Posted on Oct 23, 2023 | News,Press Releases
Keep Louisiana Beautiful Grants 25 Organizations in 15 Parishes a Total of $141,133 in Greener Grounds Grants for Reduced Waste and Litter at Large Outdoor Events
(BATON ROUGE) – Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB), with support from the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, has awarded 25 organizations in 15 parishes a total of $141,133 in Greener Grounds Grants to implement best practices for litter and waste prevention and reduction at large outdoor events. This is the first year this grant program has been available, and it was designed to complement the Greener Grounds Guidebook and Workbook developed by KLB and French Quarter Festivals, Inc.
“These Louisiana outdoor events are stepping up and taking steps to protect our beautiful state from litter and divert unnecessary waste from the landfill,” says Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “We are proud to support the implementation of the Greener Grounds Grant program. Less litter results in a cleaner and healthier environment and an improved event goer experience.”
“We all love to laissez les bons temps rouler, but we must ensure the waste inevitably created by outdoor events does not threaten our environment,” says Susan Russell, KLB Executive Director. “Keeping event sites clean enhances the attendee experience and stops mismanaged waste from becoming litter. Litter ultimately harms Louisiana wildlife, clogs storm drains, pollutes our waterways, hurts economic development, and impacts our quality of life.”
The Greener Grounds Grant, a reimbursement grant for up to $8,000, supports non-profit large outdoor events such as festivals, fairs, concerts, and parades. To be eligible, events must host more than 1,000 attendees and take place between October 2023 and May 2024. Other eligibility requirements and conditions apply.
In 2023, KLB partnered with French Quarter Festivals, Inc. to create the Greener Grounds Guidebook and Workbook to provide practical ways event organizers can plan to manage and reduce waste, increase recycling, and prevent litter at their events. The Greener Grounds Grant supports the implementation of the best practices outlined in the guidebook and workbook, and both publications will be utilized by grant recipients.
Download the guidebook, workbook, and find more information about the grant program at www.keeplouisianabeautiful.org. KLB encourages all event organizers in Louisiana to use the guidebook and workbook when planning events.
2023 Greener Grounds grantees include:
Organization: Atelier de la Nature
Event: Halloween Art and Nature Festival
Where: St. Martin Parish
When: October 28, 2023
Grant funds will allow for water coolers and compostable cups to be positioned at several locations to reduce the use of single-use disposables. Compostable tableware will also be provided. Waste stations for landfill trash, recyclables, and compost will be made available with informational signage on how to properly dispose. Volunteers will monitor waste stations, manage trash bag pick up, and remove litter.
Organization: CAJUNDOME
Event: Cajun Heartland State Fair
Where: Lafayette Parish
When: May 23 – June 2, 2024
Grant funds will be used to increase signage for waste and recycling disposal locations on the fairgrounds, purchase new receptacles and grounds maintenance supplies, staff and outfit a greener grounds volunteer team, and purchase reusable water bottles that can be tied to specialty promotions throughout the event.
Organization: City of Central
Event: Cooking in Central
Where: East Baton Rouge Parish
When: March 22-23, 2024
Grant funds will be used to purchase reusable trash receptacles, reusable recycling receptacles, garbage bags, and reusable waste signage.
Organization: City of DeRidder
Event: DeRidder Baseball & Softball Rec League Opening Day
Where: Beauregard
When: March 16, 2024
Grant funds will be used to implement a “Litter League” campaign consisting of volunteers helping to promote litter abatement. Litter supplies will be purchased, including trash bags, rakes, a tilt bin, as well as signage to discourage littering. The “Litter League” campaign will also feature “Litter Leaguer” kits with trash kid-sized grabbers, buckets, disposable gloves, and safety vests. “Litter Leaguers” can receive the kits by making a pledge to help “Strike out Litter.” During the opening day event, “Litter Leaguers” who fill their bucket with litter and turn it in will receive a prize.
Organization: City of Walker Parks and Recreation & Community Outreach
Event: City of Walker Fall Festival
Where: Livingston Parish
October 28, 2023
Grant funds will be used to purchase litter and recycle bins and bags, signage for litter areas, litter removal supplies, t-shirts for volunteers, and portable water stations.
