Fun Fact

There are 51.2 billion pieces of litter on roadways nationwide. The majority of that (91%) consist of mainly cigarette butts and paper. That translates into 6,729 pieces of litter per mile of roadway.

Midlands Pride Week Blitz Kickoff

Join PalmettoPride and Keep the Midlands Beautiful in kicking of Midlands Pride Week tomorrow at Richland County America Recyles Day. The event will be held at the Clemson Sandhill Education and Research Center located at 900 Clemson Road in NE Columbia from 10a - 4p. PalmettoPride and WNOK will have a radio remote from noon to 2p with a performance by the Columbia Marionette Theater's "Litter Trashes Everyone" Show at 1 o'clock. We hope you can join us.

For more information, or to sign your community group, family or neighborhood association up for a cleanup, call 877-725-7733 or visit www.palmettopride.org.

Special Event

On October 9th, Cirque de Soleil and One Drop Foundation will join personalities in 14 cities around the world in a two hour online program to raise awareness for water related issues. Click the logo above for more information.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

PalmettoPride and the U.S. Forest Service are looking for volunteers to help with a one day cleanup of the Sumter National Forest. The cleanup will take place on October 24th. The event will last from 8 A.M. until noon and lunch will be provided for the volunteers. All supplies (bags, gloves, vests, etc.) will be provided by PalmettoPride. We hope that you will be able to assist us in cleaning up one of our state’s beautiful natural resources.

The meeting place for the event is the Tip Top Hunting Camp. Traveling east on SC Hwy. 72, it is located 5.2 miles east of I-26. Traveling west on SC Hwy. 72 from the Whitmire traffic light, it is 9.5 miles. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Gene Campbell at (803) 758-6034 or ecampbell@palmettopride.org.

New Program for High Schools

We all enjoy sporting events, but more often than not litter is left behind in the stands and near concession stands long after the fans go home. At PalmettoPride, our goal is to eradicate litter in South Carolina. The key to eradicating litter is preventing it from happening in the first place. Education is a key component to prevent litter. South Carolina schools have taken steps towards teaching students about environmental sciences and providing new ways in which students can protect our environment.Help us take those lessons from the classroom to the ball field.Litter-free games give students an opportunity to learn valuable environmental lessons, leadership skills and management skills. We would like to see a student club or organization coordinate efforts for their school. Participating clubs will be eligible to receive money for their organization or school.

Litter-free games will cut down on the time it takes custodial staff and groundskeepers to clean up after fans have left. Litter-free games create an inviting environment for friends, families and visitors to your school sporting events. Litter-free games will cost you nothing but you’ll get respect and good publicity from everyone in your community.

For more information, contact PalmettoPride by calling 877-725-7733.

Challenge for the Environment and KSCB Grant Available now!

The Challenge for the Environment Grant and Keep South Carolina Beautiful Grant Applications are available now on the website.

The Tree Grant is still available. Applications are due before September 14.

http://www.palmettopride.org/assets/Grants/10%20KSCB%20Grant%20App.pdf

http://www.palmettopride.org/assets/Grants/2010%20ED%20GRANT%20APP.pdf

Volunteers needed!

Keep the Midlands Beautiful will be piloting a Tailgate Recycling program at the State Fairgrounds parking lot for USC home football games during the 2009-2010 season. The goal is to reduce the amount of waste generated at the games and to establish routine recycling habits among fans.

Volunteers are essential for the program’s success. 15-20 volunteers are needed for each game. For games starting at 7:00 p.m., most volunteers will work from 1:30 – 5:30 and will be done in time to attend the game if they want. A few volunteers will be needed for a second shift from 5:30 to 8:00.

All volunteers will be provided with a t-shirt identifying them as part of the recycling team.

If you or your organization would like to volunteer for one or more of the football games, contact Heidi Johnson at 803-733-2526 or heidi@keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org.

Information on Tailgate Recycling is also available on the Keep the Midlands Beautiful website at:

http://www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org/Calendar/tailgate.asp

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The Tailgate Recycling program will not accept glass due to safety reasons, so please remember to bring all beverages in plastic bottles or cans!

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2009 USC Home Football Game Schedule

Saturday, September 19, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m. — vs. Florida Atlantic

Thursday, September 24, 2009 @ 7:30 p.m. — vs. Mississippi

Saturday, October 3, 2009, Time TBA — vs. South Carolina State

Saturday October 10, 2009, Time TBA — vs. Kentucky

Due to the State Fair, there will be no Tailgate Recycling at the October 24, 2009 game.

Saturday, November 14, 2009, Time TBA — vs. Florida

Saturday, November 28, 2009, Time TBA — vs. Clemson