Be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
The Mission of KJCB is one of education - to provide opportunities for environmental education to students in the Jackson County, Commerce and Jefferson City school systems, as well as adults. KJCB also strives to promote public interest and change of attitude in the general improvement of the environment and to initiate, plan, direct and coordinate programs of litter control. Keep Jackson County Beautiful was officially certified as an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. and Keep Georgia Beautiful on Aug. 27, 2004 under Executive Director Jamie Penski. In 2005, Luci Crumley took the reins and in May 2006 Susan Trepagnier became the third executive director.
Dwayne Ansley leads the KJCB Board of Directors with Bill Ives (Past Chairman), Harry Bryan, Jack Legg, Dave Rosselle (Secretary), Beth White, Stephanie Stephens, Lisa Grice (Vice-Chairman), Josh Barnett, Durian Ives and Shawn Watson completing the board.
During a January 2009 Board of Directors Retreat at Hurricane Shoals, members adopted a new Mission Statement:
- To educate and build environmental behaviors and sustain community activities resulting in a more beautiful Jackson County.
and a new Vision Statement:
- Keep Jackson County Beautiful is working to create a sustainable community where litter is a thing of the past, all households and businesses actively participate in recycling, our streets are beautiful, having been carefully planted with flowers and trees and our air and water are clear and clean. Within the next 20 years, every citizen of Jackson County will understand our mission and take the message of environmental protection to heart; each of them joining us every day in protecting and improving our county.
Each August, members of the Keep Jackson County Beautiful Board of Directors conduct the annual Litter Survey. The 2008 Survey found Jackson County with a bit more litter than 2007. We have more citizens participating in the Adopt-A-Road program, the litter should become less of a problem. Both the 2007 and 2008 Litter Surveys showed less litter until board members exited the car and began looking hard at the sides of the roadways. Not surprising, abandoned yard and garage sale signs and stakes are the number one culprit of litter, but plastic water, milk and soft drink bottles and plastic grocery bags come in a close second. We were surprised to see so many plastic alcohol bottles dotting our beautiful landscape.
Who knew? Whiskey now comes in a small plastic bottle! Makes you worry about how many people are drinking while driving when you find these bottles along the roadways. Another problem found by Adopters when cleaning their miles - full bottles of beer along with the discarded empties. In one area, full six-packs are being discarded.
Keep Jackson County Beautiful joined the Georgia Clean Community Challenge in 2008. One leg of that Challenge was to conduct a community-wide survey. We had more than 100 people participate in the Survey Monkey questions, but a nasty revelation was KJCB is known more for its waste reduction and recycling message than its litter focus. We have begun to work on that image and will continue in coming months hoping to improve that view by citizens with a major change in the way we look at our messages to the public. Recycling is important, but anything to do with the environment is an important part of our education process.
Each year the board sets new directions and goals for the following year. (See Goals and Accomplishments page)
In addition to the Clean Community Challenge, other programs include Adopt-A-Road/Highway with 32 participants, West Jackson Middle School's FBLA has adopted their campus and Jackson County 4-H took the first Adopt-A-Spot at the Jefferson Reservoir parking lot. KJCB, SP Recycling and the Jackson County Solid Waste Department sponsors newspaper, office paper and magazine recycling at four drop off centers.
Jackson County, Jefferson and Commerce City Schools have jumped on the environmental bandwagon and the public can drop their newspaper, junk mail, colored paper, white paper, carbon-less forms, copy and office paper, phone books, magazines, file folders and index cards, plain and window envelopes, staples and paperclips are okay. There are a few no-nos - no laminated paper, carbon paper, cardboard, wax covered paper, paper with crayon or glue on it and no colored construction paper.
Watch for events throughout the year, our next recycling day is scheduled for October 17, 2009, at the Jackson County Transfer Station off County Farm Road in Jefferson. We're hosting a Clean Out Your Files Day at the same time. Files you will never need again? We're told by H & R Block - keep your tax records for 7-10 years though. Seems the IRS can come say they don't have records and if you can't prove it, they say you owe. If you have files that need shredding - bring them along and a document services company will take them and shred them in their truck right in front of your eyes.
For more information on KJCB, contact Susan Trepagnier at (706) 708-7198 or strepagnier@jacksoncountygov.com