Keep Erie County Beautiful was formed in 2017 through the Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development as an affiliate of the national Keep America Beautiful organization.
Keep Erie County Beautiful aims to inspire the citizens of Erie County through education and collaboration and works to preserve our natural environment by reducing litter, increasing recycling, and beautifying our communities.
Programs and Initiatives
Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania
Join Pennsylvanians across the state – and Americans across the nation – for the Great American Cleanup. You can participate in the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania by cleaning up litter and trash along our roadsides, streams, beaches, parks, forests and neighborhoods. Additional events include holding recycling events for hard-to-dispose-of items like tires and appliances; creating or enhancing green areas by planting plants, bulbs and trees; removing or painting over graffiti that devalues your neighborhood; and other activities that help beautify your community.
During the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania, which is from March 1 to May 31, registered events can get free cleanup supplies such as bags, gloves and vests donated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Keep America Beautiful. If you are interested in coordinating a cleanup, register your project and contact the Erie County Sustainability Coordinator for help getting your supplies.
Erie International Coastal Cleanup
The Erie International Coastal cleanup is an annual fall litter collection event held on the third Saturday of September in partnership with Ocean Conservancy and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. This is one of thousands of litter cleanup events happening with support from millions of volunteers across the world all on the same day, removing trash from along our coastlines and waterways. In Erie County, we have 18 to 20 different locations for volunteers to pick from and help out. For more information about the cleanup and how to volunteer, contact the Erie County Sustainability Coordinator at 814-451-7326.
Community Appearance Survey
As part of the affiliation process with Keep America Beautiful, a community appearance survey of Erie County must be completed. The purpose is to have a better understanding of how littered our community is by driving across the county and rating the roadways. The first survey was conducted in October 2016, and has been completed annually since. For details on the results of the community appearance survey, contact the Erie County Sustainability Coordinator.
Local Advisory Committee
A local advisory committee of local citizens and organizations within Erie County has been appointed to guide the work of Keep Erie County Beautiful. The committee has nine members, one representing each of the interest groups below:
- Erie County townships
- Erie County boroughs and cities
- Erie County industry or for-profit organizations
- State agencies
- Erie County neighborhood groups
- Erie County nonprofits
- Erie County school districts, charter schools, and private schools
- Erie County institutions of higher education and post-graduate technical schools
- Erie County Executive’s Office
Meetings
Meetings of this committee are held quarterly and open to the public. All meetings, unless otherwise noted, are held at 9:30 a.m. at the Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development, 150 East Front Street, Suite 300, Erie.