In addition to the Community Wide City Clean Up events twice a year, KWB volunteers regularly plan and initiate pop-up roadside clean ups. We have certain people that take care of sections of roads and neighborhoods throughout the year.
In 2023, KWB started to participate in the STOP: Texas Litter database. STOP stands for Study, Track [Remove] and Prevent, which is the driving force behind the Texas Litter Database. The method is simple, pick up every piece of trash you see in a defined disrance. Once collected, the data is recorded into a new trash report online. January 2024 metrics have documented that over 107,000 volunteers helped in 2023 at 265 events. Of the trash counts, still the highest volume of trash is hard/ solid plastics followed by metal, polystyrene, glass and paper/lumber.
We have completed a couple of litter surveys now around Wimberley. Some of heavy trafficked roadways and others in roads leading into neighborhoods. Our results are not that dissimilar to the State Averages. The volume of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has decreased but the level of aluminum cans (mainly alcoholic beverages) and glass bottles remains constant. In fact, in one neighborhood we saw a trend of the roadside heading out of the neighborhood had more energy drink containers and water bottles; whilst the roadside entering had the alcoholic beverage containers at a much higher concentration.
Each roadside can tell their own story. Our next Clean Up date will be announced soon. We hope you will join us and discover the story of that stretch of road. Who knows what you will find?
