail l Executive Director
cathie@ktb.org
Angela Castilleja l Program Director
angela@ktb.org
Christine Chute Canul l Program Director
christine@ktb.org
Melissa Trahan Pecorino l Events and Marketing Director
melissa@ktb.org
Mary Trautman l Project Manager
mary@ktb.org
Raymond Weyandt l Office Assistant
raymond@ktb.org
Linda Davis l Office Assistant
linda@ktb.org
Keep Texas Beautiful
8850 Business Park Dr., Ste. 200
Austin, TX 78759
512 /478-8813 l 1-800-CLEAN-TX
FAX 512/478-2640
www.ktb.org
Keep America Beautiful
1010 Washington Blvd.
Stamford, CT 06901
203/323-8987 l FAX 203/325-9199
www.kab.org
Grassroots
Grassroots
Thanks so much to all who attended KTB’s Bluebonnet Clay Shoot, held in partnership with the Texas Legislative
Sportsman’s Caucus! The event was held on Wednesday, February 27, 2013, at Texas Disposal Systems Exotic
Game Ranch in Creedmoor. Despite the wind, it was a beautiful sunny day, and we had a turnout of about 130
people, including more than a dozen state legislators. KTB raised more than $30,000 this year, and we could not
have done it without the support of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, board of directors and staff. We’d like to
extend a special thank you to the Texas Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus for partnering with us, and to our friend and
supporter Rep. Warren Chisum for participating in our program and supporting our mission. Enjoy the photos and
look for more on our website at wwww.ktb.org/programs/bluebonnet-sporting-clay-shoot.aspx.
Dow’s Bryan Gutermuth took home the award for first
place male shooter at the 2013 KTB Bluebonnet Clay
Shoot.
Dow team #2 took second place at the 2013 KTB
Bluebonnet Clay Shoot.
Doreen Womack makes some new friends!
Spring 2013
Dow team #1 took first place at the 2013 KTB
Bluebonnet Clay Shoot.
The Galveston-Texas City Pilots Association took
third place at the KTB Bluebonnet Clay Shoot.
Representatives Kacal and Callegari joined
legislators from across Texas for the 2013 KTB
Bluebonnet Clay Shoot.
Dow’s Donnie Vaughn and Grant Hoffman were the
overall winners of the flurry game at the 2013 KTB
Bluebonnet Clay Shoot.
Participants and volunteers relaxing on the lodge
lawn.
Volunteers Myra Glover and Dan Eden prepared their
station at the 2013 KTB Bluebonnet Clay Shoot.
3
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE*
*Schedule is subject to change. Please visit www.ktb.org for the most up-to-date conference information.
MONDAY, JUNE 17
11:00 am - 5:00 pm - Registration & Exhibits Open
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Specialized Training Sessions
(times vary, check online schedule for specific session
times)
TUESDAY, JUNE 18
8:00 am – 4:30 pm - Registration & Exhibits Open
9:00 am – 4:30 pm - GCAA Display Viewing
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm - Don’t Mess with Texas Luncheon
9:00 am – 10:30 am - Opening Session with Chad
Pregracke
1:45pm – 4:30 pm - Concurrent Education Sessions
10:45 am – 12:00 pm - Concurrent Education
Sessions
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm - Keynote Luncheon with Texas
State Demographer, Dr. Lloyd Potter
1:45 pm – 4:30 pm - Concurrent Education Sessions
4:45 pm – 6:00 pm – Annual Meeting/Board Meeting
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
6:00 pm – 7:30pm – GCAA Reception, featuring cash
bar and auction
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Governor’s Community
Achievement Awards Dinner
THURSDAY, JUNE 20
7:30 am – 1:30 pm - Registration & Exhibits Open
8:00 am – 9:30 pm – Registration Open
7:30 am – 1:30 pm - Awards Pick Up (at registration
desk)
8:00 am – 5:00 pm - Exhibits Open
8:00 am – 12:00 pm - GCAA Display Viewing
9:00 am – 5:00 pm - GCAA Display Viewing
8:00 am – 10:00 am - Affiliate Recognition Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:15 am - Youth & Educator Awards
(Opening seesion with David Chicken)
10:15 am – 11:30 am - Concurrent Education
Sessions
10:30 am – 11:45 pm - Concurrent Education
Sessions
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm - Keep Texas Beautiful Awards
Luncheon, feat. Adopt-A-Highway Awards
(continued on next page)
4
Grassroots
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE (continued)
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
•
Waste In Place Train-the-Trainer - Interested in
becoming a certified Waste In Place trainer or
looking to be trained on the updated material? With
support from Progressive Waste Solutions, KTB and
Keep America Beautiful will train eligible candidates
so that they can conduct WIP educator workshops
in their community.