Organization: City Park Conservancy
Event: Lark in the Park
Where: Orleans Parish
When: March 8, 2024
Grant funds will go toward purchasing compostable paper goods for restaurants to provide their food, recyclable cups for the event, along with signage materials for on-site assisting patrons to know what waste bin to throw their disposables correctly.
Organization: Festival International de Louisiane
Event: Festival International de Louisiane
Where: Lafayette Parish
When: April 24-28, 2024
Grant funds will allow the festival to eliminate Styrofoam and distribute food for staff and volunteers in compostable food containers. A portion of funds will also help vendors to purchase the required compostable containers. The festival will also hire a team of contract labor to support volunteers in emptying collections bins and placing them in the appropriate locations throughout festival hours. A full site cleanup will take place at the close of each night.
Organization: Friends of Bayou St. John
Event: Bayou Boogaloo
Where: Orleans Parish
When: May 17-19, 2024
Grant funds will be used to prevent litter, reduce waste, and increase recycling through the purchase of Clearstream frames, transporters, lids, sign kits, and bags. In addition, funds will pay for composting and glass bins for food vendors to increase sustainable recycling and waste reduction. Aluminum can and plastic bottle-specific x-frames will be purchased to further promote recycling and litter reduction.
Organization: Friends of Crowville
Event: Crowville Fall Festival
Where: Franklin Parish
When: October 21, 2023
Grant funds will be used to purchase trash containers, encourage recycling efforts by partnering with the local recycling center, and prevent waste through the purchase of bags, trash receptacles, and recycling receptacles.
Organization: Grounds Krewe NOLA Inc.
Event: RecycleDAT! At Mardi Gras
Where: Orleans Parish
When: February 3, 4, 10, 11, 2024
Grant funds will be used to fund volunteer meals and bathroom vouchers, crawfish sacks for recycling collection, and cardboard folding “landfill only” trashcans and bags to prevent recycling contamination. Finally, funds will be used to implement a recycling rewards program at the organization’s recycling station at Academy of Sacred Heart. Children can turn in recyclable cans and throws to receive eco-friendly prizes.
Organization: K. Levy’s Legends Music Festival Foundation
Event: K. Levy’s Legends Music Festival
Where: St. James Parish
When: May 11, 2024
Grant funds will be used to purchase t-shirts, food, and water for volunteers. Funds will also purchase litter removal supplies, including litter grabbers, shovels, and rakes. Educational literature will be printed about waste minimization, litter prevention, and recycling.
Organization: Moncus Park
Event: Christmas in the Park
Where: Lafayette Parish
When: December 15-17, 2023
Grant funds will be used to purchase litter grabbers, volunteer t-shirts, quality event recycling and waste bins, supplies and water for volunteers, proper signage for waste, and recycling receptacles. Funds may also support more eco-friendly food and beverage containers and glass recycling.
Organization: New Orleans Zydeco Foundation
Event: New Orleans Zydeco Festival
Where: Orleans Parish
When: March 23, 2024
Grant funds will be used to secure professional waste collection and disposal services for the duration of the festival. This includes the rental of waste bins, dumpsters, and portable toilets to ensure adequate infrastructure for waste disposal. Grant funds will also cover the purchase of recycling bins, signage, and outreach materials. Funds will also support volunteer training materials, t-shirts, and giveaway items. Grant funds will support vendor incentives for using eco-friendly packaging and containers, as well as training on waste separation.
Organization: NOLA Ready (City of New Orleans)
Event: RecycleDAT! At Mardi Gras
Where: Orleans Parish
When: February 3, 4, 10, 11, 2024
Grant funds will be used to purchase recycling bins and wrapped bins to allow for the RecycleDAT! programs to expand its Mardi Gras recycling efforts.
