History of Keep Tennessee Beautiful

KTnB was founded as Clean TN Program by Edith Heller.

TDOT funded the classic KTnB “Frog Pond” video and K-6 Curriculum for all public and private schools.

The state of Tennessee became an official Keep America Beautiful (KAB) state affiliate.

The first statewide KTnB Advisory Council was created by the Governor's office. The organization also changed its name from Clean TN Program to Keep TN Beautiful.

Tennessee became the first state in history to receive permission to distribute the EPA Curriculum “Garbage Gremlin” to all public and private middle and high schools within the state.

KTnB documented a then record $1.8 million free radio PSA time.

KTnB assisted Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) with the creation of the “Pathways: Solid Waste Education Action Plan” manual. Additionally, KTnB had helped form five Environmental Courts across the state.

A shift in messaging began: “Public and Private Partnerships”. This included the “Covered Loads=Clean TN Roads” campaign, source reduction mascots “Les and Lotta Stuff”, and the “Back by Popular Neglect” television PSA.

KTnB again worked with TDEC to produce the “Buy Recycled” video for counties and Waste Not-Want Not-brochure for every Tennessee household.

The first statewide Great American Cleanup™ (GAC) was held in TN. GAC is sponsored by KAB and is the nation’s largest annual community improvement program. Nashville’s Happy Birdsong received the KAB Mrs. L.B. Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2000 KAB National Conference.

KTnB began to promote “Citizen Responsibility and Action”. The 2004 GAC in TN saw 464,135 volunteer hours during the annual spring event.

The TDOT/KTnB Awards of Excellence (AOE) competition had 34 categories and gave out $40,000 in local grants during the 2005 KTnB Biennial State Conference.

Tennessee once again participated in GAC, as the state totaled over 400,000 volunteer hours. Fifty-five percent of Tennessee KAB affiliate coordinators earned a certificate in volunteer management from CNM/Vanderbilt through KTnB sponsored courses.

Thirty-two national awards were won by KTnB and its affiliates at the 2005 KAB National Awards.

GAC a total of 338,000 volunteer hours were tallied by Tennesseans.

KTnB worked with The University of Memphis in 2006 to complete the Tennessee Public Attitudes about Litter Statewide Survey (a follow-up study was completed in 2008). That year, the first comprehensive litter prevention advertising campaign in 30 years began with StopLitter™ Tennessee’s Had Enough. The 2006 KAB National Conference brought about more success for KTnB, as Memphis/Shelby County Environmental Court Judge Larry E. Potter also received the KAB Iron Eyes Cody Lifetime Achievement Award ,and all 25 TN KAB affiliates received national President’s Circle Awards.

KTnB became the first state in the U.S. to achieve 100% county participation during the Great American Cleanup.

KTnB became the first state to total one million participants during GAC. Later that year, KTnB received 33 awards during the 2008 KAB National Conference, highlighted by Nashville’s Russell Brecheen Jr. receiving the Iron Eyes Cody Award.

KAB chose Nashville to host one of three GAC spotlight events on May 14, 2009. Over 800 volunteers from across the state gathered in Nashville and participated in several different cleanup events across the city.

America Recycles Day (ARD) in Tennessee became an annual fall event, as KAB took over ARD with the backing of national sponsors Nestle Waters and the American Chemistry Council.

KTnB and the Tennessee Recycling Coalition began sponsoring ARD throughout the state. KTnB once again won 33 awards at the KAB National Conference. Edith Heller retired in 2009 after 26 years of service to KTnB.

Sutton Mora Hayes was hired as KTnB’s second executive director. That fall, Tennessee was one of only five states in the nation to host over 100 ARD events during the 2010 ARD in Tennessee. At KAB’s National Conference, KTnB took home 28 awards.

Tennessee again hosted over 100 events during that fall’s ARD in Tennessee. KTnB earned 31 awards at the KAB National Conference.

Missy Marshall is hired as the 3rd executive director of Keep Tennessee Beautiful.

Keep Tennessee Beautiful partners with Author Guy Gilchrist to publish Nancy and Sluggo Love Tennessee, A Story About Keeping Tennessee Beautiful, That would go on to win the award for Innovation at the 2017 Keep America Beautiful conference.

Executive director Missy Marshall received the “Sue Smith Professional Leadership Award” from Keep America Beautiful