Events and Activities : Keep Iowa Beautiful Invites Iowans to Participate in the Great American Cleanup

Removing Litter Across Iowa: Keep Iowa Beautiful Invites Iowans to Participate in the Great American Cleanup with Pick-Up Iowa

Keep Iowa Beautiful invites Iowans to join the Great American Cleanup and an estimated 3 million volunteers across the nation by removing litter from public areas and nature reserves during Pick-Up Iowa from April 1 to July 31.

"It's inspiring the ways Iowans take action to ensure the beauty of their community, many on an everyday basis as well as through initiatives like Pick-Up Iowa and the Great American Cleanup," said Kevin Techau, executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful. "We are excited about the effect removing litter and trash means for the environment and the enjoyment of being in nature in Iowa."

Pick-Up Iowa creates focused efforts to clean up trash along Iowa's roadsides, neighborhoods, streets, school grounds, parks, forests, and streams. Many littered items can take hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years to decompose, such as plastic bags at 500-1,000 years and glass bottles at 1-2 million years. Clean up events have a positive and lasting impact for Iowa's landscape.

Community members or groups are invited to participate. Organizations who often host clean up events include civic associations, schools, church groups, local sports teams, college clubs, groups of families and friends, businesses, Scouts, and others. Groups can host one or more events and choose dates that work best for their members.

City municipals are also involved in Pick-Up Iowa. Mayors, city council members or county supervisors can call for or announce several days or a week for community pick-up.

Events held for Pick-Up Iowa are encouraged to register with Keep Iowa Beautiful. Registered events are eligible for a limited amount of free cleanup supplies such as bags, grabbers, safety vests and gloves donated if requested by March 15. Registered events are also recognized for their contribution and commitment. Register at https://bit.ly/PickUpIowa2022.