Oklahoma City residents can get rid of their used, unwanted, obsolete and damaged household electronic equipment in an environmentally sound manner and free of charge by dropping it off at State Fair Park between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21. No proof of residency is required.

The free eCycling event is sponsored by the City of Oklahoma City, Waste Management Recycle America and LG Electronics.

For more information regarding this event, the types of electronics being accepted - click here.

This extension will allow the staff at Keep Oklahoma Beautiful to carefully review each nomination and, if necessary, alert you to any changes that we think may be helpful to your nomination.

You can complete the online nomination process by clicking here. When a nomination is successfully submitted online, you should receive an email shortly after confirming that it has been submitted. Should this not occur, please contact our office immediately.

If you prefer to submit a hardcopy of your nomination, you can find a PDF version of the form on our website by clicking here.

Please feel free to use us as a resource when writing your nominations - we are always happy to help.

      Oklahoma City…Terri Angier has been elected President of the Board of Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Inc. at the group’s annual meeting July 22. Angier, Chief of the Media and Public Relations Division of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, has served as a director of the volunteer board since January 2005.
      In addition to her high level state agency position which she has held since 1995, Ms. Angier teaches journalism and public relations courses as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Oklahoma and serves on, and is past chair of, the Subcommittee on Public Affairs for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
      Also elected to lead the organization for the coming year were President-Elect Donna Lemons, Walmart Market Manager; Secretary Vaughn Clark, Deputy Director, Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Treasurer Heather Lytle, Senior Partner, H&L Media Partners.
      Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to facilitate and recognize grassroots efforts that will improve the aesthetic, environmental and sustainable quality of life in Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Between March 1 - May 31, 2010 more than 27,000 Oklahoma volunteers came together to clean, paint, plant and fix up their communities during the 2010 Great American Cleanup™ in Oklahoma. The Great American Cleanup™(GAC) is the nation’s largest annual community improvement program sponsored nationally by Keep America Beautiful and coordinated in Oklahoma by Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB). 

This year, KOB is pleased to report that more than 7.8 million pounds of litter and debris was removed from 418 Oklahoma communities, 1,640 acres of parks and public lands and 1,000 miles of roads and highways. In addition to collecting litter, many groups held events that were focused on recycling and environmental education. These groups collected 95,000 pounds of electronics, 6,000 tires and 51,000 lbs of aluminum and steel, among other types of recyclables.

Pretty places stay pretty clean. Removing litter is only part of the process to create beautiful places for families to live and play. Participating groups in the Great American Cleanup™ in Oklahoma planted 14,700 tress, 23,100 flowers, restored and painted 37 buildings and removed 17 graffiti sites - all in an effort to create a more beautiful and economically viable places to live and work.
In 2010, KOB reached a milestone that only two other states have reached in the history of the GAC - 100% county participation. Groups who registered to participate in this annual event were eligible to receive free trash bags from the Glad, water for volunteers from Nestle and other products made available from Keep America Beautiful’s national sponsors. Of the nearly 200 registered groups in Oklahoma, 20 were selected to receive a $250 Start Up grant from KOB - funded by OGE Energy Corp.

Participants in this year’s GAC once again included groups registered with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s annual Trash-Off. To view the complete GAC results and find out if your community was impacted by this or any of Keep Oklahoma Beautiful’s other programs, please visit the KOB Program Impact page at keepoklahomabeautiful.com/kob-impact to view an interactive map.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is happy to welcome:

ARDMORE BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL

PRIDE IN McALESTER

NEWKIRK MAIN STREET

OK ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION

To learn more about becoming a KOB affiliate, click on the Affiliation tab at the top of the home page.

Farmers' Markets across Oklahoma are beginning to open for the spring and summer months. When you support these markets, not only are you getting the freshest and often the most sustainable and environmentally produced foods possible, you are supporting a local network of Oklahoma growers and farms - our neighbors, our community.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful has launched an interactive map on keepoklahomabeautiful.com to help you find a farmers' market in your area. You can find the map by clicking here.

If there is a farmers' market in your town that isn't listed on the map, click the "submit a market" link below the map to have it included.

It is our hope that you take advantage of the wonderful locally grown options that Oklahoma farmers are working hard to grow for you and your family.