•
Invaders of Texas Train-the-Trainer – Invaders
of Texas is a unique program whereby volunteer
“citizen scientists” are trained to identify and
report invasive species throughout Texas. This
workshop, presented by the Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center, certifies individuals to serve as
satellite leaders for their community, conservation
organization, school group or other institution.
•
Tools to Tell Your Story – In today’s busy, multimedia world, film and pictures are a great way to
share your organization’s story in a lasting and
memorable way to engage supporters, volunteers
and community leaders. This training will provide
tips on successful storytelling and introduce you to
the different tools available to aid you in the process.
REGISTRATION
Register online by visiting www.ktb.org and click on “Annual
Conference” located under the “Programs” tab.
Please note: Early registration ends on Friday, May 17.
After that date, rates will increase. Registration is also
available onsite, though the rate will be higher. Prices are
based on the date payment is received. The cut-off date
for all pre-conference registration is Friday, June 7. After
June 7, only onsite registrations will be accepted.
LODGING
Our host hotel is the Westin Riverwalk, located at 420 W.
Market Street in San Antonio.
•
KTB has a block of rooms reserved at a special
single/double rate of $138 per night, plus tax if
applicable. You must book by Friday, May 24 to
ensure this rate (subject to availability).
•
Reserve your room via phone at 1-888-627-8396
by asking for the “Keep Texas Beautiful conference
rate,” or online at www.starwoodmeeting.com/
StarGroupsWeb/res?id=1210195904&key=23915.
PARKING
The Westin Riverwalk will provide overnight valet parking
for $25 per vehicle per day, and daytime valet parking is
available for $19 per day. Attendees staying overnight at
the Westin may have any parking charges billed directly to
their hotel bill.
EXHIBIT BOOTHS
Visit the array of sponsor, vendor and nonprofit organization
exhibitor booths to learn more about the products and
services they offer. Conference attendees will receive a
BINGO card listing all exhibitors, and those who complete
and submit the card prior to the end of conference have the
chance to win one free full conference registration for our
47th Annual Conference!
PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS
Head to San Antonio early and take advantage of our preconference sessions on Monday, June 17. We will kick off
the week with four specialized trainings:
•
Introduction to Keep Texas Beautiful and Affiliate
Coordination - New affiliates, board members
and staff will receive an overview of Keep Texas
Beautiful, along with tools and ideas to create a
solid affiliate foundation.
KEYNOTE PRESENTERS
Tuesday morning’s opening session features a keynote
presentation by Chad Pregracke, the founder of America’s
only “industrial strength” river clean-up organization, Living
Lands & Waters. Chad takes the audience out
on one of the world’s greatest
rivers – a journey filled with
endless challenges and gripping
adventures. His delivery is
motivating, captivating, genuine
and refreshingly spontaneous.
From the darkness of
underwater shell-diving to
the brightness of open-air
community clean-ups, Chad’s
tale embodies the importance of
setting goals (one river and one
piece of garbage at a time) and
illustrates how determination,
hard work and persistence pays off.
The river environment is relentlessly real and Chad brings the
same up-front honesty to his presentation. Chad’s sincere
enthusiasm is an uplifting wave for audiences of all ages as
he relates his personal conviction to clean America’s rivers.
(continued on next page)
Spring 2013
5
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE (continued)
Tuesday’s keynote luncheon
will be presented by Texas
State Demographer, Dr.
Lloyd B. Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H.
His current work focuses
upon understanding and
communicating demographic
processes in Texas, training
doctoral level applied
demographers in the areas
of public policy and health,
and conducting demographic
research on public policy and
health related topics.
DAVID CHICKEN/YOUTH & EDUCATOR AWARDS
This ceremony celebrates emerging youth leaders from
across the state, as
well as the dedicated
educational professionals
who mentor them. We will
kick off our morning with
a performance by Emmy
award-winning singersongwriter, David Chicken.
His heart-pounding, floorstomping performance is
fun for all ages! David
leads the audience through
a high-energy, interactive
performance with creative
movement, motivational messages and general hilarity.
GCAA RECEPTION
Enjoy a cash bar and entertainment prior to the GCAA
Dinner. We will be hosting our annual bucket auction along
with a silent auction. Both will feature some great prizes, so
be sure to bring a little extra cash!
GOVERNOR’S COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
DINNER
Wednesday’s Don’t mess with Texas Luncheon is sure to
entertain! Join representatives from TxDOT’s Don’t mess
with Texas Campaign, who will share some of the most
exciting developments of the program over the past year!
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
We take pride in offering you an array of breakout sessions,
including the latest topics and trends! We will be bringing
you educational sessions that cover a variety of pertinent
topics, including, invasive species, firewise landscaping,
butterfly gardens, volunteer recruitment, management and
reporting, and much, much more! Check out the most upto-date schedule of sessions, along with descriptions and
speaker bios – at www.ktb.org.
