The City of Miami Solid Waste Department recently accepted a National Community Improvement Award from Keep America Beautiful, the national nonprofit dedicated to improving communities across the United States through litter prevention, recycling and beautification projects.
Miami’s Solid Waste Department won in the “Improve Recycling” category, a recognition of its efforts to increase resident recycling citywide through educational programs, and accepted the award at Keep America Beautiful’s National Conference in Baltimore, MD on Feb. 8.
“Maintaining a clean community is fundamental to overall quality of life, and our Solid Waste Department delivers on that important goal for Miamians every day,” said Emilio T. Gonzalez, city manager. “This national recognition is well-deserved and speaks to the consistently outstanding work our public servants do to educate, engage and provide great service to our residents.”
In recent years, the City’s “Keep Miami Beautiful” ambassador program has helped educate residents about the recycling program available to them, cut down on littering and reduce illegal dumping. Miami’s Solid Waste Department also created the Keep Miami Beautiful Recycling Reading Tour to teach Miami’s youngest residents about the importance of recycling through classroom visits.
When the school year ends, the Solid Waste team continues its educational work by participating in a summer youth program that includes student-led community cleanups and presentations on environmental stewardship.
The City of Miami Solid Waste Department was among 80 organizations and individuals recognized at Keep America Beautiful’s national gathering for their commitment and passion for transforming public spaces into beautiful places.
