PalmettoPride

05/28/2026

Congratulations to the students of Indian Land High School’s PalmettoPride Club and all those recognized by Keep Lancaster County Beautiful during this week’s Lancaster County Government Council meeting!

PalmettoPride Youth Ambassador Isabella Corretjer received the Frank Ferguson Award for Volunteer of the Year and the club was honored with the Larry Honeycutt Group of the Year Award for their outstanding commitment to litter prevention and pickup in Indian Land.

Thank you to Keep Lancaster County, SC Beautiful for recognizing these young leaders and the amazing work they're doing. Our future is so bright! 💚

05/27/2026

Rainy days = busy days for WaterGoats 🌧️💦

This before-and-after is a reminder that every heavy rain washes litter downstream — straight from roads, parking lots and neighborhoods into our waterways. That’s where WaterGoat Trash Traps come in.

These floating litter traps help capture trash before it reaches rivers, lakes and eventually the ocean, which is why PalmettoPride has sponsored the installation of nearly 20 WaterGoats statewide. After days of rainy weather across South Carolina, our WaterGoats have been working overtime.

Out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind. Every bottle, wrapper and plastic bag caught here is one less piece of litter harming wildlife and polluting our waterways.

Learn more about WaterGoats and where they’re installed across South Carolina: palmettopride.org.

📸: Sumter Soil and Water Conservation District

05/24/2026

PalmettoPride's office will be closed tomorrow, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day 🇺🇸 Normal business hours will resume Tuesday, May 26.

05/22/2026

Big cheers to the South Carolina High School League for helping make the 2025–26 soccer championship a litter-free game! ⚽️🗑️

Did you know PalmettoPride will pay your school club or organization to help host a litter-free sporting event? From kickoff to the final whistle, your team can help keep South Carolina beautiful while earning funds for your group.

Learn more at palmettopride.org.

05/21/2026

Last week, PalmettoPride Youth Ambassador Jiana De Leon received her scholarship at her senior awards ceremony, and we couldn’t be prouder of all she’s accomplished through the program and her work with Keep Greenwood County Beautiful.

Here's what Jiana had to say about her experience.

“Being a PalmettoPride Youth Ambassador has been a challenging yet rewarding process! I'm so glad to have been introduced to this program by the late Anne Marie Glawe. I've made wonderful connections and learned so much along the way, and I'm grateful to have been in this program.”

Our Youth Ambassador program helps develop the next generation of South Carolina leaders who are passionate about community service, environmental stewardship, and making a difference in their communities. In exchange for their service, ambassadors receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their future goals.

Applications for the 2026–27 cohort open in August. Stay tuned!

05/14/2026

🗓️ SAVE THE DATE 🗓️

The South Carolina Litter Summit is back September 9–11, 2026. Every year, the Litter Summit brings together the people doing the work to keep South Carolina clean: local leaders, educators, enforcement officers, nonprofits, volunteers, affiliates, businesses, and changemakers from across the state.

If litter prevention, community impact, beautification, sustainability, or environmental leadership matters to you, mark your calendar now! Registration coming soon.

05/13/2026

Exciting news for everyone who has ever picked up a piece of litter, joined a cleanup, or encouraged others to do the same. It’s working 👏

🎉 BIG NEWS: Our 2026 National Litter Study is here!

After months of research, we’re thrilled to release the most comprehensive data on litter in America—and the findings are incredibly encouraging.

Litter across U.S. roadways and waterways is down 34% since 2020. Every American’s share dropped from 152 pieces to 96. This is proof that when communities work together, real change happens.

But our work is far from done—35 billion pieces of litter remain. The study shows us exactly where we need to focus next, and with America’s 250th birthday approaching, there has never been a better time to finish what we started.

📊 Dive into the data and discover what’s working across the country.

Read the full 2026 National Litter Study now: https://kab.org/litter/litter-study/

04/28/2026

Our neighbors in Georgia are in our thoughts as they respond to devastating wildfires. Governor Brian Kemp reported the fires began when a balloon contacted a power line — a sobering reminder that released balloons can have consequences far beyond where they land.

Last week, the South Carolina House passed H.3047 in a 92–17 bipartisan vote, and it now heads to the Senate for a first reading. The bill would classify intentional and organized balloon releases as litter, discouraging mass releases that often become pollution in waterways, farms, roadsides, and wildlife habitat.

It’s a practical step South Carolina can take right now to address a preventable problem. But time is short.

The legislative session ends May 14, and H.3047 needs to move quickly through the Senate to reach the Governor’s desk. If it doesn’t advance before the session ends, the bill dies. We need your voice right now. Contact your SC state senator and urge them to move H.3047 forward without delay. Find your Senator through the link in the comments.

04/27/2026

🤯 2026 SC SWEEP RESULTS ARE IN...and can we just say, WOW!

In just 10 days, communities across all 46 counties came together for the 2026 , and the impact was huge:

🚮 488,856 pounds picked up
🤝 2,903 volunteers
⏰ 6,827 hours donated
💰 $223,175 in estimated savings for communities

From 80 tons in year one to 244 tons in year two, it’s safe to say gained serious momentum this year. Those numbers tell a story of neighbors showing up for their communities and for each other. To everyone who filled a bag, organized a cleanup, or picked up a stray cup on the side of the road, thank you. This happened because of you 💚

04/24/2026

This week, communities across the state came together for cleanups. Every cleanup is a reminder that when people rally around a common cause, change happens.

There’s something SO INSPIRING about seeing South Carolinians step up for the places they love. Thank you to every volunteer, partner, and community leader who made this week special 🫶

📸: Keep Greenville County Beautiful | Keep Dorchester County Beautiful | City of Fountain Inn Municipality - Government | Hardeeville Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department | Blue Heron Nature Center/Keep Jasper County Beautiful | Transcom Greenville SC