Posted on Apr 25, 2024 | News,Press Releases
Over 700 Cleanup and Beautification Events in All 64 Parishes
BATON ROUGE, La. – Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) and Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser kicked off the second annual Love the Boot Week this morning, announcing over 700 cleanup and beautification events will take place in all 64 parishes during the week from April 20-28, 2024. Love the Boot Week is Louisiana’s largest litter removal and beautification effort held during Earth Week. Everyone in every parish is invited to register a cleanup or beautification event and/or sign-up to volunteer at LoveTheBoot.org.
“Love the Boot Week empowers businesses, non-profits, governmental entities, schools, and individual citizens to clean up and beautify their communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “According to a recent KLB litter study, 92% of people in Louisiana think litter is a problem. We need everyone in every parish doing their part to stop litter from hurting our Sportsman’s Paradise.”
“Removing litter is important, and KLB is proud to support local cleanup efforts by donating 525 supply boxes of volunteer t-shirts, bags, and gloves,” said KLB Executive Director Susan Russell. “However, we know removal is only one piece to solving the litter problem. Litter prevention through education, accountability, and awareness are all critical components. We must shift attitudes, behaviors, and a culture that accepts litter as the norm.”
Estimates show more than 13,000 volunteers will participate in over 700 events in all 64 parishes – the largest Love the Boot Week impact to date. To see a listing of businesses and organizations hosting events around the state, and those looking for volunteers, visit the Love the Boot Week Participants webpage.
During Love the Boot Week 2023, more than 12,750 Louisianans volunteered 61,493 hours, removing 313 tons of litter in all 64 parishes. In addition to litter removal, volunteers focused on community beautification, planting 370 trees and 3,542 plants, and refurbishing 146 gardens.
Recycling is also an important component of Love the Boot Week. Coca-Cola is funding the recycling of plastic bottles and aluminum cans for over 120 litter cleanup events in 15 parishes. This is a significant expansion from the 2023 recycling effort, which was successful in collecting 3,506 aluminum cans and plastic bottles at 13 Love the Boot Week events.
Data collection is an important part of Love the Boot Week. An impact report will be released in May summarizing and recognizing participants’ collective efforts. Data will also be used to select the 2024 Love the Boot Awards recipients.
This year, KLB looks forward to celebrating outstanding efforts during Love the Boot Week with nine awards. On May 29, Love the Boot Awards will be presented in the categories of litter removal, parish participation, beautification, and recycling.
Love the Boot Week is made possible with support from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Sponsors include Coca-Cola, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Cox Communications, Energy Transfer, Republic Services, Unum Group, Lamar Advertising, The Advocate/Times-Picayune, Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, The Crawfish App, Waste Management, Hotel Monteleone, Winn Dixie, Texas Brine Company, LLC, ExxonMobil Baton Rouge, Visit Webster Parish, Cajun Coast Visitors Bureau, and Tangipahoa Parish Tourism.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB), a 501(c)(3) non-profit supported by the state of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, is focused on promoting best practices for litter prevention and reduction, beautification, recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability. The backbone of KLB is the organization’s network of 37 Community Affiliates and 10 University Affiliates – all committed to working toward a cleaner, greener Louisiana. KLB supports communities across the state with its programs, educational opportunities, and community improvement grants. KLB is affiliated with Keep America Beautiful. Learn more at KeepLouisianaBeautiful.org.