Best Regards,

Gail Ingram Ederer Executive Director 405.286.9141 Office 405.286.5952 Fax gail@keepoklahomabeautiful.com www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com

Sonny Wilkinson Projects Coordinator 405.286.9141 Office 405.286.5952 Fax sonny@keepoklahomabeautiful.com www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com

What if Keep Oklahoma Beautiful earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support KOB? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donated up to 30 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause.

Visit goodsearch.com, type Keep Oklahoma Beautiful into the “Who do you goodsearch for?” box and then search the web. It’s that simple!

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,



Gail Ingram Ederer        Sonny Wilkinson
Executive Director        Projects Coordinator

Dear GAC Participants,

Good morning, hope all is well.

First of all, thank you so much for the amazing work that you and your volunteers have done in this year's Great American Cleanup™. It is always inspiring to see what you all have done.

I received word from Keep America Beautiful (KAB) that the GAC wrap-up report is now available online. This is the final step in completing your project and one of the most important.

HERE'S WHY
1) It is a great chance for you to brag about the work that your volunteers have done this spring.
2) Your report is combined with every other report from Oklahoma and that will become part of the national story told by Keep America Beautiful.
3) KOB and KAB use the reports to demonstrate to their sponsors the great things that are happening across the state and nation as a result of their generous donations and your hard work.
4) YOU CAN WIN! Part of the wrap-up report includes submitting thank you notes to the sponsors. When you do this you can win $$$ and prizes "hidden" within the thank you notes section. IN addition, KOB will give away two pieces of Troy Bilt power equipment to groups who submit timely Wrap up reports! --- More about that later in this memo ---

BUT FIRST - This year, the wrap-up report can be submitted only online an the deadline for submitting is June 23, 2010. You can find the reporting form at www.kab.org/gackit, the link is located on the right side of the page.

In addition to submitting your wrap-up report, submit your photos to KOB by email. These pictures will be posted on our website and sent to our sponsors.

When filling out the online Wrap Up report, print each page before you proceed to the next.
Then, mail or fax all of those printed pages (5 total) to me. Our address is: 6051 N Brookline Ave, Suite 125, OKC, 73112. Or fax to us at 405-286-5952

If you fail to submit a wrap-up report by June 23, the following will apply to your group next year:
• You will not be eligible to apply for any grants associated with the GAC ;
• Your group will receive only trash bags and banners but no GAC product coupons or other GAC promotional items.

Getting a copy of the report to KOB in this way is the only way we can get your report, so don't forget to do this! If you forget this step, you won't be eligible to win the Troy Bilt equipment.

HERE'S HOW TO WIN THE TROY-BILT EQUIPMENT
• A drawing will be held for groups that submit their reports to KOB and KAB by June 9. The winning group will be able to select either the trimmer or the blower. If you submit for the first drawing and aren't chosen, you will be included in the second drawing.
• The second drawing will be held for groups submitting their reports to KOB and KAB by June 23.
Find more information regarding the power equipment and the drawings at: www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/2010-gac-drawing

I am always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Have a great day!

Sonny Wilkinson
Projects Coordinator
405.286.9141 Office
405.286.5952 Fax
sonny@keepoklahomabeautiful.com
www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is proud to present the 2010 ODOT Tree Grants. More than 250 grant have been awarded in the past 13 years, making a visible difference to Oklahoma's roadways. The purpose of the grant is to improve communities' public transportation corridors through the use of threes. A total of $435,000 is available to award, with grants ranging from $1,875-$25,000.

Grant Prparation Workshop: May 21, 2010 (Please RSVP)

Applications Due: July 9, 210

Who can apply?

• Any unit of state or local government (examples: City Parks, Dept., Public Works, Municipal Hospitals)
• Public Schools and Universities
• Tribal Nations
• Must have a Federal Employer Tax Identification Number
• Individuals are NOT eligible
• Nonprofit groups are NOT eligible

For more information and applications, contact:
ODOT - Beautification Office
(405) 521-4037 or beauty@odot.org
www.okladot.state.ok.us/beauty

Whether it's a baseball game, rock concert or wine tasting gathering, when people congregate in a public space, a majority of time they'll end up producing some volume of waste.  And, for promoters and organizers of these events, responsibly managing that waste is a major challenge.  Special event recycling has emerged as a way to improve diversion, promote recycling to a large group of people, and reduce the environmental footprint for any event.  Successfully implementing an event recycling program, however, is no easy task.

