Keep Austin Beautiful’s “Event Recycling, Play as you Throw” initiative provides an easy recycling bin lending system to collect event recyclables that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Funding will support on-site education about waste reduction and proper disposal of materials.

The UPS Foundation awarded 16 Keep America Beautiful (KAB) affiliates $10,000 community improvement grants each, supporting programs across the country that address litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, beautification and community greening. The projects will take place during 2010 and into early 2011.

The winning KAB affiliates and a description of their UPS Foundation-supported projects are:

Keep Blackstone Valley (R.I.) Beautiful is overseeing the Keep North Smithfield Clean & Green Program, a litter prevention education effort working with local food establishments and convenience stores.

Keep Charleston (S.C.) Beautiful’s Green Spaces Recycling Program will install permanent trash and recycling receptacles in every City park. The presence of permanent trash and recycling stations inside these parks will reaffirm the City’s goal of creating a clean, beautiful, sustainable community by encouraging litter prevention and waste responsibility.

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful’s “Future Blooms” program addresses the visual blight of boarded up buildings by painting windows and doors on the boarded up windows and doors, immediately changing the aesthetics around the area. Additionally, vacant lots are enhanced by defining additional “Future Blooms” spaces with fencing and landscaping.

Keep Dodge City (Kan.) Beautiful will increase collection services at its Civic Center recycling drop-off location by adding two recycling roll-off containers and using the existing bins and trailer at a new drop-off location in south Dodge, expanding their collection capabilities at both locations.

“UPS employees are actively engaged in these communities; they see the needs and want to make things better,” said The UPS Foundation President Ken Sternad. “Our financial contribution supports the overall commitment of our people, as they work to improve the environment.” Read more at www.prnewswire.com