Fundraising Opportunities for Local Non Profits: "Pick Up Some Trash to Pick Up Some Cash"

Keep Midland Beautiful is pleased to announce the Pick Up Some Trash to Pick Up Some Cash program is still underway. This program allows for churches, school groups, clubs, and other non profit organizations to earn extra funds while helping to beautify our community.

This program has helped many organizations fund trips, buy supplies, and offset other expenses since its inception in 2007 and is funded by the beautification fee on city water bills. The Pick Up Some Trash to Pick Up Some Cash program is an easy way for groups to make extra bucks. Groups simply register, receive their cleaning assignment and supplies from KMB, and they’re all set to clean up Midland! Keep Midland Beautiful will provide bags, gloves, and reflective vests for groups to use in their clean up. Once the group submits its results, KMB issues a check. Groups can earn up to $500 three times per calendar year.

Keep Midland Beautiful encourages our local non profits to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. What a great way to pick up cash and trash at the same time! 

Please direct groups to Caleb Combs at Keep Midland Beautiful at 432.687.7400 or to calebcombs@clearwire.net.

New Litter Fighting Tool

Texans now have a new tool to fight litter — a mobile app.

For years, the “Report A Litterer” program has allowed Texans to notify TxDOT via www.dontmesswithtexas.org when they witness trash being tossed out of vehicles. Now, there’s a new, free mobile app. For instance, with the single press of a button, the littering incident and type of trash are recorded via GPS.The new Don’t Mess with Texas app allows Texans to identify the litter they see as one of four prevalent types of trash: fast food; cigarette butts; cups, cans and bottles; and miscellaneous trash. The data is then compiled into a map that illustrates what’s being littered and where throughout Texas.

Don’t Mess with Texas Mobile App Safety Features

As a promoter of safe behavior on roadways, TxDOT has taken precautions to prevent distracted driving. When a user opens the app for the first time, the user is prompted with a reminder not to use the app while driving. Users cannot text or type into the app at any time — only tapping on the touch screen is allowed, and only one tap is needed to report litter.

Yellow Pages Opt-Out: Consumer Choice

Developed in partnership between the Local Search Association and the Association of Directory Publishers, www.YellowPagesOptOut.com provides an easy and secure way for residents to control the number of Yellow Pages telephone directories they receive or to stop directory delivery entirely. It is a completely free service and the Local Search Association encourages efforts by municipalities and community-based organizations to make consumers aware of this important option.

The Internet-based tool is specifically designed to prevent directories from being delivered to anyone who doesn't want one while ensuring that they are delivered to the majority of consumers who continue to rely upon and use the print Yellow Pages to make purchases supporting the local business community and economy. It is a significant and unified commitment on behalf of directory publishers of which the positive impacts are already being realized in many communities around the country.

As the industry's official Web site to manage requests, all Local Search Association and the Association of Directory Publishers member companies are committed to honoring requests made through the Opt-Out web portal. Information gathered through the site will not be sold to third-parties and will be used solely to update publishers' delivery information.

Simply go to www.YellowPagesOptOut.com, enter your zip code and follow the prompts to make your choice. Once complete, you will be sent a confirmation email. Click the link embedded in the email to confirm your request.

Citizens Collection Station: A great way to recycle!

The City of Midland's Citizens Collection Station is open for business! Located at 4100 Smith Road (north of Claydesta, just past the post office; phone 432.685.7278) the CCS is open Tuesday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There's no fee and the Station is open to all City of Midland residents.

Use the CCS to recycle aluminum, cardboard, paper, plastic, and metals. You can also dispose of yard waste, including branches, leaves, shrubs, small stumps, and grass clippings. The Station also accepts your large household and patio furniture and household appliances.

An added benefit is that free mulch is available (self-loaded only, and subject to availability).

Restrictions:
No commercial vehicles – No construction debris – No household trash
No contactors or businesses

Water Use Presentations

KMB wants to speak to as many groups as possible about the drought/lack of water in Midland and how Midlanders can deal with living with less water by giving free presentations. We would like to speak to your groups like Rotary, Church, youth and adult groups – any group that will benefit from this information.  Please call or email the office and give us a contact to call, or set a meeting up on your own. And thanks for allowing us to do this.

We have INDOOR water kits for adults, activity books for youth, and other items to share at these presentations. Thanks so much for helping us get the word out about the many ways everyone can cut back on water waste – and save money!

Keep Midland Beautiful Receives Lend-A-Bin Grants from Anheuser-Busch Foundation and Keep America Beautiful

Keep Midland Beautiful is proud to announce that recycling will be getting a boost at special events, concerts, festivals, school events and more, thanks to a new Lend-A-Bin Grant that is providing 30 recycling bins to our community.

