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Everyone can participate! Volunteers from all walks of life
…students, business leaders, civic and non-profit
organizations, individuals, families, community groups,
sororities, fraternities, sports teams, the military, etc.
If you have some from free time, please volunteer and make
and difference.
AAH volunteers interested in participating should contact
their local Adopt-a-Highway Coordinator (see AAH Coordinator
list) or contact Keep Texas Beautiful at www.ktb.org or at
1-800-CLEAN-TX to volunteer.
Making a haul
Since the start of this program Trash-Off volunteers have picked up millions of tons of trash yearly. Some of the “unusual” items collected in 2005 included fireplace tools, hubcaps, credit cards, driver's license, money orders and cell phones.
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Doug
Baum and his daughter Vanessa brought their camel to
help pick up litter along their adopted section of highway
in Bosque County. The Baums and their “Texas Camel
Corps” have participated in the AAH program since
2001.
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Trash-Off
history
The Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off is rooted in the Adopt-a-Highway
program. Originally called the Great Texas Trash-Off, the event
began in 1986 as a call to action to refrain from littering
on one designated day.
In 1987, the Trash-Off event was expanded to include litter
pickup because research has shown that people are less likely
to litter when the roadside is clean.
From these humble origins, the event has evolved and continues
to enjoy increasing success.
Notable Trash-Off
benchmarks
1986
Trash-Off is launched as an event to encourage motorists to
refrain from littering for one day.
1987
Adopt-a-Highway groups participate in the annual event by picking
up roadside litter — reinforcing the Don't Mess with Texas
message.
1990
Texas invites other states to join in the Trash-Off. Eight states
(Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi
and New Mexico) and two countries (Costa Rica and Honduras)
participate as the Trash-Off becomes the Great American Trash-Off.
1991
Nationwide Trash-Off participation grows to include 42 states
and the District of Columbia, making the 1991 event the largest
national Trash-Off ever.
1993
Back in the Lone Star state, Keep Texas Beautiful volunteers
join the Trash-Off and, together with Adopt-a-Highway groups,
raise the number of participants in Texas to 85,000.
1995
The Trash-Off celebrates its 10th anniversary. The number of
volunteers in the Lone Star state breaks the 100,000 mark, and
an estimated 7.7 million gallons of trash are picked up.
1999
The Trash-Off gets a new name, the Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off,
as the organizers reconnect the state's litter prevention message
to cleanup activities. Volunteer totals are estimated at more
than 180,000 participants.
2001
Another record haul. Volunteers from 1,600 Adopt-a-Highway groups
and more than 100 communities bring in more than 2 million pounds
of roadside litter.
2002
Texas volunteers out did themselves again. More than 70,000
environmentally minded Texans picked up more than 457 tons of
refuse. Around 1,300 AAH groups participated this year.
2003
Texans sure do know how to get the job done! More than 77,000
Texans hit the road sides to pickup more than 459 tons of refuse.
About 1,400 Adopt-a-Highway groups cleaned up their stretches,
and 73 communities participated in the event.
2004
Texas does it again! Volunteers from all across the state cam together to beautify and take pride in our great state. More than 126,000 volunteers and 115 communities picked up over 327 tons of litter.
2005
Thousands of volunteers gave up their time for their love of Texas, picking up an estimated 575 tons of litter. More than 1,700 Adopt-a-Highway groups and over 150 communities across the state took part in this Texas-size event!
2006
Adopt-a-Highway volunteers truly do make a difference in our great big beautiful state! More than 94,373 volunteers participated, collecting 28,289 bags of trash on this one day.
2007
Texans were out in record number this year showing their Texas pride! This year more than 55,580 volunteers picked
over 3 million pounds of litter. Hat’s off to all who volunteered to keep Texas beautiful.
 For
more information, please visit http://www.ktb.org.
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