Hello Pennsylvania Educators,

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is excited to offer you programs, tools and resources that encourage students to take an active role in protecting and improving our environment through litter awareness and community stewardship. Please click on the hyperlinks below to learn more or visit www.keeppabeautiful.org.

HEALING THE PLANET GRANTS AVAILABLE
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, in partnership with The GIANT Company, is offering a competitive grant for tax-exempt organizations. This year, $300,000 will be awarded to projects that address food waste prevention, reduction and or recovery and can include community composting, increased access to compost for agricultural producers, educational programs regarding food waste prevention, reduction and recovery and diversion of food waste from landfills. Projects must be in The GIANT Company’s operating area in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. The deadline for application is April 13 at 4PM. For eligibility, frequently asked questions and more information click here. 

LITTER FREE SCHOOL ZONE

Schools in Pennsylvania can keep their school grounds litter free with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Litter Free School Zone Program. The program encourages hands-on activities to teach environmental stewardship and responsibility and can be combined with a lesson on how litter affects animals, people, water quality or economics.  Responsibilities include planning two improvement projects per school year and can include litter cleanups and beautification events, like creating and caring for pollinator and rain gardens. Supplies of gloves and vests are available. See how a student from York Adams Academy used the program for her senior project here.

PICK UP PENNSYLVANIA

Registration is open for the 2023 Pick Up Pennsylvania! Pick Up Pennsylvania is a year-long initiative, however, events scheduled from March 1 through May 31 are eligible to receive free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT, Ocean Conservancy and Keep America Beautiful, as supplies last. Events can include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and education events. Disposal, free or at a reduced rate, is available for registered events from April 1 through April 30. Events must be registered here to receive free cleanup supplies and disposal discounts.

Watch our recorded webinar to learn more about hosting a community cleanup, choosing an event location, organizing and mobilizing volunteers, coordinating trash disposal, navigating our website and more! Watch the webinar here.

TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Find tools and resources for educators and schools to help learn and teach about the effects litter has on people, animals and the environment and what you can do to keep your community clean and beautiful.  Tools for Schools includes Litter and Education Resources, Opportunities to Get Involved and other resources.

LITTER HAWK YOUTH AWARD
Our 2023 Litter Hawk Youth Award program winners will be announced before Earth Day and posted on our website and Facebook. This is an annual award with a deadline of January 31 – look for the 2024 announcement this fall!

Bert Myers | Environmental Education Specialist Program Supervisor (him, his, he)

Department of Environmental Protection| Office of Communications

Rachel Carson State Office Building

400 Market St.  Harrisburg, Pa.  17101

717.705.3767  FAX 717.705.4093

www.dep.pa.gov