The six-county GEORGIA’S COAST IS NOT AN ASHTRAY outreach initiative recently received a top state honor at the annual Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation awards luncheon in Macon. The project involving all of Georgia’s ocean-bordering counties received the prestigious 2018 Innovation Partnership Award signifying excellence in partnership leverage.
GEORGIA’S COAST IS NOT AN ASHTRAY focused on cigarette litter near coastal water bodies. At the end of the comprehensive three-month cigarette litter prevention outreach effort, 27,000 messaged drink coasters had been utilized in 128 restaurants and pubs; 81 cigarette receptacles placed at public spaces near water bodies; 3 radio public service announcements and 2 print media press releases generated and submitted; 280 project business signs used; 70 metal project signs installed; 3 professionally produced videos and 3 graphic art pieced created; 500 cup ashtrays and 500 pocket ashtrays distributed; 25 outreach activities conducted; 34 print media clips cultivated; and 2 PBS/GPB radio spots aired.
“Georgia’s Coast Is Not An Ashtray is an excellent example of a successful regional partnership,” said Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation executive director Natalie Johnston-Russell. “A geographical initiative of this magnitude could not have been accomplished without the dedicated efforts of each project partner involved, reaffirming the importance of partnerships in community betterment efforts.”
Project partners include: Tybee Clean Beach Volunteers, the City of Tybee Island, Keep Savannah Beautiful, Keep McIntosh Beautiful, Keep Camden Beautiful, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful, Keep Liberty Beautiful, Fort McAllister State Park and Crooked River State Park. The project was funded via a $15,000 Keep America Beautiful cigarette litter prevention program grant.
With 78, Georgia has the largest number of affiliates in the Keep America Beautiful national system, and the very first Keep America Beautiful affiliate was established in Macon.