NAPLES, Fla. — Keep Collier Beautiful is seeking volunteers to assist in its annual litter index report. The organization, dedicated to cleanup efforts in Collier County, provided an exclusive ride-along opportunity with Fox 4, revealing some of the most problematic areas where trash accumulates along streets and canals.
According to Darryl DeFrancesco, who works with Waste Management and partners with Keep Collier Beautiful, the majority of litter consists of cups, paper, and items commonly found in people's hands.
"It comes down mostly to people just not securing their trash correctly," DeFrancesco explained.
Due to the county's large size, identifying areas in need of cleanup can be challenging.
Keep Collier Beautiful is therfore urging volunteers to survey their own neighborhoods, capture images of trash accumulation, and submit them through an online survey.
"All community members can participate," said Cyndee Woolley, the organization's executive director. "We're looking for reports of heavy debris that needs to be cleaned up and reports of where your community is very clean because we want this to be a broad report," she added.
Woolley says the data collected will help prioritize cleanup efforts and assess progress.
"Locally, we're going to assess this report, and we're going to share it with our partners, which include Collier County, our county commissioners, the City of Naples, and Waste Management and WastePro" she said.
Last year, Keep Collier Beautiful reported having 1,100 volunteers. The group says it collectively cleaned over 5,000 pounds of litter and debris.