The bins have already been used for September Fest, the MLK's grand re-opening, and Feast of Sharing. Any group can use these bins, schools, non-profit groups, churches to name a few. Individuals can also use these recycling bins for birthday parties, weddings, etc. They are easy to set-up and to take-down.

"This program is a great way for our community to recycle at their events. It allows groups, outdoor events and families to have containers when they need them" said Doreen Womack, Keep Midland Beautiful Executive Director. "We're thankful to the Anheuser-Busch Foundation and Keep America Beautiful for helping to increase recycling here in Midland."

Chosen from nearly 200 applications submitted, Keep Midland Beautiful received the grant based on a number of criteria including efficiency, planning, recycling experience, promotion, sustainability, amount of recyclables anticipated to be collected, and reach.

"We have a long history of encouraging the expansion of community recycling programs," said Shana Ruffus, director of environmental outreach for Anheuser-Busch. "The Foundation's support of the Lend-A-Bin program is just the latest example of Anheuser-Busch's overall commitment to promote consumer recycling. After all, this is our world and we all share a collective responsibility to help protect it for future generations."

For more information on using these bins, please call KMB at 432.687.7400. For more information on the national Lend-A-Bin Grants program, visit www.lendabingrant.org.

Windy Weather and Trash Don't Mix

Our West Texas winds are really blowing, so is the trash that has not been secured in a trash bag. Please be conscious of your trash and secure it in a tied trash bag and close the lid of the dumpster.

The only way trash can blow around during these windy times is because it has "escaped" from an untied trash bag or a dumpster with an open lid. Please close boxes too that litter has been disposed in (or better yet recycle your boxes and put the trash in a trash bag). Also, please don't throw trash in to your pickup bed; it will blow out.

Please help us stop trash that becomes litter...on windy days AND every day.

Recycling Locations [Updated 1/23/12]

Below find the new location of those containers and existing recycling locations.

Red = aluminum • White = cardboard • Blue = paper
Red, White and Blue = #1 and #2 plastics

RECYCLING LOCATIONS:

• City of Midland's Citizens Collection Station (4100 Smith Road – north of Claydesta). Aluminum, cardboard, paper, plastic, metals, yard waste, large household furniture and appliances. Visit this page for more details.
  
  
• Southside Wal-Mart has recycling containers for cardboard, paper and #1 and #2 plastics.
  
  
• Westlake/Albertson's has recycling containers for cardboard, aluminum, paper and #1 and #2 plastics.
  
  
• Chaparral Center parking lot at Midland College has recycling containers for cardboard, aluminum, paper and #1 and #2 plastics.
  
  
• Citibank Ballpark west side has recycling containers for cardboard and #1 and #2 plastics.
  
  
• H.E.B. has recycling containers for cardboard and #1 and #2 plastics.
  
  
• Super Mercado has a recycling container for cardboard.
  
  
• The recycling containers at the MISD Elementary schools remain in place.
  
  
• ALL recyclables can be taken to Butts Recycling Monday thru Saturday. They are located at 26 West Industrial Loop.

For more information call Doreen Womack at Keep Midland Beautiful at 687-7400 or 556-9949.

Free Computer Recycling for Texans!

Texans now have a free and easy way to recycle unwanted personal computers. Thanks to a 2008 state law, computer manufacturers are responsible for recycling the following:

• desktop and laptop computers;
  
  
• monitors (display devices without a tuner);
  
  
• the accompanying keyboard and mouse made by the same manufacturer.

Note: This program applies to personal and home-business computer equipment only. Manufacturers are responsible for recycling only their own brands.

Please visit TexasRecyclesComputers.org for more details, and email recycle@tceq.state.tx.us if you have questions.

Reminder: Recycling Left Outside of Containers can become Litter

Residents of Midland are enthusiastic about recycling! But some are taking it a bit too far. Items for recycling are being left OUTSIDE of the containers at some public recycling areas – and that can be considered littering. More...

Corporate Sponsors Page (Updated 7/2/12)

Keep Midland Beautiful is fortunate to have some wonderful corporate sponsors, and their generous assistance is greatly appreciated. Please visit our Sponsors webpage for links to those sponsors.

Adopt-A-Spot Program

Keep Midland Beautiful's Adopt-A-Spot program is a great way for your group to be involved in our community. Through participation in this program, your tax dollars are saved and Midland is kept clean and beautiful for our citizens and visitors.

Here's how it works. Organize a group of willing volunteers to clean an area of Midland at least two times each year (most groups do this during KMB's annual cleanups). Pick a public location close to your home, office, or meeting place, or ask KMB to help you pick a spot. A sign with your group name will be placed in your area. Then, designate a "leader," someone who is responsible for announcing cleanup dates, organizing volunteers, and getting the trash bags and gloves (supplied by KMB). Finally, get together to clean your area. You can remove litter and debris, plant trees and flowers, paint, etc.

Call Keep Midland Beautiful at 687.7400 to sign up or for more information.