Keep PA Beautiful Welcomes New Local Affiliate-- Keep Monroe County Beautiful!

 Keep Monroe County Beautiful has officially become a county affiliate of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. The affiliate will operate as a program of the Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority.

To achieve this milestone, Keep Monroe County Beautiful successfully completed Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s comprehensive Community Assessment. 

This vital process gathered crucial data across six key areas: residents’ attitudes towards litter and community image, existing litter prevention programs, community and beautification leaders, current waste and recycling policies, past and ongoing community revitalization efforts, and active volunteer groups. 

The insights gained will be instrumental in shaping a local plan aimed at transforming attitudes and behaviors around litter, recycling, beautification, and related issues.

With this initiative, the Waste Authority has established the Litter & Solid Waste Advisory Committee. This committee will leverage local resources and leadership to implement programs and activities efficiently and cost-effectively. 

By aligning with the overarching goals and objectives of the organization, the committee will translate these into actionable programs that address the specific needs and priorities of the community.

The Waste Authority works closely with public, private and civic partners to support litter prevention and abatement through infrastructure, educational programs and community cleanups. 

Beautification and greening efforts through partnerships with township parks, Monroe County Conservation District, Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau and various watershed associations, land trusts and environmental councils will be further enhanced.

“Every day we make choices that impact future generations.  Let’s choose to be the best stewards of the Earth by adopting eco-friendly lifestyles while making sustainable choices.  Reducing, reusing and recycling waste will help minimize harm to our environment,” said Mike Stettler, Executive Director of the Waste Authority.

The group’s strategic plan for the next three years focuses on enlisting individuals to be stewards of the environment, utilizing education and awareness as the first step to encouraging positive behaviors, establishing broad-based partnerships of public, private and civic community alliances to achieve sustainable community evolvement and engaging volunteers to extend reach and multiply the impact of local initiatives that change individual behavior and leads to local community improvement. 

Salena Borsuk, Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling Program Coordinator for Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority will serve as the coordinator and point person for the Keep Monroe County Beautiful affiliate programs. 

Borsuk can be reached at 570-643-6100 or sborsuk@thewasteauthority.com.   

“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is delighted to congratulate and welcome Keep Monroe County Beautiful to our network. We extend our gratitude to the Monroe County Municipal Waste Management Authority for their support and recognition of the value our programs, tools, and resources bring to residents in maintaining clean and beautiful communities. We eagerly anticipate collaborating to enhance existing initiatives and warmly welcome Monroe County to our Affiliate Network,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. 

Want To Start An Affiliate?

For more information about Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s local affiliates, visit KPB’s Affiliate Network webpage. 

To inquire about starting an affiliate, contact Kylie McCutcheon at kmccutcheon@keeppabeautiful.org or 724-836-4121 x114. 

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel.

The 2024 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative through November 30!  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

Related Articles:

-- PA Resources Council Expands Glass Recycling With First Permanent Site In Eastern PA - Haverford Twp., Delaware County  [PaEN]

-- 2nd Century Alliance Coatesville Cleanup, Beautification A Success In Chester County  [PaEN]

[Posted: September 24, 2024]  PA Environment Digest