To shed some light on the issue, Resource Recycling sought out experts in event recycling and asked them to share their experience on waste stream projection, securing partners and sponsorships, marketing recycling and doing it all on a budget.  Their stories are enhanced by tips and online resources that will help newcomers, and old hands alike, make the most of event recycling.  An advance copy of this article, which will appear in the April issue of Resource Recycling, is available by clicking on the link below:

http://tinyurl.com/EventRecycling

In addition, we're inviting you to pass along this useful information to members of your community or association, along with a link to a free subscription to Resource Recycling magazine, available here:

http://resource-recycling.com/subscriptions/free_subscription.html

Despite Significant Improvements Over the Past 40 Years, Litter Remains a Significant and Costly Problem.

WASHINGTON  – (Dec. 3, 2009) – National nonprofit Keep America Beautiful (www.kab.org) has announced the results of the largest litter study ever conducted in the U.S. The study identifies and dissects the causes, effects and costs of litter in America, and is the first major national survey of litter in the U.S. in 40 years.

Craig, Major, Kingfisher, McClain, Okfuskee and Pushmataha are the only counties that remain pale white on the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) map displayed on the organization’s homepage. The other seventy counties have been turned green because each has at least one organization registered to take part in the 2010 Great American Cleanup™ in Oklahoma.

You can help the map, help the county and help the state turn a little more green this spring by signing up to make your community cleanup efforts part of the statewide effort.

In addition to the environmental and economic benefits associated with participating, groups will receive:

• FREE TRASH BAGS - Each registered group can receive FREE trash bags if they will be conducting a litter cleanup.
• FREE BIO-DEGRADABLE CUPS & PLATES - SOLO™ has generously donated bio-degradable cups and plates from their BARE™ product line for groups to use during their cleanup.
• FREE PR - KOB will send out news releases before their event to help spread the word and after the even to report to the community what has happened.
• FREE BANNER - Groups will receive a banner from the national sponsors of the Great American Cleanup™ (GAC) to help promote their event.
• The project will be published on keepoklahomabeautiful.com
• The group is eligible to receive awards and prizes after the Great American Cleanup™ in Oklahoma.

Registration is extremely easy. The group leader needs to visit www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/great-american-cleanup and click the link that says “2010 Great American Cleanup Registration.”     

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to encourage and facilitate grassroots efforts that will improve the aesthetic, environmental and sustainable quality of life in Oklahoma.

Trees and storm damage
By Veronica Keithley, Cross Timbers Forestry
405 598 6146

Now that the snow is melting, power has been restored and life is getting back to normal in Oklahoma, people’s thoughts turn to spring….And what to do about their trees.  “Within a few days of a major event, like the recent ice storm, trees begin to show signs of damage,” says Morton Payne, President of the Tree Bank Foundation in Oklahoma City.  Experts recommend that homeowners evaluate carefully the damage to their trees caused by recent storms, addressing immediate risks to people and property first.  Then homeowners can evaluate any additional damage without time pressures and have the work done by a highly qualified tree company.

Tens of thousands of trees in Oklahoma have been impacted by the recent ice storms, and proper care and maintenance of these trees will be a focus for homeowners in the coming months.  “In the short term, homeowners should address immediate issues, such as hanging branches and trees leaning on fencelines or houses,” says Tim Cannon, forestry consultant and owner of Cross Timbers Forestry.  Mr. Cannon cautions that for any tree issue that may be dangerous or pose a risk of damage to property, hire a qualified company rather than attempting the work on your own.  Below is a checklist of questions and considerations before work is done on your tree, whether you do the trimming yourself or hire a contractor.  
•    Remove any branch that is at risk of falling out of the tree.
•    Remove any damaged branch that poses a risk to people or property (your house, car, electric line).
•    Remove any tree whose trunk has been broken.

