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Kicking Butts for Litter Keep Louisiana Beautiful Takes On Trash

It typically starts with a cigarette butt flicked from a car window. A few scraps of trash fly from the bed of a pickup. A tossed soda can bounces off the trashcan instead of landing inside. Before long, there’s a litter problem that costs Louisianans millions of dollars a year in taxes for the clean up.

“Keeping Louisiana clean and trash-free is a priority for everyone in our state,” said Mary Delapasse, executive director of Keep West Baton Rouge Beautiful (KWBRB). “The issue became so prevalent that in 2003 Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) was established. The need is great, and citizens and corporations are stepping up to the frontlines of litter prevention.”

One of those corporations is Dow, which is a national sponsor of Keep America Beautiful. “We have a strong belief in and a long history of supporting efforts that increase the safety and security of our facilities and communities,” said Dow’s Stacey Chiasson. “Supporting KLB and parish affiliates in our neighborhoods is one way we can help increase pride, property values, economic development and healthier, safer communities.”

KLB is the fastest-growing state affiliate for Keep America Beautiful, with more events in 2010 than any other state. Dow had a hand in those activities through its partnerships with some parish affiliates. In addition, Dow is providing support to Assumption Parish, where its Grand Bayou Operations is located, to get an affiliate established there in 2011, according to Art Boudreaux, a Dow employee who is heading up the effort.

2010 Dow-sponsored events included

• Household Hazardous Materials Day in West Baton Rouge and Ouachita parishes
• Great American Cleanups in West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes
• Trash Bashes in Ouachita and St. Charles parishes.

Household Hazardous Materials Day

Each day we use products at home that if thrown away in regular trash receptacles can be harmful to people and the environment. Leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable or reactive ingredients such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides are considered “household hazardous waste.” 

Through Household Hazardous Materials Days, communities have an opportunity to conveniently and safely dispose of these items. In the parishes of West Baton Rouge and Ouachita each year, Dow and the KLB affiliates partner to put on the events.

In Ouachita parish where Dow’s ANGUS facility is located in Sterlington, 2010 was the second year for a Household Hazardous Materials Day event. “We had 280 people this year who dropped off materials, more than 34,000 pounds,” said Kelby Neal, a Keep Ouachita Parish Beautiful volunteer. “That’s a 60-person increase from last year. We are pleased that fewer items are being improperly trashed.”

Neal added that Dow is also sponsoring the 2011 Water Sweep event in the parish where citizens pick up litter along the banks of and in the Ouachita River. “Most of the trash we gathered last year was recycled and kept out of a landfill. Programs like these wouldn’t take place without companies like Dow. We are very grateful for their donations and involvement.”

In West Baton Rouge Parish where Dow is nearby at its Louisiana and Grand Bayou Operations, Household Hazardous Materials Day was conducted for the first time in 2010. “Dow was instrumental in the success of our first-ever event with 188 people dropping off materials,” said Delapasse. “Dow sponsored the event and also helped with employees who volunteered their time and expertise.” 

Great American Cleanup

Each year, Keep Louisiana Beautiful volunteers collect nearly 1 million pounds of trash, and clean 2,000 miles of roadways as part of community events throughout the state during the three-month Great American Cleanup. Activities include beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning seashores and waterways, handling recycling collections, picking up litter, planting trees and flowers, and conducting educational programs and litter-free events.

Dow gets involved in the West Baton Rouge Parish and in Iberville Parish where the Plaquemine site is located. Delapasse said, “We’ve done this event, together with Dow, for the past two years. Community members including Dow employees come out to beautify our neighborhoods, and then we all gather for a lunch that Dow sponsors. It’s a great community-building event.”

KWBRB knows something about building community as it was honored in 2010 as the outstanding affiliate. “We are proud of this achievement but even more proud of the positive affect our work is having on our parish. We are committed to continuing events with companies like Dow as well as efforts like the cigarette butt campaign, the Clean Business Guide, and portable recycling bags for festivals, fairs and weddings.”

Trash Bash

As part of the Great American Cleanup, Trash Bashes are focused on ridding community streets, parks and waterways of litter usually in the first quarter of each year before the annual Great American Cleanup campaign begins in the second quarter. In 2010, Dow provided donations, supplies and volunteers for Trash Bashes in the Ouachita and St. Charles parishes where its ANGUS facility and St. Charles Operations are located. 

In St. Charles, Trash Bash events are conducted in the spring and fall with more than 250 Dow and community volunteers filling more than 200 trash bags with roadside litter. That equals about 9,000 pounds of garbage. In Ouachita, Dow ANGUS volunteer employees joined more than 150 volunteers for the Trash Bash and collected more than 3,000 pounds of litter.

“We had an excellent showing this year and made great strides in improving the look of our community,” said Joyce Priest, Dow employee who coordinates the event for ANGUS employees. “Dow is successful here only if our community is successful so we want to do what we can to help.”