ANNUAL MEETING/BOARD MEETING
The Annual Meeting and Board Meeting is open to any and
every interested KTB member. The 2014 KTB Board of
Directors will be elected and sworn in, attendees will hear a
year-end review of the organization and TxDOT will present
its annual report.
6
This gala dinner showcases the best and brightest in
grassroots environmentalism. Each year, it serves to
recognize the Governor’s Community Achievement
Awards winners, as well as affiliate communities who earn
Sustained Excellence and Award of Excellence honors.
AFFILIATE RECOGNITION BREAKFAST
Enjoy a plated breakfast as we recognize our active
affiliates and celebrate those who have achieved gold and
silver star status.
KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL AWARDS LUNCHEON
Join us for the finale of this year’s conference, as we
recognize and congratulate remarkable community leaders
along with an array of other individuals, organizations and
business entities. Officials from the Texas Department of
Transportation will be on hand to present the 2013 Adopta-Highway Awards as well. We’ll also be announcing the
winners of the KTB raffle, so don’t miss it!
Grassroots
COLLINSVILLE
2013 GCAA WINNERS
Category 1
PORT ARANSAS
Category 2
GRAHAM
Category 3
KATY
Category 4
ALVIN
Category 5
COPPERAS
COVE
Category 6
GRAPEVINE
Category 7
LONGVIEW
Category 8
MIDLAND
Category 9
AUSTIN
Category 10
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
Category 5
2 Place: Utopia
3rd Place: Munday
2nd Place:Sonora
3rd Place: Richwood
2 Place: Navasota
3rd Place: Cuero
2nd Place: Henderson
3rd Place: La Marque
2nd Place: Alvin
3rd Place: Murphy
Category 6
Category 7
Category 8
Category 9
Category 10
2nd Place: Lake Jackson
3rd Place: Friendswood
2nd Place: North
Richland Hills
2 Place: Sugar Land
3rd Place: Angelina County
2nd Place: Lewisville
2nd Place: Irving
3rd Place: Garland
Category 1
Pop. up to 3,000
nd
Pop. 3,001–5,500
Pop. 5,501–9,000
nd
Pop. 25,001–40,000 Pop. 40,001–65,000 Pop. 65,001–90,000
Spring 2013
3rd Place:Haltom City
nd
Pop. 9,001–15,000
Pop. 15,001–25,000
Pop. 90,001–180,000 Pop. 180,001+
3 Place:Carrollton
rd
7
2013 Governor’s Community Achievement Award
Congratulations to the first place winners of the Governor’s
Community Achievement Awards, and thanks to every
hard working community that entered! The prestigious
Governor’s Community Achievement Awards are given to
ten communities across the state with the best grassroots
campaigns. The winners will be formally recognized at the
46th Annual Conference in San Antonio, June 17 - 20.
Category 1 – Collinsville
Collinsville, a small north central Texas community of less
than 2,000, reminds all Texans to never underestimate the
power of people. Just over a year since its inception, Keep
Collinsville Beautiful (KCB) has covered incredible ground
and literally cleaned up a great deal of it as well. KCB
has conducted three very successful city-wide cleanup
days involving 100 volunteers and collecting almost eight
tons of trash. This mighty organization has built strong
relationships with the chamber of commerce and the local
waste hauler, promoting recycling initiatives throughout
schools, local events and businesses. Strong community
support for these recycling initiatives led to Collinsville
instituting a city-wide curbside recycling program which
began in January 2012. In its first year, the recycling
program diverted over 100 tons of waste from the local
landfill, saving the community $4,000. With just a year
under its belt, KCB is igniting community pride throughout
Collinsville!
Category 2 – Port Aransas
Port Aransas, once a sleepy little fishing village, is now
a coveted beach vacation destination hosting 2.5 million
visitors each year. The importance of clean, beautiful
beaches and parks is a top priority for the city, and the
driving force behind the passion and hard work of the local
KTB affiliate, Keep Port Aransas Beautiful (KPAB). Staffed
entirely by volunteers, and with no monetary funding from
the city, KPAB holds dozens of events each year, including
Adopt-A-Beach Days, beach walk tours, recycling events
and plant swaps, all to encourage community participation
and engagement, leading to pristine beaches, tidy streets
and strong community pride. During one Texas Recycling
Day event, the community collected over 1,700 lbs of
electronics, along with 31 pairs of eye glasses, 27 cell
phones and 200 ink cartridges. Having mobilized roughly
700 volunteers in 2012, Keep Port Aransas Beautiful reminds
community members that safe, clean, scenic areas give
residents and tourists alike a reason to love the outdoors in
“Port A”.
Category 3 – Graham
Graham, the Daffodil Capital of Texas, is situated in north
central Texas and provides the personal touch of a small
town while offering the progressive services of a large city.
