BATON ROUGE, La. — More than 140 cleanup events have been registered across Louisiana ahead of the September launch of Love Our Waterways, a statewide initiative aimed at reducing litter in rivers, lakes, bayous, beaches and other waterways.
The program, led by Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) and supported by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, encourages businesses, schools, civic organizations, outdoor groups and individual volunteers to organize or participate in cleanup efforts throughout September.
Organizers said additional cleanup events continue to be added each week. The first 200 registered events are eligible to receive volunteer supply boxes while supplies last.
Love Our Waterways is modeled after the state’s Love the Boot Week campaign and seeks to reduce litter before it reaches the Gulf, improve water quality, protect fish and wildlife habitats, and preserve recreational waterways.
“Louisiana’s waterways are part of who we are,” said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. “They fuel our economy, support our seafood and tourism industries, and provide endless opportunities for fishing, boating, paddling, and outdoor recreation. It’s exciting to see so many communities already stepping up, but we need even more volunteers to make this inaugural statewide effort a success. I encourage everyone to register a cleanup today and help us make September a month of action for Louisiana’s waterways.”
According to Keep Louisiana Beautiful Executive Director Susan Russell, research indicates that nearly 80% of marine litter originates on land before being carried through storm drains, ditches, bayous and rivers to coastal waters.
Volunteers can participate by organizing or joining shoreline cleanups, removing litter from waterways by kayak, canoe, paddleboard or motorized boat, cleaning neighborhood storm drains and roadside ditches, or volunteering with existing cleanup events.
Participants are also encouraged to document the types of litter collected and report larger debris, including abandoned vessels and derelict crab traps, to help guide future cleanup efforts and support partner agencies.
Love Our Waterways is supported in part by corporate, nonprofit and community sponsors, including Dow Chemical, Keep America Beautiful, Niagara Cares, Cleco, Port NOLA and several other organizations.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a state program under the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. The organization works with local affiliates across the state to support litter prevention, beautification, recycling, waste reduction and sustainability initiatives.