Organization: Old Arabi Neighborhood Association
Event: Old Arabi Sugar Festival
Where: St. Bernard Parish
When: October 14, 2023
Grant funds will allow for the purchase of trash receptacles, recycling receptacles, and signage. Funds will also provide food, drinks, tools, and t-shirts to volunteers.
Organization: Pontchartrain Conservancy
Event: Lights on the Lake 2023
Where: Orleans Parish
When: December 9, 2023
Grant funds will purchase 3-stream recycling stations, portable recycling containers, signage in different languages, and compostable garbage bags. For volunteers, funds will purchase PPE kits, t-shirts, refreshments, and aluminum water bottles.
Organization: Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (aka BREC)
Event: Let it Sneaux
Where: East Baton Rouge Parish
When: December 9, 2023
Grant funds will be used to purchase waste bins for the event, equip volunteers with the tools they need to manage the waste, ensure that waste bins are clearly visible and labeled, and educate event-goers about the importance of not littering.
Organization: Sankofa Community Development Corporation
Event: Sankofa NatureFest
Where: Orleans Parish
When: April 20, 2024
Grant funds will be used to purchase disposable trash and recycling receptacles, trash bags, waste station signage, litter prevention education material, portable water refill stations, and trees and native Louisiana plants to deter littering. For volunteers, funds will purchase t-shirts, food, and water.
Organization: South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center
Event: Ladybug Ball Festival
Where: Terrebonne Parish
When: April 20, 2024
Grant funds will be used to set up zero waste stations around the festival grounds, including a tent, table, chairs, and zero waste bins. Each station will include a recycle bin, compostable bin, and trash bin. Grant funding will also be used to purchase the appropriate bags for the Clearstream zero waste bins and transporters. For volunteers, funds will purchase t-shirts, food, and water. Funds will also support educational workshops and event signage focused on reducing waste and preventing litter. Finally, funding will provide grabbers and bags to allow volunteers to pick up trash beyond the festival grounds, cleaning the surrounding community.
Organization: St. Louis King of France
Event: Bucktown Seafood Festival
Where: Jefferson Parish
When: April 19-21, 2024
Grant funds will purchase permanent metal trash cans, Clearstream recycling bins, recyclable cardboard trash cans, trash bags, signage, litter grabbers, shovels, rakes, and gloves. For volunteers, funds will purchase t-shirts, food, and water.
Organization: Tangipahoa Parish Government
Event: Independence Sicilian Heritage Festival
Where: Tangipahoa Parish
When: March 8-10, 2024
The grant funds will be used to purchase trash receptacles. Food and t-shirts will be provided to all the volunteers. Additionally, the festival will rent water refill stations, aiming to minimize the usage of single-use plastic water bottles. Informative signage will be strategically placed to raise public awareness about the significance of responsible waste management and recycling.
Organization: Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government
Event: Terrebonne Parish Christmas Parade and Festival
Where: Terrebonne Parish
When: December 2, 2023
Grant funds will be used to promote recycling and discourage littering. Equipment will be purchased to assist with trash collection. Bins will be purchased to promote recycling. Aprons will be purchased for the event volunteers.
Organization: Town of Arcadia
Event: Town of Arcadia Christmas Festival
Where: Bienville Parish
When: December 9, 2023
Grant funds will be utilized to purchase trash receptacles, recycling receptacles with bold lettering indicating the receptacle type, bags, and litter grabbers. Funds will also be used to purchase signage and banners displaying the importance of litter prevention, its effects on the environment, and the importance of recycling. In addition, t-shirts will be purchased for volunteers.
Organization: Town of Jonesboro City Hall
Event: Christmas Wonderland in the Pines
Where: Jackson Parish
When: November 2023 – January 2024
The grant funds will be used to provide waste receptacles to help prevent litter and reduce waste during the event. In addition to receptacles, items to be purchased include trash bags and litter grabbers. For volunteers, funds will purchase t-shirts, food, and water.
Organization: Tulane University
Event: Crawfest
Where: Orleans Parish
When: April 20, 2024
Grant funds will purchase collection bins, signage for waste stations, corresponding informational signs at entries and vendors, compostable bin liners, and compostable food service trays.
