Q&A with Nancy Howard, Executive Director of Keep Riverdale Beautiful
Have you ever seen people picking up litter in full costume? You’re going to love learning about this affiliate’s endeavors. Join us for a conversation about seasonal fun runs, candy wrapper recycling, and how you can increase sustainability at home.
You're the second person to take on this role in Riverdale, after Janai Kearney led the program through its infancy. Tell us more about what led you to apply. Have you always been passionate about improving the environment?
I actually got involved with Keep Riverdale Beautiful as a volunteer when Janai was still here. My son has a nonprofit called Teens 4 Justice, and they joined the Adopt-a-Spot program after they started to notice litter in Ward 2 where our church is located. We did cleanups every month, and still do, and when I saw there was a vacancy at Keep Riverdale Beautiful I decided to apply. I have a background in law, so this has definitely been a learning experience, but I jump at every chance I get to attend workshops, be proactive, and learn from other affiliates. I grew up in Clayton County, and I want our kids to have a clean environment to play in and walk to and from school. This all stemmed from seeing litter in our streets and wanting to make a difference.
Awesome! What have some of your favorite projects or events been so far?
I loved flying to Washington D.C. this past February to attend the Keep America Beautiful conference and network with other affiliates, but I’m also really hands on and have enjoyed working with our local schools. My two favorite events have been Trash Dash and our 7 Cities Initiative. The 7 Cities Initiative, which occurred this spring, was a county-wide cleanup that involved nonprofits, schools, churches, and even individuals who just wanted to help make our area cleaner. We hosted our Trash Dash fun run last October, and put a special twist on it by inviting participants to wear costumes while they picked up litter. The kids really liked that idea, and we had a good turnout, so we’re planning to do it again this year. Riverdale Middle School is having a fall festival at the end of the month, so we’re hoping to partner with them and have Trash Dash be the kickoff event. Keep Riverdale Beautiful has always done a great job engaging students, and I want to continue that. They’re the ones that are going to be taking care of our environment in the future, and they help us spread the word by sharing what they learn with their parents and grandparents.
Nancy and others in costume getting ready for last year’s Trash Dash
We can’t wait to see photos! Since we're chatting in October, what would you say to families and individuals who want to make sure they're celebrating Halloween sustainably?
I’d remind them to try and keep up with the trash that comes along with parties and trick-or-treating. We’re actually looking to incorporate a recycling box for candy wrappers at our town center. (A note for our readers: this is something you can order ahead of time through Terracycle!) This way, they’re conscious of the fact that those items can be recycled at a drop-off location, and it also gets them thinking about how they can reduce waste moving forward, even during other holidays.
What does your affiliate look forward to in the future? What further impact do you hope to see?
Some of our local schools have participated in small recycling initiatives, but in just two weeks, we’re launching a largescale recycling bin program. I’ll be distributing bins at every school in the city, and I’m really excited about it. It should increase awareness among students and families, but I’m also looking forward to the effect it will have on our teachers. Some of them drive in from other counties to work here, so if they can take back what they’ve learned to where they live, and what we’re doing can reach other areas, that will be a major plus. If some of these counties don’t already have a Keep America Beautiful affiliate, or don’t participate in Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation programs, I want them to think about how they can get involved, or start recycling where they reside.
Looking beyond that, I’d like to work more with households and even local restaurants to find out how we can recycle better and continue to reduce litter in our community. Most of our restaurants are situated around Highway 85, and after assessing that area, we’ve found the litter index to be a 3. That means it’s enough to require cleanups of an hour or more with multiple people involved. Figuring out how to improve that will be my next goal after I get the school bin program established and running smoothly. We’re also partnering with local schools on garden projects, which I want to make inclusive and accessible to people of all abilties. They’ll be mainly focused on crops, so students and their families can take produce home, and at least one will have a beautification component with flowers.
Any advice for people looking to make their communities cleaner, greener, or more beautiful?
Making your community cleaner, greener, and more beautiful starts with you! You have to be the change you want to see. I say that and hashtag that all the time, but it’s true—that’s your first step, and then you have to find as many people as possible who share your vision. If they don’t exist already, make them see it through educational demonstrations. You have to be that chime that never stops. It’s easier said than done, but having the support of local government, civic organizations, and community partners is essential. Finding sponsors is also key, whether they provide money, food, supplies, or even volunteer hours. That last one is actually my favorite kind of sponsorship—it keeps programs successful year after year, which means residents will come to expect them. Lastly, market what you’re doing as much as possible. I learned during my first year that many people weren’t aware of Keep Warner Robins Beautiful. We didn’t have a social media presence before I started in the role, and although we still rely on print, TV, and radio for publicity, it’s also important to adapt. Go where your volunteer base is, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok. You can reach so many more people that way. Just remember that alone we can do a little, but together we can do so much.