Keep Franklin County Beautiful

08/31/2026

Franklin County IS Beautiful. We have so much to be thankful for.

~~Love Where We Live~~

video courtesy of Donna Knutson

08/31/2026

08/30/2026

Posting this again to get you pumped up for the upcoming annual International Coastal Cleanup! Sat morning on Sept 19th.

Let's show our beautiful Coastlines and Shorelines that We Love Where We Live.❤️

Keep America Beautiful has released their 2026 litter report!

It's a national look at litter. They report a decrease in litter since the 2020 report. But, there's less positive news about litter in coastal areas.

Stay tuned for more tidbits. In the meantime, pick up litter when you see it.

We CAN make a difference!
Love Where We Live.
2026 Litter Study - Keep America Beautiful https://share.google/kWuHhOUyVk4mBNGQe

08/29/2026

Hey Franklin County, we CAN do this!!! Keep Franklin County Beautiful has shown it's possible on a small scale. We need folks to let our commissioners and others know that doing this county-wide is an asset.

Let's do this! It makes so much sense.

Please let us know if you are interested in starting a campaign. It will take the County to make it happen.

A groundbreaking Australian study reveals that replacing up to 60% of river sand with waste glass in concrete not only strengthens the mix but also improves resistance to chloride pe*******on, offering a solution to dwindling sand resources in urban areas. This approach could transform the construct...

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

It's just weeks away! Checkout the locations and spend a few minutes or a few hours helping make this county a more beautiful and healthy place.
It's just weeks away! Checkout the locations and spend a few minutes or a few hours helping make this county a more beautiful and healthy place.

Bring your friends, your kids, and your kids friends! Making a difference will make you happy.

Brought to you by the Apalachicola Riverkeeper , Keep Franklin County Beautiful , and Conservation Pathways.

08/26/2026

Some messages just warm your heart. Mrs. Polous, a 3rd grade teacher at Franklin County's ABC school, asked her students about how we can protect our earth.

Here is a 100% accurate homework assignment.

Let's not let our kids down!

There is a way to restart Franklin County-wide recycling, but we need your voice and support.

There is no Planet B.

Thank you Mrs. Polous!!

08/23/2026

Abbie Shiver is an amazing aluminum can recycler. She doesn't have to, but she does because it's the right thing to do for so many reasons.

Her Big Top Supermarket aluminum can bin can is for aluminum cans only!! Not plastic, paper, trash, etc.

Please use a trash can for the rest!

It can get frustrating for volunteers to go through trash to pick out recyclable cans (can you imagine doing it??!).

Did you know that aluminum is infinitely recyclable?? Very other things are. And it saves so much energy recycling than extracting and processing aluminum from the earth. Recycling vs burying in a landfill seems like a no-brainer.

Thank you, Abbie, for going above and beyond for your community and helping Keep Franklin County Beautiful . You are a Rockstar!

08/20/2026

UPDATE *** UPDATE ***UPDATE****UPDATE

Out of an abundance of caution for our Crushstation machine, we are

POSTPONING GLASS AND ALUMINUM CAN COLLECTION TODAY.

Please pass along.

We'll be back at the Apalachicola Yacht Club on Sat, Sept 12 at 9 a.m. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Weather pending, your Keep Franklin County Beautiful crew will be a the Apalachicola Yacht Club this Saturday, 8/22, accepting glass bottles and jars and aluminum cans for recycling.

⛈️⛈️⛈️If there's a chance of thunderstorms or heavy rain, please store your recyclables for next time!⛈️⛈️⛈️

➡️We will post with our "go" or "no go" decision on Sat morning. So please check this page before heading over.⬅️

And please, no dropoffs until 9 a.m. on Sat. We need to respect the AYC business and their generosity!

Please forward to others.

08/11/2026

Even small things we do can have a big (negative) effect on our water quality.

Have you heard that plant debris from yards, flowerbeds, and trees can block storm drains and release nutrients that pollute our waterways?

Check out more info here: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pascoco/2026/01/12/stormwater-story-stroll/

Grass clippings, fallen leaves, and plant trimmings can be easily washed or blown into storm drains or directly into our waters when piled near the roads or waterways. When washed into the storm drains, it can cause clogs and even cause localized neighborhood flooding during rainfall events.

Once the plant matter enters the waterways, it will begin to break down, releasing large amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These excess nutrients can fuel algal blooms and lead to fish kills as the oxygen levels become depleted in the water. Keeping plant debris away from drains, rivers, canals, and ponds will help prevent pollution.
Plant Debris Stormwater Solutions
1. Dispose of debris

If you have leaves, lawn clippings, or plant cuttings in your yard rake or collect yard waste into piles. Dispose of it in trash bins or follow composting guidelines to use it as a natural mulch.

2. Leave it alone

Because plant debris has high amounts of nutrients, it can act as a natural fertilizer. Letting leaves and lawn clippings lie where they fall, distributed across your yard, will allow them to slowly break down and the nutrients will absorb back into the soil. Avoid raking them into large piles, which can easily blow away and create dead spots in your yard. As a bonus many critters live amongst plant debris, as it provides food, shelter, and moisture for them. Plant litter can create an important habitat that supports a much larger ecosystem!

3. Keep debris contained

While you can leave plant debris where it fell in your yard, take care to pick up debris that is close to the streets or any areas where it could wash or blow into storm drains or waterways. Creating a clean barrier around your yard will keep plant matter out of our stormwater and keep your yard healthy.

4. Keep a buffer around stormwater systems

Creating a “no-mow” zone around your drains, ponds, or canals can help keep debris out of our stormwater systems by acting as a natural barrier to block it from entering. These natural zones will also help to trap excess nutrients in runoff as they enter the waterways.