Graham has the best of both worlds, and Keep Graham
Beautiful (KGB) wants it to stay that way! For years, the
community suffered with clear evidence of neglect and
eyesores after KGB’s predecessor became inactive. This
reactivated the all-volunteer group, taking on the mission
“Graham’s Beauty is Our Duty!” with Litterbuggies I and
II, brightly painted former U.S. Postal Service vehicles,
KGM took Graham by storm. Just one year later, KGB
has engaged almost 1,000 volunteers and collected more
than 200 tons of refuse during large scale cleanup events.
Community groups have joined forces, many registering
for Adopt-A-Highway segments, including the Rotary Club,
Kiwanis Club, and Knights of Columbus. And Graham’s
community garden produced 1,500 pounds of fresh
vegetables for the local food pantry. Everyone is doing their
part to keep Graham beautiful!
Category 4 – Katy
With budding prairie beginnings, Katy has bloomed into
a thriving community with small-town charm and big city
perks. Just thirty minutes outside of Houston, Katy is
experiencing explosive growth, and Keep Katy Beautiful
(KKB) is ready and focused on keeping growth beautiful. In
2012, KKB worked with the city government, businesses,
and citizens to address a solid waste plan, which included
the implementation of a curbside single stream recycling
program for all households. On the program’s first day,
over 14 tons of recyclables were collected! This was a year
full of accomplishments for Katy, as it achieved Tree City
status and was recognized as a Train Town USA by Union
Pacific. KKB knows the power of successful partnerships.
That’s why they partner with Katy Prairie Conservancy
on the “Seed Grow Out” program, creating seed balls
to reintroduce native grasses to Katy Prairie. Whether
planting native prairie grasses, hosting an old fashioned
Christmas tree lighting or holding one of their ten “zero
litter” community events, the city of Katy and KKB want to
make sure “You’ll Love Katy!”
Category 5 – Alvin
Alvin, thirty miles south of Houston, is known for its large,
sturdy live oak trees. Four hundred of these mighty oaks
were planted back in 1912 by the women of the Alvin Civic
Club. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of this event,
Keep Alvin Beautiful (KAB) led community members in
(continued on next page)
8
Grassroots
2013 Governor’s community achievement award (continued)
the planting of 100 trees around town, the final tree being
planted on Lady Bird Johnson’s birthday. It is not through
tree plantings alone that KAB has made its mark. In 2012,
the volunteer-run group collected over 40 tons of waste,
recycled 4,700 tires and engaged 15 groups of volunteers
during their Great American Cleanup Event. Five miles of
state right-of-way were adopted for year-round mowing
and maintenance and KAB launched the “Don’t Forget to
VTote” campaign to encourage use of reusable bags. Youth
have enjoyed the fruits of KAB’s labors as well, with Waste
in Place educational programming at all 21 schools...and a
new skateboard complex for the community!
Category 6 – Copperas Cove
Pleasantly situated amongst the rolling hills of central Texas
is Copperas Cove, a community of 32,000 Texans. With
rich history stretching back to the Tonkawa and Comanche
tribes, Copperas Cove’s motto is “The City Built for Family
Living.” Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful (KCCB) is a very
active community partner, empowering citizens and enhancing the environment through public awareness campaigns, community education, and litter cleanup events.
The third annual Eco Harvest, a two day sustainability
education event, reached 775 students. Spring and fall
cleanups were held, offering free drop off to residents. During these events, 151 residents were able to dispose of 28
tons of trash and over 900 tires. Efforts like these are just
a few examples of KCCB’s dedication to making Copperas
Cove a better place to live, work, and play.
Category 7 – Grapevine
Grapevine, nestled in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth
metroplex, is 36 square miles chock-full of beauty and
enjoyment, including 1,553 acres of park land, 6 major recreation venues, 23 miles of trail, an 8,000-acre Lake Grapevine and 66 acres of landscaped meridians. In Grapevine,
citizens care, and they’re active in supporting Keep Grapevine Beautiful (KGVB). This year, 2,566 volunteers donated
15,336 hours to 169 projects, a value of $327,423. Volunteering is not a new practice for Grapevine residents as
2012 marked the year that over $1 million in volunteer time
has been donated back to the city! With this strong support, KGVB and the city held 13 successful public events,
including the MLK Day Sunday Supper, rich in fellowship,
speeches and great food, and the Earth Day Expo, featuring 25 trade booths, demonstrations, expert speakers and a
litter-free lunch. Community members and KGVB show that
they care about Grapevine, and their pride shows in every
beautiful mile.
Category 8 – Longview
If you’re driving east on I-20 through the towering piney
woods, make sure to stop and visit Longview, founded in
1870 when farmer O.H. Methvin deeded one hundred acres
of land to the Southern Pacific Railroad for just one dollar.
