Keep Okaloosa Beautiful

Keep Okaloosa Beautiful Keep Okaloosa Beautiful has been a local affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Florida Beautiful networks since 2022.

Contact us to learn more about volunteer opportunities and other activities! https://linktr.ee/keepokaloosabeautiful To promote environmental awareness and educate the community on how to reduce litter from our natural resources, beautify our recreational and private areas, improve recycling efforts, and keep our county Beautiful.

Okaloosa County faces an interesting challenge as a busy coastal area. We get a lot of visitors and we get a lot of tras...
06/05/2026

Okaloosa County faces an interesting challenge as a busy coastal area. We get a lot of visitors and we get a lot of trash. Coastal areas have significantly higher litter density, averaging about 16,800 pieces per mile, compared to 2,200 along roadways and 1,300 along waterways.

We have to work together to reduce the burden of litter on our communities! Join the city of Fort Walton Beach at their biggest trash cleanup yet. We're partnering together for a cleanup of Santa Rosa Sound and U.S. Highway 98: from Liza Jackson Park to Fort Walton Beach Landing. Pick one of three locations (Liza Jackson Park, Sound Park, or Fort Walton Beach Landing). Pick waterside (Santa Rosa Sound) or roadside (U.S. Highway 98). More information and sign-up form at: fwb.org/cleanestcity
Keep America Beautiful

Marine Debris, simply put, is land-based trash that ends up in our lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans. It is a global pr...
06/03/2026

Marine Debris, simply put, is land-based trash that ends up in our lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans. It is a global problem with local impacts to both people and wildlife. Marine debris comes from people. It enters our waterways through littering, stormwater run-off, abandoned fishing gear, and extreme natural events like hurricanes.

Check out this old rusty, barnacle-covered bike a group of volunteers found at Women Veterans Park on Okaloosa Island. It was likely tossed around in the bay for a while before it ended up close enough to the shore to be spotted and removed.

Keep America Beautiful

Let's talk contamination... 😟Your recycling bin is the one with the yellow lid. That means only accepted curbside recycl...
06/01/2026

Let's talk contamination... 😟

Your recycling bin is the one with the yellow lid. That means only accepted curbside recyclables should go in that bin. Anything else is considered contamination. Recycling contamination happens when trash ruins otherwise good recyclables. For example, food waste and liquids saturate paper and cardboard. Once contaminated, these materials can no longer be recycled. They become trash that will be separated out and sent to the landfill. 👎

How many forms of contamination can we spot in this bin?
1. Bagged Materials (x3) - You should never bag your recyclables. Bagged materials will not be opened at the MRF because they pose a health and safety hazard to the team members who are working hard to sort your materials.
2. Pizza Boxes - These are tricky. Clean cardboard pizza boxes are recyclable, but this means no cheese residue. Make sure to check the top and bottom of the box before tossing them into the bin.
3. Other thin plastic films and bags - Ice bags and other thin plastic bags do not belong in your bin. They can get caught in machinery and cause mechanical failures which are a danger to MRF staff and the entire facility.
4. Large Aluminum Pans - These likely have food residue inside, so they cannot be recycled in your curbside bin.
5. Full Water bottles - Plastic bottles can be recycled with the cap on, but they should be empty. Please pour out any liquids before tossing the container into your bin.

Recycle Right by placing clean, loose recyclables in your curbside bin. When in doubt, throw it out! (Or ask us your questions, we're happy to help!) Learn more: https://www.wm.com/us/en/recycle-right

The National Litter Study tells us litter is declining because multiple things are working together. 🚯Cigarette butt lit...
05/29/2026

The National Litter Study tells us litter is declining because multiple things are working together. 🚯

Cigarette butt litter, historically the most common item, is down 62% since 2020 and nearly 90% since 2009, far outpacing the decline in smoking. That’s not accidental, and it reflects targeted efforts, better awareness, and sustained engagement.

Please dispose of your ci******es properly and refrain from smoking in county owned parks and beaches.

