Spending time outdoors is one of the safest, socially-distanced activities one can do these days. With this in mind, askHRgreen.org and Keep Virginia Beautiful invite Hampton Roads neighbors to step outside, March 26-27, and join the Great American Cleanup by grabbing a trash bag and clearing litter from their community.

Each spring, volunteers from across the country join Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup to clear land and waterways of harmful litter, plant trees and shrubs, and improve public spaces. Litter is challenging even in the best of times, but during the pandemic, it has become increasingly difficult with fewer volunteer cleanups and municipal staffs stretched thin. Add to this the increased use of disposable masks, gloves, and sanitizing wipes which are all too often discarded on the ground and you can see why the litter problem has grown.

As COVID-19 safety measures remain in place, community cleanups have been reimagined to accommodate the safety and social-distancing of volunteers. Instead of gathering in large groups to tackle large-scale projects, askHRgreen.org and Keep Virginia Beautiful are relying on small groups of neighbors, coworkers, family members, and friends to tackle litter on their neighborhood blocks, around their businesses, and in community parks.

“Due to social distancing guidelines, we are encouraging volunteers to lead neighborhood cleanups with smaller groups in a spot of their choosing,” said Keep Virginia Beautiful Executive Director Mike Baum. “Maybe it’s a neighborhood entrance that needs sprucing up, or a community park with a buildup of litter. The choice is yours.”

Volunteer registration is open nowand we need all hands on deck to get Hampton Roads tidied up this spring. For being part of askHRgreen.org’s Great American Cleanup initiative, volunteers will have access to cleanup and safety supplies including vests, gloves, trash bags, and litter grabbers. Assistance is also available for establishing proper safety protocols and, if needed, finding a spot in need of a little TLC. Volunteers simply clean up on March 26 and/or 27 and submit their results to their local Great American Cleanup coordinator. Learn more about how you can team up with askHRgreen.org to make a difference at askHRgreen.org/cleanup.