Stamford, CT, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Keep America Beautiful® today launched the #Greatest25 Instagram Challenge, calling on Americans to pick up 25 pieces of litter by April 22—Earth Day. The challenge marks the start of the Greatest American Cleanup™, the annual spring campaign that mobilizes individuals and communities to take action for a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful country.
From March 20 through June 20, Keep America Beautiful is urging people nationwide to come together to remove litter, plant trees and flowers, and revitalize parks and public spaces in their neighborhoods. In 2024, an estimated 300,000 people took part in the spring cleanup, removing more than 10 million pounds of litter and debris.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the celebrity most likely to inspire Americans to participate in a litter cleanup, according to Keep America Beautiful research conducted by The Harris Poll. Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift tied for second place, with Lady Gaga and Mr. Beast rounding out the Top 5 list.
Keep America Beautiful data show 90% of Americans believe there is too much litter in their communities. But according to The Harris Poll, less than half regularly pick up. Those who do take action to remove litter say they do it because they care about keeping their communities clean and reducing pollution, and because it brings them a sense of peace.
“People tell us they want their communities to be cleaner and more beautiful, but many aren’t sure how to make it happen,” said Jennifer Lawson, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “Picking up litter is a really simple thing you can do to make a difference in the places you love, and the #Greatest25 Instagram Challenge is a great way to get started—and you don’t have to be a celebrity. All you need is a trash bag and gloves to be a cleanup superstar in your community!”
Between now and Earth Day (April 22), Keep America Beautiful is challenging everyone to pick up 25 pieces of litter, post a photo or video on Instagram using #Greatest25, take the Pledge to support the Greatest American Cleanup, and invite others to do the same.
“Our parks, rivers, beaches, and neighborhoods belong to all of us,” Lawson said. “Whether you pick up litter on your daily walk, rally your friends for a cleanup event, or volunteer with a local Keep America Beautiful affiliate, the important thing is to take action.”
Presenting sponsors for the Greatest American Cleanup include Altria, Hilton, iHeart Media, Niagara Cares, Northrop Grumman, and The Coca-Cola Company.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify America’s public spaces through its powerful network of 700+ community-based affiliates and millions of volunteers. Learn more at www.kab.org.
Note: The referenced survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Keep America Beautiful from March 6-10, 2025, among 2,058 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ±2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
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- Greatest American Cleanup Spring 2025 Campaign
- #Greatest25 Instagram Litter Challenge