Spring 2013
From humble one dollar beginnings to today, Longview,
a recipient of the title “100 Best Communities for Young
People,” has forward thinking residents and savvy leaders.
Keep Longview Beautiful (KLB) leads the way with hugely
successful beautification and waste reduction programs.
Embracing technology’s advances, the city introduced CitySend, new online and mobile system for reporting all kinds
of environmental issues, and KLB has improved the efficiency of their litter indexing tool by adding GIS mapping!
With the introduction of single stream recycling throughout
the city, a dramatic increase of 113% in tonnage taken
to the recycling center was seen. Longview is now more
beautiful than ever, thanks to KLB’s latest gift to the city, a
new keystone, raised bed and gardens on Judson Median,
as magestic as the piney woods surrounding it.
Category 9 – MiIdland
Out west, under an endless Texas sunset, lies the city
of Midland, with wide open spaces, a warm climate, and
friendly people. Hit hard by the severe Texas droughts and
with a limited water supply, Keep Midland Beautiful (KMB)
and the city knew that they could keep Midland beautiful
through drought education and action. Over 120 presentations covering topics like native and adaptive landscaping,
water conservation, composting and landscape maintenance were given in 2012, including “Drought & Trees”
landscaping presentations presented to 348 residents.
Partnering with the Master Gardeners, 7,248 hours were
spent on 6 major projects including urban forest management and dead tree removal. Despite the pesky thorns of
the native thorny mesquite trees, KMB held 487 cleanups involving 7,473 community volunteers. The real treat
for Midlanders is a recently dedicated $2 million wildlife
preserve, featuring walking trails, bird watching stations,
a playa, and center for education, where all can celebrate
west Texas charm.
Category 10 – Austin
Deep in the heart of Texas thrives Austin, our beloved
capital city. With a diverse and eclectic community of over
820,000 residents, Austinites have a reputation for being
unique and environmentally progressive. Spearheading
environmental efforts is Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB), fearlessly leading youth and adult education programs, cleanups, and community beautification projects, all to maintain
the natural beauty as the city continues to grow. This year,
KAB led 71 beautification projects including the creation of
35 school and community gardens. Not only does Austin
conduct a yearly litter index, but they conduct a water index
as well. All of the 329 waterways have either maintained
or improved their baseline levels in 2012! With 92 AdoptA-Street locations and 50 creek segments adopted, KAB
encourages community members to get involved in cleaning up. Having led over 9,000 volunteers in 432 cleanups,
KAB can be sure that community members are eager to
keep Austin clean and green!
9
2013 Keep Texas Beautiful Award Winners
Congratulations to the 2013 Keep Texas Beautiful Award recipients.
These individuals and organizations are recognized for their outstanding efforts to enhance their community and protect the Texas
environment.
KTB Leadership Award
Debby Soltesz
It is Debby Soltesz’s passion for service that has proven her to be a
diligent leader and organizer for Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful. For
nearly twenty years, Debby has been a dedicated volunteer, a prominent voice for recycling efforts in her community, an avid relationshipbuilder, and even an entertainer, performing as the voice of Charlie
Chipper, KLJB’s renowned mascot. In addition to spearheading ewaste and hazardous materials collection efforts that prevented more
than half a million pounds of garbage from entering Texas landfills,
Debby played a key role in transforming the city’s one-day hazardous
waste drive into a permanent collection facility.
OP Schnabel Senior Citizen
Minnie Lee Fisbeck
Councilwoman Minnie Lee Fisbeck thrives on hard work. The former
mayor and decades-long civil servant has exhibited a constant
devotion to Keep Moulton Beautiful. Over the years, Councilwoman
Fisbeck has served in a variety of roles at such earth-friendly events
as the annual e-Cycle electronic waste cleanup event, the Great
American Cleanup, the Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off, and
countless bake sale fundraisers. As mayor, she secured a grant
to preserve the Orrin Lemon Winters Log House, an historic part
of Moulton’s City Park. By personally purchasing trees for planting
each year, and by consistently maintaining water levels for Moulton’s
ancient live oak trees during the brutal drought, Councilwoman
Fisbeck defies the stereotypical octogenarian lifestyle and brings new
meaning to the words “young at heart.”
Volunteer of the Year
Randy Boys
Randy’s volunteer spirit is well-known throughout the city of Allen,
where this scout leader has inspired conservation-minded efforts
in the least-expected places. Randy is devoted to educating
himself and then sharing this knowledge with the community. He
attends numerous workshops and meetings on development and
beautification and then translates his ideas and discoveries into
lessons for the many community groups that he serves. Randy
inspired the use of biodegradable eggs at the annual egg hunt and
encouraged his scout troops to transition away from paper plates and
cups. Randy is known for stopping his hikes to pick up stray litter.
