BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana will join the national Greatest American Cleanup campaign, a Keep America Beautiful initiative aimed at removing 25 billion pieces of litter from public spaces by the United States’ 250th birthday in 2026. The state will also host the 2026 Keep America Beautiful Summit in New Orleans.
Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) announced the initiative as part of the state’s ongoing commitment to litter reduction and community beautification. The summit will be held Feb. 26–28, 2026, at the Marriott New Orleans, bringing together more than 500 national and local leaders in recycling, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship.
“Every piece of litter we pick up is a step toward showing the best of Louisiana to the world,” said Lt. Gov. Nungesser. “By joining the Greatest American Cleanup, we’re not only celebrating our country’s 250th birthday – we’re proving that when we all do a little, we can accomplish a lot.”
Keep Louisiana Beautiful Executive Director Susan Russell encouraged residents to participate through statewide programs such as Love the Boot Week, scheduled for April 18–26, 2026, and the Get Down & Clean Up program, which offers cleanup supplies through local libraries. Businesses can also join as Clean Biz Partners, committing to maintain litter-free parking lots.
“There’s no better place to talk about cleaning up and showing pride in our communities than right here in Louisiana,” Nungesser said. “We’re excited to share our state’s culture and spirit while learning from others about how they’re tackling litter in their communities.”
Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Lawson said Louisiana’s leadership demonstrates how states can make measurable progress toward a cleaner future. “Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful, the state is setting an inspiring example of what it means to take pride in our communities and our country,” Lawson said.
Online registration for the Keep America Beautiful Summit is now open.