Next, take a deep breath, and remember that you have made your property safer and reduced the immediate risk.  In the coming months, your tree may need additional pruning, but there is plenty of time to allow the snow to melt, the yard to dry out, and the tree to recover as much as possible on its own.  Rushing into a drastic pruning program may result in more pruning than is actually necessary, which can cause further damage to the tree and increase pruning costs needlessly.  

Many small trimming efforts can be accomplished successfully by homeowners that are familiar with hand tools or experienced with small power tools.  However, if you are in doubt, hire a professional.  Professional tree trimming companies bring a wealth of skills and experience that will ensure proper pruning technique, as well as good business practices.  Professional tree care companies can be identified by several characteristics, some of which are listed below:

•    International Society of Arboriculture certified arborists on staff
•    Bonded
•    Insured
•    Licensed by municipal government (where available)
•    Registered as a business in Oklahoma
•    Estimates of services and costs available on request
•    References available on request

Tree trimming is a money making business, and these types of weather events bring “2 guys and a chainsaw”-type operations out of the broken woodwork.  They will often be the lowest bidder, and they may arrive on your doorstep, telling you about the grave situation you have with your tree.  Use the criteria above to determine if they are a professional company that is capable of meeting industry standards and working safely.  Also keep in mind that cheapest is not always best, and companies with the best track records for quality work will be in high demand, possibly with waiting lists for a month or more after a storm like ours.

For more information on trees and storm damage, as well as additional contractor advice, please visit the Tree Bank Foundation and Cross Timbers Forestry’s storm damage website: www.treesafterthestorm.org.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is pleased to announce the launch of it’s newest volunteer recognition program. Each month a volunteer will be selected from nominations submitted by Oklahoma organizations. Those chosen will have their inspirational stories featured on keepoklahomabeautiful.com. In addition, honorees will receive a certificate of recognition and some local publicity.

Would you like to nominate someone from your organization? All we need is a brief description of the nominee’s work (250 words or less) and at least one head and shoulders photograph. Nominations will be accepted only online and that process can start by clicking here.



If you have any questions, please contact:

Sonny Wilkinson
Projects Coordinator
405-286-9141
sonny@keepoklahoambeautiful.com

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and I look forward to working with you in 2010. If you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Sonny Wilkinson
Projects Coordinator
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful
P - 405-286-9141
E - sonny@keepoklahomabeautiful.com
www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com 

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful honored finalists and announced winners at its 19th Annual Environmental Awards Banquet on November 17, 2009 in Oklahoma City. To see a complete list of the winners and read their stories, click here.

Donors Included:

AMTRAK Broken Arrow Electric Supply Dance Makers, Inc. - OKC Dr. Tony Clyde - Tulsa HVM Solutions, Inc. - Edmond  Love Bottling - Muskogee Mark Bays - OKC Melody Johnson - OKC	Mobility Plus, Inc. - Muskogee Muskogee Country Club OGE Energy Corp - OKC Oklahoma Division of State Parks Planning Design Group - Tulsa Staples - OKC The Canebrake - Ft. Gibson Melissa Rappleyea - OKC

.

TULSA, Oklahoma -- President Obama offered up $2.7 billion to go toward energy efficiency and conservation as part of the stimulus plan.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program was actually signed into law in 2007, but this is the first time it's ever been funded. Local conservation specialists said this funding proves the Obama administration's dedication to conservation and sustainability....

Click here to read more.

    This prestigious award is given by Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students, teachers and citizens gain a greater awareness and appreciation of the principles of a free and democratic society.  Mary was chosen as a recipident of the award for being a stellar example of a community leader and working tirelessly to better the landscape and environment of Oklahoma.  The award will be presented later this year at an awards ceremony given by the Oklahoma City Volunteer Chapter of Freedoms Foundation.  The Keep Oklahoma Beautiful board and staff congratulate our friend and colleague!!

To see the finalists, click here.

PRESIDENT'S PHILANTHROPY
The Apache Foundation - Houston
The President’s Philanthropy Award honors a corporation, organization or foundation that has made an extraordinary contribution through inkind or charitable giving toward improving the aesthetic, environmental or sustainable life in Oklahoma.  Although the Apache Foundation's "Tree Planting Program" is relatively new, it has had a tremendous, positive impact in Oklahoma. Apache partnered with The Tree Bank in Oklahoma City and Up With Trees in Tulsa  to respond to severe tree loss from ice storms. With an original goal of planting one million trees in Oklahoma ... based on demonstrated need, Apache has now doubled that goal.