He even brings a few pieces home after his morning jog. For Randy
Boys, volunteering is a full-time commitment.
Ed Davis Litter Law Enforcement
Domingo Ibarra
Police Chief Domingo Ibarra has devoted more than thirty years of
police work to finding innovative solutions to problems in his community. His collaborative efforts in Magnolia brought together municipal,
educational, and community-based organizations with a common
interest in the rejuvenation of the city. Chief Ibarra’s enthusiasm
for personal responsibility and community cooperation spurred the
creation of the Coalition for Demolition, which boards up or destroys
condemned buildings. The program has incorporated at-risk youth
and concerned citizens, fostering an environment of common investment and renewed trust in one another.
10
Civic Organization - Project
Breakdown Ministries
Breakdown Ministries (BDM) spearheaded more than 1800
volunteer hours in 2012. With a team of 22 leaders, the organization
realized its mission, to support communities with organized teams
of volunteers, leading nine major cleanup and beautification
efforts, which removed more than 28,000 pounds of trash from
Texas communities. Breakdown volunteers also assisted with tree
trimming, shrub removal, and household hazardous waste disposal.
The city of Lewisville greatly enjoyed the benefits of BDM’s presence.
For two days after a cleanup there, BDM volunteers continued to find
and remove illegally dumped metal, tires, and other garbage from the
community’s parks and creeks.
Civic Organization – Program
ECO Teens–Live Green in Plano
The ECO Teens – Live Green in Plano program is an educational
endeavor led by the City of Plano’s Sustainability & Environmental
Services Department and Environmental Education & Community
Outreach Division. Now in its fourth year, ECO Teens has educated
more than one hundred students and directly impacted the lives of
more than five thousand people. ECO Teens engages students in
innovative, educational service projects. Students learn about carbon
emissions, consumer waste, municipal recycling, water quality,
conservation, and other environmental activities. This knowledge is
then applied as each ECO Teen develops his or her own personal
project, an empowering experience that drives students to take an
active role in their communities.
Civic Organization – Program
Fort Hood Recycle Center
The Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division
directs extensive military-civilian efforts to address environmental
concerns in the communities in and around Fort Hood. The environmental division conducts a regular meeting where military and
civilian leaders work together to discuss and address issues related
to environmental protection, sustainability, military land stewardship,
air quality, energy management and recycling. Policies generated
by DPW encourage environmental responsibility through “leadership
involvement.” Because of the efforts of DPW, Fort Hood is a net zero
waste facility. Clean-ups have netted more than 74,000 pounds of
garbage and debris, and an annual Earth Fest educates more than
12,000 visitors on recycling and sustainability concepts.
Ebby Halliday & Maurice Acers Business/Industry
Award – Local
Texas Disposal Systems
In 2012, TDS partnered with Round Rock Express Dell Diamond Stadium, Circuit of the Americas, Hays ISD and Austin ISD, to convert
local sporting fields and area schools into minimal-waste facilities.
This first-of-its-kind-in-Texas effort provides continuous training to
facilities’ staff members on recycling, composting and sustainability.
TDS has incentivized the program with rewards for school districts,
including complimentary visits to the beautiful exotic game ranch
at its Creedmoor facility. The program at the Circuit of Americas
diverted more than 64% of its waste into sustainable solutions. TDS
strives to convert as much waste as possible into valuable resources,
and these minimal-waste conversion projects move the company
even further ahead in a field that it has led for years on end.
(continued on next page)
Grassroots
2013 Keep Texas Beautiful Award Winners (continued)
Ebby Halliday & Maurice Acers Business/Industry
Award – State/National
VHA Inc.
In the age of LEED certification and greener workspaces, VHA
is leading the charge with Community Day, an annual service
project that motivates employees to volunteer in their community
and increase their own sustainable activity. In 2012, more than
1,025 employees participated in this day of service, which was
created when CEO Curt Nonomaque reallocated funds used for an
annual company holiday party. By planting trees at local schools,
participating in “day cleaning,” and supporting the North Texas Food
Bank at annual events, VHA goes beyond Community Day and
supports environmental responsibility year-round.
Ebby Halliday & Maurice Acers Business/Industry
Award – Innovation Award
Community Waste Disposal
Community Waste Disposal (CWD) built a revolutionary program
that provides the residents of four Texas cities with previously
unavailable recycling and hazardous waste disposal services.
The Extreme Green Event, during which five natural gas-powered
collection vehicles criss-cross the cities, picking up everything from
plastic bottles to used motor oil. These clean air vehicles reduce
emissions by more than 90% and highlight CWD’s commitment to
“Clean Air for the Future.” Residents of Azle, Little Elm, Forney,
and Wiley have properly disposed of more than 218,600 pounds of
hazardous waste, obsolete electronics, and other items.
