A Long History of Cleaning Up Arkansas

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Looking for ways to reduce our waste and beautify the environment through community clean up efforts in Arkansas? Each fall, thousands of Arkansans remove tons of trash from our state's roadways, shorelines, parks and public areas during the Great Arkansas Cleanup, the statewide community-improvement campaign.

Communities large and small show their commitment to the Great Arkansas Cleanup campaign by recruiting volunteers of all ages and taking on a variety of community clean up and environmental-improvement projects. .

High Schools Do It

In 2005, Woodland Junior High School students in Fayetteville picked up 14 pounds of litter from the school grounds, including bottles, gum wrappers and cigarette butts. In Jonesboro, 20 high school students collected 30 bags of litter from local roadways.

Local Communities Do It

The community around Lake Poinsett (Poinsett County) turned out 35 volunteers who collected 129 bags of litter. You too can participate in community clean up efforts to beautify the Natural State.

You Can Do It

Each year, an estimated 17,000 Arkansans volunteer for 114 events in 53 counties. Through their efforts, litter is picked up from 3,400 miles of roadway, 121 parks and public areas, and 534 miles of shoreline; and 26 illegal dumps are closed.

The Great Arkansas Cleanup

The Great Arkansas Cleanup began more than 35 years ago as the Greers Ferry Lake and Little Red River Cleanup. In 1985, then-U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers guided legislation requiring an annual pickup event during the weekend after Labor Day on all federal lands. This law, the Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Act, honors the founder of the event. Mr. Garner continues his advocacy for a clean and litter-free environment as a member of the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation Board of Directors.

Organize a Great Arkansas Cleanup

To organize or volunteer for a Great Arkansas Cleanup event in your community, e-mail Teresa Elkins Caveness, state coordinator, or call Keep Arkansas Beautiful toll-free at 1-888-742-8701.

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The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission is a division of
the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is in compliance with
the Freedom of Information, Ar Code Ann., § 25-19-101 et seq.

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