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
Mr. Ray Ackerman (Ackerman McQueen), The Honorable Ron Norick (Former Mayor of Oklahoma City)
The Visionary Leadership award is given to a person(s), institution, community or business in Oklahoma with a unique view on environmental or community improvement and has inspired others to adopt that philosophy. Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Norick have played  leading roles in the transformation of Oklahoma City from an oil bust town to the constantly renovating, expanding and developing city we see today. The Metropolitan Area Project (MAPS) was a $300 billion dollar downtown development plan that came from the mind and heart of Ron Norick - and was championed by Ray Ackerman.  Their vision, contagious enthusiasm and leadership continue to influence the advancement of Oklahoma City.

TOWERING SPIRIT
Mr. Joe Cox (HIS Paint Mfg) - Oklahoma City
The Towering Spirit Award honors a person, business or organization for supporting the KOB mission in a unique way, garnering public acclaim and having a far-reaching positive impact on Oklahoma’s environment.   Over the past five years, Joe Cox, president of H.I.S. Paint Manufacturing Company,  has donated more than 2,500 gallons of H.I.S. latex exterior paint to the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Fresh Paint Days project, one of KOB's most exciting and successful programs.  

VANGUARD
Guaranteed Watt Savers - Oklahoma City
The Vanguard Award is presented to a person, institution, community or business in Oklahoma for embracing cutting-edge technologies and concepts in support of a sustainable planet. Guaranteed Watt Saver Systems, based in Oklahoma City,  is the nation’s leading firm specializing in Energy Efficiency Engineering and Building Science Consulting.  Guaranteed Watt Savers was a partner with the US Department of Energy and the EPA in developing The Energy Star program helping US industry and business to save billions of dollars in utility costs.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
James E. Horne, PhD (Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture) - Poteau
Lifetime Achievement recipients are chosen by the board of directors from among those Oklahomans who have shown a strong commitment to improving, preserving, beautifying and sustaining Oklahoma’s environment. Dr. Horne has an extraordinary passion for transforming conventional agriculture with daring innovation, creativity and rock solid research.  He continues to find ways to incorporate sustainable practices into the farming industry. 

To go to the KOB Award pages, click here

The following organizations in Oklahoma will receive 20 gallons of exterior latex paint. provided by HIS Paint Mfg of Oklahoma City - and a supply stipend funded by Public Service Company of Oklahoma.  The KOB paint delivery trek around Oklahoma will begin Wed September 16 and close on Fri September 18.  Gail and Sonny will create video interviews of participants and post them to this site.

ALVA Beautification Committee

ARDMORE Beautification Council

Town of BILLINGS

CLAREMORE Kids Paying It Forward

COLLINSVILLE Downtown, Inc.

Kiwanis Club of CORDELL

DURANT Main Street

ELDORADO Peoples Action Committee

GATEway to the Panhandle Museum

GUYMON Panhandle Lions Club

City of HAILAEYVILLE

City of HARTSHORNE

HENRYETTA Girl Scouts Tulledega Service Unit

We Love HOLLIS

IDABEL Main Street

City of KONAWA

LAVERNE Main Street Assn.

LAVERNE's Mystery Shop Consignment

McALESTER Main Street Assn (2 projects)

Pride in McALESTER

City of MINCO

Downtown MUSKOGEE, Inc.

NOWATA Beautification Committee

OKEENE BSA Troop #169

OKLAHOMA CITY Beautiful

Community of OPTIMA

Main Street PAULS VALLEY (2 projects)

REDFORK Main Street

SAYRE Main Street

SHIDLER Area Chamber of Commerce

SULPHUR Main Street

TULSA Dream Center

TUTTLE Police Department

City of YALE Parks and Recreation Board

To learn more and submit your application, click here

The Oklahoma Recycling Association has posted its latest issue - and, as usual,  it is running over with news, reycling stories and helpful information about recycling, green issues and living a sustainable lifestyle.  Click here to see this issue.