Q&A with Nikki Belmonte, Executive Director of Keep Roswell Beautiful
If a recycling center making a socially distanced candy chute for a drive-through collection doesn’t represent the innovation the pandemic has inspired, we don’t know what does. We spoke with Nikki about the importance of getting creative, her passion for the environment, and why nurturing native plants is never a bad idea.
What led you down the path toward directing Keep Roswell Beautiful?
I worked for Atlanta Audubon for almost a decade. I was executive director there, and before that, the environmental education coordinator. I left that organization at a high point, but I live in Roswell and wanted to continue my career in a more local way. I love this city, and this role was very appealing to me because I get to do a mix of a bunch of different things. I engage in administrative work, field work, and teaching, and I get to collaborate with people in the community. I love all of it, and enjoy moving things forward.
Coming from an environmental network that has chapters and state groups just like Keep America Beautiful, I’ve found that a lot of power and strength reside within networks like that. I look forward to seeing how that plays out in the waste reduction and litter scene. I’ve seen how it works from a bird and wildlife conservation perspective, and I even see some overlap. I’m really interested to get to know this other group of professionals in Georgia. It’s exciting for me to spread my wings, per say, into this network.
Have you always been passionate about the environment?
Oh, yes. I’m from Massachusetts, and one of those people lucky enough to grow up in an area with natural areas to explore. I grew up in a town right outside of Boston that had a lot of parks and sanctuaries. My parents, who grew up in the city, welcomed the opportunity to go hiking and canoeing, and they saw I had an affinity for the outdoors. I attended nature camps, science camps, that sort of thing. Then I went to college for environmental work. I have a degree in wildlife conservation, and a master’s in environmental education. In college, I worked at a student-run recycling center. It was quite an experience. We were in charge of the whole operation around campus through a work study program, led by juniors and seniors, and we had this dilapidated house that we called a recycling center. We drove a box truck around, picked up the bins, and sorted the materials by hand. I can still remember the smell of sour milk and beer! I’ve been in environmentally-focused roles ever since, except maybe one year. Conservation, environmental education, science education—I followed my passion.
You started this role at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. How have you had to get creative with events and community engagement?
It’s been an interesting situation! The city hired me the day before schools shut down. That day, I was running all these errands and getting ready to be onboarded, and I ran into the mayor in the toilet paper aisle of Kroger. I introduced myself, and we just stared at the empty shelves together. I remember thinking how nice she was though, welcoming me so ecstatically even though this insane situation was unraveling. Then our office and recycling center closed, and I started my role from home. Our board members and I put effort into trying to get to know each other under these new conditions, and we got to a really great place and have been able to recruit new board members. We’ve had to follow city protocols for the most part, but try to get creative with cleanups and other events.
One thing we did differently than how we’ve done it in the past is that every November for America Recycles Day, we host a blanket and towel collection for the local humane society. In 2020, we wanted to do more than just a drive-through drop off, so we parked ourselves in the recycling center parking lot on Halloween morning, dressed in costumes and had our mascot, Kirby, on scene. Two families created a candy chutes made out of recycled materials, and we told people that if they came to drop off blankets and towels, we’d use it to deliver candy into their cars. It was freezing that morning, so we didn’t have a ton of people, but we had presence. We wanted to engage the community with something fun, thematic, and different. As long as you encourage safety protocols and make people feel comfortable, you can do a little something.
Kirby the Duck and Keep Roswell Beautiful board member Brent Myhand working the candy chute
What does your affiliate look forward to in the future? What further impact do you hope to see in Roswell?
That’s the question of year! When I started this past April, Keep Roswell Beautiful had been in hiatus a couple of months. This summer, we started thinking as a group about strategic planning. Now we’re at a point where we’re looking forward and creating a vision. We’ve hired a consultant; it’s a really big step for us. We’re coalescing around education, beautification, our status as a river city, and the importance of good water quality and safe wildlife habitats. It’s privet heaven here, and many of us are really passionate about native plants and the opportunity to bring our forest back to the way it should be. Roswell also has a cute little downtown and river parks. We have lots of areas for jogging and walking, and we really want to represent the city well. I think we’re going in that direction. There’s still more to discover, and it’s probably the most exciting thing about this year, besides maybe being able to do something in person by the end of it.
Any advice for people looking to make their communities cleaner, greener, or more beautiful?
I think educating children is the best way to get to adults, so support environmental education, whether nontraditionally or in schools. Make sure you’re inclusive of your community—take a good look, make sure you start representing everyone, and invite them to be a part of what you’re doing. In Roswell, for example, I’m looking to increase the amount of resources we create for Spanish-speaking families. The other thing I would say is, if you want to make a difference, be the change. Be the person who takes the empty toilet paper roll and puts it in the recycling bin, or who keeps worms in the basement to compost food. Don’t be afraid to take that extra step. In America, if something isn’t convenient, people aren’t going to want to do it, but you can show people through example that taking that extra step not only makes a difference, but makes you feel good too.