Government – City – Over 50,000 Population
City of Sugar Land
The City of Sugar Land dramatically enhanced its waste service
in 2012, providing all residents with recycling bins and enacting
weekly curbside pickup. The city’s recycling program grew to
accept all colors of glass bottles. Two educational videos were
produced and run on the city’s television station, informing citizens
of proper recycling methods and encouraging them to participate
in the growing program. In addition, every resident received an
instructional book that answers questions and offers short lessons
covering topics from “Grasscycling” to storm water pollution.
Residents of Sugar Land recycled roughly 340 tons of waste per
month in 2012.
Government - City – Under 50,000 Population
Brownwood
The small West Texas city of Brownwood is light years ahead
of most small towns when it comes to municipal waste and
recycling services. Residents enjoy all of the benefits of modern
advancements, including a fully-functional recycling center, intown recycling drop-off locations, year-round electronic waste
recycling and even a city program that grinds all organic city
waste into nutrient-rich mulch. This mulch is then donated to local
nonprofit organizations and projects, such as the Brownwood Area
Community Garden. Area schools participate in field trips to the
recycling center; in 2012, more than 1,400 students participated in
recycling lessons related to the city’s program.
Government – Regional
Upper Trinity Regional Water District
The Upper Trinity Regional Water District operates a state-of-theart 59-plot organic community garden. With six functional compost
piles, the garden has no need for fertilizers or chemical pesticides.
Spring 2013
The garden produced more than 4,000 pounds of organic produce
in 2012. Local schools and colleges flock to the garden to educate
students on the importance of sustainability and conservation. More
than 800 students visited the facility in 2012, and many elementary
schools own plots. A variety of community groups visit regularly for
tours. More than sixty of those groups actively tend the garden and
contribute to its success.
Government – County
Brazoria County
The Brazoria County Environmental Center and Home Chemical
Collection Site is just one shining example of the vast array of waste
removal and recycling services made available by Brazoria County.
In conjunction with the Keep Brazoria County Beautiful Association,
the county operates a full-time recycling collection center, partners
with the Dow Chemical Company for an annual e-waste collection
event, and conducts a county-wide used tire cleanup effort. In
addition to old car tires, the event draws tractor tires and large vehicle
tires from farmers and rural landowners who often have no place to
responsibly dispose of their used rubber.
Government - Military
Fort Hood DPW Environmental
On a military installation that hosts more than 80,000 people,
sustainability and efficiency are key components of a successful
operation. DPW Environmental’s goals of pollution prevention,
continuous improvement, compliance, committed leadership
and collective involvement have fostered a culture that produces
amazing results. More than 3,000 trees were planted in 2012, the
installation will be a net zero waste facility by 2020, and the collection
of recyclable materials on the base more than doubled last year,
increasing sharply from 16 to 36 pounds per home per month. DPW
Environmental’s strategy of engagement and community-based
efforts make it the military leader in environmental and sustainability
efforts.
Media – Print/Daily
The Baytown Sun
For seven years, the Baytown Sun has sponsored Partners Against
Litter, a campaign also supported by the City of Baytown Health Department. This collaborative campaign to reduce litter and promote
beautification efforts across southern Texas has been immensely
successful. The Baytown Sun has consistently acted as the mouthpiece for such regional cleanup efforts as the Don’t mess with Texas
Trash-Off, which hosted more than a thousand volunteers in Baytown
alone. Photographs and articles about the cleanup are featured
annually in the Sun, generating increased interest and volunteer
turnout.
Media –Print/Weekly
DPW Environmental and Fort Hood Sentinel
Since 2006, the Fort Hood Sentinel and DPW Environmental have
worked together to publicize the increasing number of environmental
programs at Fort Hood. Articles have promoted the installation’s Net
Zero Waste 2020 Program, which aims to eliminate landfill use by the
year 2020. Increased awareness in 2012 led to the collection of more
than 15 million pounds of recyclable materials. The Sentinel’s online
presence grew last year, enabling troops stationed in Afghanistan
and elsewhere to connect to friends and keep up with the newest
developments back home. DPW and the Sentinel also supported
events such as America Recycles Day and Earth Fest. The Sentinel
is free to the public, available online, and boasts a circulation of
26,500.
11
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the art Airbus 320 or EMBRARER 190 aircraft, complete with roomy
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Photo courtesy of JetBlue.
Getaway to Grapevine Package
Photo courtesy of grapevinetxonline.com
Enjoy a weekend in Historic Grapevine, Texas! Relax during your
two-night stay at the lush, 40-acre lakeside Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center. The DFW Lakes features horseback riding,
fishing and jogging trails, as well as Indoor and outdoor pools, tennis
courts and a fitness center. This package includes dinner for two at
Esparza’s Restaurante Mexicano, gift cards to popular Main Street
shops, and much more! You don’t want to miss out on this one Grapevine has something for everyone! Total value: $1,200.