Keep America Beautiful

⚠ Recycling contamination happens when trash ruins otherwise good recyclables. For example, food waste and liquids satur...
05/27/2026

⚠ Recycling contamination happens when trash ruins otherwise good recyclables. For example, food waste and liquids saturate paper and cardboard. Once contaminated, these materials can no longer be recycled. They become trash that will be separated out and sent to the landfill.

This image shows what happens when unaccepted materials enter the Material Recovery Facility. How many 'contaminants' can you see?

Helium tanks, pots and pans, wire racks, lamp shades- just to name a few. None of these items should go in your bin. Learn more about how to recycle right here: https://www.wm.com/us/en/recycle-right

Happy Memorial Day 🇺🇸A quiet moment of reflection in nature is a great way to honor our nation's deceased service men a...
05/25/2026

Happy Memorial Day 🇺🇸

A quiet moment of reflection in nature is a great way to honor our nation's deceased service men and women.

92% of Americans agree: cleaning and greening our country should be a priority as we approach America’s 250th birthday. ...
05/22/2026

92% of Americans agree: cleaning and greening our country should be a priority as we approach America’s 250th birthday. The good news: we’re already making it happen— litter is down 34%. The challenge: keeping the momentum going.

Join the city of Fort Walton Beach at their biggest trash cleanup yet.
We're partnering together for a cleanup of Santa Rosa Sound and U.S. Highway 98: from Liza Jackson Park to Fort Walton Beach Landing. Pick one of three locations (Liza Jackson Park, Sound Park, or Fort Walton Beach Landing). Pick waterside (Santa Rosa Sound) or roadside (U.S. Highway 98). More information and sign-up form at: fwb.org/cleanestcity

Keep America Beautiful

Wildflower Wednesday! This week's spotlight goes to the Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella)! This flower occurs through...
05/20/2026

Wildflower Wednesday!

This week's spotlight goes to the Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella)! This flower occurs throughout Florida in dry savannahs, coastal dunes and other dry, open areas. It blooms in spring, summer and into fall in North Florida, and its colorful blooms attract a variety of pollinating insects. 🐝

🌸The blanketflower has a contentious status in Florida, given that a 2020 study concluded that it isn't native to the eastern US. The Florida Wildflower Foundation defines “Florida native wildflowers” as any flowering herbaceous species that grew wild within the state’s natural ecosystems in the 1560s when Florida’s first botanical records were created. Historically, G. pulchella is absent from the eastern USA in several historic floras and is only documented in Florida's natural areas some time around 1904.

Despite its new status as a non-native, don't feel the need to rip up any Blanketflower blooms you might see. The Blanketflower remains on the UF IFAS list of Florida Friendly Plants. Experts agree that the blooms provide a great pollination service along our roadways, beaches and urban landscapes and emphasize that there's a difference between planting for restoration and planting for wildlife. Restoration efforts should always prioritize native species, however, you have freedom to choose your priorities for your home garden. Making an educated choice is the key! 🔑
Read more here: https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-gaillardia.../

“Nothing ACTUALLY gets recycled”❌FALSE! ❌ Our new Material Recovery Facility in Fort Walton Beach works daily to sort an...
05/18/2026

“Nothing ACTUALLY gets recycled”

❌FALSE! ❌
Our new Material Recovery Facility in Fort Walton Beach works daily to sort and bale your recyclables so that they can have a new life and reduce the need for virgin materials.

⚠️Please be mindful of what you are placing in your recycling bin!⚠️
Household trash, clothes, wires, plastic bags DO NOT belong in your curbside bin!

Remember to recycle right ♻️ When in doubt, throw it out (in your trash bin). Please visit: https://myokaloosa.com/pw/environmental/recycling

The work we're doing in Okaloosa County is helping drive national progress! The new study shows litter is down 34% nati...
05/15/2026

The work we're doing in Okaloosa County is helping drive national progress! The new study shows litter is down 34% nationwide. Thanks to every volunteer who picked up, every partner who stepped up, and every resident who cares.

We have cleaned up 9,198 pounds of litter and marine debris from our county over the past year and half! Now let’s keep it going.
https://kab.org/litter/litter-study/

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