Litter is a serious problem with a negative effect on the image and the economy of South Carolina. PalmettoPride, yourstatewide anti-litter and beautification organization, is leading the effort to clean-up existing debris by focusing on four essential areas: awareness, enforcement, education and pickup, ultimately changing the behavior that creates the litter problem.
Litter Trashes Everyone
Don't Do It
Description
Education
"Litter Trashes Everyone" Puppet Show
PalmettoPride, with the Columbia Marionette Theatre presents "Litter Trashes Everyone", a free show to all elementary schools featuring marionettes and hand puppets that convey the message to children that every citizen has a responsibility to help keep South Carolina beautiful. The puppet show is targeted to grades K-4. Challenge for the Environment Grant These grants provide an opportunity for South Carolina schools to perform litter reduction activities and/or beautification projects in and out of the classroom. Litter Curriculum PalmettoPride has partnered with the Department of Education to develop K-12 anti-litter and beautification lessons in order to raise awareness of the state's litter problem, while providing students with ways to be part of the solution. The curriculum meets all academic standards, offers service-learning litter reduction initiatives and has interactive lesson plans for all grade levels. The curriculum can be found on the PalmettoPride website at www.palmettopride.org or the SC Department of Education's website at www.myscschools.com. It is also available on a free CD through PalmettoPride. Enforcement Zero Tolerance for Litter Weekend PalmettoPride, in partnership with the South Carolina Litter Control Association, promotes "Zero Tolerance for Litter" weekend every May. The event is designed to encourage all law enforcement agencies to target littering, uncovered loads and illegal dumping. The campaign also educates the public that littering is a crime with costly penalties. Toll-Free Litter Buster's Hotline Our goal is to "deputize" people, giving everyday citizens a way to help catch the few who insist on littering. We are working with the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Safety to implement this program. To report a litterbug, call 1-877-7-LITTER. You can now connect directly to the hotline by dialing #LB from an Alltel or Cingular cell phone. With uncovered loads. Each participating dealership purchased tarps that were donated with the purchase of any used or new truck. In addition, organizers hosted radio remotes at dealerships statewide. National Parks and Forest Program In partnership with Department of Natural Resources, DHEC, the SC Forestry Commission, the National Parks and Forest program is designed to heighten enforcement efforts, bring volunteers together to clean up the hundreds of illegal dumping sites in the forests and parks of South Carolina, as well as continue to build further awareness of the litter problem. Awareness Collegiate Recycling Program USC became the pilot school for this program. In partnership with DHEC, PalmettoPride purchased recycle bins to place around Williams Brice Stadium to encourage recycling during the football games. This program proved successful and will soon be on other campuses in SC. DMV Displays PalmettoPride has partnered with the Division of Motor Vehicles and recently placed anti-litter posters in all 68 DMV locations across the state, reminding citizens of the litter laws. South Carolina Education Lottery PalmettoPride is working with the Lottery Commission to include our anti-litter message as part of their existing promotional campaign in order to encourage those who purchase lottery tickets to properly dispose of their stubs. The SCEL recently launched Clean Sweep, a contest where players can enter non-winning lottery stubs for a chance to win in a second drawing. Each month, 100 entrants will win $50 a piece, just for being environmentally responsible. Airport Displays PalmettoPride's public service campaign, placing beautification posters in the Greenville/Spartanburg, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach airports that welcome citizens and visitors to our beautiful state and remind them to help by keeping our state clean and litter-free. Media Campaigns: Leveraging the paid media schedules with free or bonus schedules donated by the media sustains the anti-litter message throughout the year. Pick-up Pride Week The Pride Week program allows PalmettoPride to concentrate efforts in one county on an intensive weeklong countywide cleanup effort. Four Pride Weeks take place each year, two in the spring and two in the fall. PalmettoPride brings municipal grants and other challenges for schools, youth and communities organizations
Prideways
PalmettoPride, SCDOC and SCDOT have partnered together to provide a program designed for South Carolina businesses, organizations and individuals to join the fight against litter by reducing and eventually eliminating the litter problem along South Carolina interstates. Similar to the Adopt-A-Highway program, Prideways will allow groups the opportunity to sponsor their own stretch of interstate segments
Solid Waste Haulers Transportation Program
PalmettoPride and the Solid Waste Haulers have created a program to report litter from transportation vehicles. Many haulers have agreed to put placards on their trucks, encouraging people on the road to call the Litter Busters hotline if waste is not being transported properly. Within minutes the vehicle is notified to pull over and properly cover their load.
Great American Cleanup
Working with local Keep America Beautiful affiliates, this three-month clean up (March-May) is vital to spreading our message into the local communities. Every year PalmettoPride assists by promoting events and awareness statewide, as well as in implementing new strategies to involve even more volunteers. Community Outreach
Community Pride Grants
These grants are designed to supplement the existing local organizations in their efforts to eradicate litter and beautify their communities.
Keep South Carolina Beautiful
Keep South Carolina Beautiful (KSCB), a division of PalmettoPride and an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB), works to develop and implement anti-litter and beautification programs in local communities statewide. The mission of KSCB is to coordinate with the local KAB affiliates to involve citizens in a grassroots effort.
SC Litter Control Association
The South Carolina Litter Control Association (SCLCA), which was organized in 1987, work together to promote litter enforcement, to protect the environment and to heighten public awareness of the litter problems. Legislation PalmettoPride was successful in the passage of Senate Bill 327. The bill allows Litter Control Officers the opportunity to receive formal training at the SC Criminal Justice Academy. This training gives the officers the certification they need, so that they may properly make arrests while enforcing the litter laws. The bill overturns the 1992 amendment that took away this opportunity for training and is a giant step in enforcing the laws and helping to win the war on litter. Additionally SC Code of Law Section: 16-11-700, that addresses litter violations was amended. This Act increased fines, penalties and litter gathering labor or other public service for convictions of littering on public or private property. The maximum fine was also increased to $1,000.
Income Tax Check Off
On May 26, 2003, Governor Mark Sanford signed into law Senate Bill 28 - Tax Check Off. This bill allows tax-paying citizens to donate $1.00 or more towards enforcement programs in SC. Website www.palmettopride.org The website is designed to keep concerned citizens, businesses and state agencies up to date on PalmettoPride's programs and partnerships. The website also features litter and beautification activities of state agencies and other organizations. To find out more on how you can get involved, click "get involved" on the home page, and then click on your county.
