Keep Cincinnati Beautiful does its part to spread One Bag of Trash Challenge

It’s been a little more than a week since Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Smitherman launched the One Bag of Trash Challenge. The campaign is reminiscent of the Ice Bucket Challenge, but instead of dumping ice on people to raise money for ALS, the One Bag of Trash campaign encourages others to do their part in changing the world by picking up litter within their communities.
 
The challenge is gaining traction, as Keep Cincinnati Beautiful has accepted the challenge and now wants to spread it across the country.
 
“Last year, over 10,000 KCB volunteers and staff collected over 760 tons of litter, or 1.5 million pounds — that’s the equivalent to 300 new hippopotamuses at the Cincinnati Zoo,” says Mary Huttlinger, executive director for KCB. “The KCB team enthusiastically accepts the Councilman’s challenge and plans to not only jump on board locally, but send the challenge up to Connecticut — the home of our national office, Keep America Beautiful.”
 
Anyone interested in participating in the challenge can pick up heavy-duty trash bags, gloves and water at KCB's office, as the nonprofit has decided to provide materials to those who are willing to sign-up and make a change.
 
“If all 300,000 Cincinnatians picked up just one bag of trash, over 3,000 tons of litter would be collected off Cincinnati streets and sidewalks,” says Megan Beck, volunteer programs manager for KCB.
 
Councilman Smitherman and KCB encourage the public to nominate their friends and be proactive to make their homes and communities clean and vibrant spaces.