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Photos courtesy Troy-Bilt.
Generously
donated by
iPad Mini
Right from the start, there’s a lot to love about this 32 GB iPad mini!
It’s simple yet powerful. Thin and light yet full-featured. It can do just
about everything and be just about anything - download apps, music,
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Purchase tickets online at www.ktb.org.
Buy your Drawing
will be held on Thursday, June 20
during the 46th Annual KTB Conference in San Antonio.
tickets today! Winner need not be present to win.
12
Grassroots
Don’t mess with Texas® gets fresh look
Summer is right around the corner, and with the warm
weather comes a variety of concerts, festivals, and fun
family activities that encourage Texans to get out and enjoy
the state. With the events, however, comes the potential
of additional litter, but Don’t mess with Texas (DMWT) has
launched a campaign just in time for the busy summer
months. DMWT is reminding Texas residents that trash
belongs in its proper place.
The biggest star of
the revitalized DMWT
campaign? The trashcan.
Fifty-two of the iconic red,
white, and blue cans will be
distributed to attractions
across the state, ranging
from the Petroleum
Museum in Midland to
the Bluebell Creamery in
Brenham. Each of the 52
cans has a unique one-liner
These new trash cans will be distributed
to various attractions across Texas to help emblazoned on its front
launch the new DMWT Campaign.
that ties into the can’s
location, whether suggesting a passerby to “two-step
your trash over here” at a dancehall or asking restaurant
bystanders to “feed me.” If you happen to see one, snap
a picture, tag it #DontmesswithTexas, and post it to your
favorite social media site. Be sure to check out where
other Texans have found the personality trashcans by
visiting the DMWT Facebook and Twitter pages, too. There
you’ll find photos from all our kickoff events as well as a
picture or two of a dancing DMWT trashcan.
Along with the release of the trashcans, you’ll see while
out and about on
Texas highways,
billboards and trucks
proudly displaying
the DMWT reminder.
You can also expect
to see both the
English and Spanish
versions of the
DMWT videos at
minor league baseball games in El Paso, San Antonio,
Midland, and Corpus Christi throughout the summer.
Bob Scnieder and Grupo Fantasma take a break for a
picture, between video shots for one of several DMWT
Videos
Spring 2013
Speaking of the video,
Bob Schnieder and
Grupo Fantasma both
contributed their
talents for the newest
DMWT spots. Bob’s
mellow voice and Grupo
Fantasma’s energetic
sound perfectly pair
with the series of trashcans shown in both English and
Spanish at locations across the state.
The redesigned DMWT website features an easy-to-use
and easy-to-read navigation that allows site visitors to
browse past advertisements, peruse the campaign’s
numerous awards from over the years, and catch up on the
latest DMWT news. Some of the most important highlights
from the old website remain, however—you can still
report litterers and order litterbags. Keep an eye out in the
coming months for an interactive game that lets you create
your own personality trashcan!
Interested in learning more about the litter on Texas
roads? Accompanying the launch of the campaign will be
the recently completed 2013 Visible Litter Study, which
sends researchers out in the field to collect data on what
types of litter are most prominent on Texas roadways. We
also conducted the Attitudes and Behavior Study to find
out how Texans feel about litter and whether or not they
admit to improperly disposing of trash. The findings will
be presented during a session at the Keep Texas Beautiful
conference in June, look for more details in the conference
program.
Applications for the DMWT scholarship have been
reviewed. Three high school seniors who have taken active
steps to reduce litter in their communities will be awarded
cash for college. A special “Thank You” to Prosperity Bank
for sponsoring the 2013 DMWT Scholarship, and thanks to
all the Keep Texas Beautiful affiliates for helping spread the
word to high school seniors.
Did you participate in the Don’t mess with Texas TrashOff? We want your photos! Send them to photos@
dontmesswith texas.org and they’ll be posted on the
DMWT website.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to keeping
13
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Don’t miss the unveiling of KTB’s 10th edition ornament at the 46th Annual Conference!
The KTB Ornaments are favorite fundraiser items and gifts for the holidays and year round!
Preorder yours today to guarantee you receive the newest edition,
signed by designer Nelda Laney.
Ornament Preorders will be free of tax, but ONLY if you pick them up at the conference on
Tuesday, June 18th or Wednesday, June 19th. Those are our only tax-free days this year, so make
plans to join us in San Antonio!
Ornaments are $19 each (+tax); bulk orders of 25 or more are just $15 each (+tax).
Call 1-800-CLEAN-TX to purchase.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR KTB – PRE ORDER YOUR 10TH EDITION ORNAMENT TODAY!