931-537-3278
Serving the Residents of Putnam County by Providing Leadership and Education in Community Beautification, Litter Prevention and Recycling
The Keep Putnam County Beautiful Clean Commission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Cookeville, TN serving the residents of Putnam County. For more than 30 years, the Clean Commission has worked tirelessly to prevent litter, clean up illegal dumps, increase access to recycling and educate the next generation on the importance of responsible solid waste management.
Through specific programs provided to schools, business and government entities, we have a positive impact in regards to conserving our natural resources for future generations. By providing recycling and education at events, we teach and encourage recycling. Proper waste management is a huge problem in our county and we strive to address all aspects and implement solutions.
What We Do
Cleaning Up Illegal Dumps
At Keep Putnam County Beautiful Clean Commission, we have worked with the county, state and willing landowners to clean up ten legacy dumps across the county, deploying an army of volunteers to remove years’ worth of household waste and thousands of tires. We post signs at these locations to discourage future dumping and work with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office to discourage those who dump.
Encourage and Support Community Volunteerism
We work to support community organizations, businesses, groups and individuals promote beautification and cleanliness throughout Putnam County. We provide our volunteers with material support for clean-ups and projects as well as recognition for their efforts to help keep Putnam County Beautiful.
Engaging with the Next Generation
We understand that the future of responsible solid waste management lies with our children. We have developed several classroom activities demonstrating the benefits of recycling and living in a clean environment free of litter. We also facilitate a lunchroom recycling program that empowers students to participate in a better future and generates extra funding for schools.
Adopt-A-Road
Adopt-A-Center Programs
We administer the Putnam County Adopt-a-Road program. Presently we have 30 active groups cleaning 30 miles of city roads. Last year we recorded 734 volunteers participating in the program who spent 1884 hours collecting 256 bags of garbage from our roads. We provide volunteers with cleanup supplies and a road sign recognizing their efforts after three road cleanups in a year.
Recycling in the County and at Events
For 30 years, we have worked alongside the Putnam County Solid Waste Department to increase recycling access. We started by hosting two recycling events per year in the 1980’s. Today, recycling is offered at all sixteen permanent recycling facilities across the county; businesses can register for recycling, several Putnam County Schools are recycling in the lunchroom and Cookeville is exploring curbside recycling through a pilot project. We also provide recycling services to several community events.
Recognizing Our Green Business Leaders
The Go Green Business Award recognizes those businesses following good environmental practices. Businesses are nominated by members of our community for their efforts in sustainable business practices, and are selected by our volunteer board. This award is offered every other month, and recipients are presented with a certificate, yard sign and a featured article in the Herald-Citizen.