What does it mean to be “Part of It, Proud of It”?

For decades, Prince George’s County has struggled with a litter problem. Residents have long expressed their frustration with illegal dumping, debris left on roadways and sidewalks, and trash in our parks and on our properties. When we set out on this beautification journey, I promised a new approach - one that would tackle the problem with the latest innovations in green technology, new services for residents, policy changes, better law enforcement on illegal dumping, and improved coordination with the State. There’s more work to be done, but since May 1, 2019, we have made significant and visible progress: 

• On May 1, 2019, we launched the Beautification Initiative, a countywide, coordinated approach to reducing litter and beautifying the County;

• On May 3 and October 19, 2019, we hosted the “Growing Green with Pride” event to make our community cleaner and greener by conducting individual community plantings and other activities throughout the County;

• We collected more than 3.2 million pounds of litter and illegal signs;

• The Department of Public Works & Transportation (DPW&T) resurfaced over 20 miles of County roadways, filled over 40,000 potholes, and replaced over one million square feet of sidewalk;

• We installed 29 Big Belly dual solar trash and recycling stations at bus stops throughout the County, and these stations have collected 54,978 pounds of trash;

• We strengthened law enforcement on illegal dumping with the installation of cameras to monitor illegal dumping hotspots throughout the County and introduced new penalties;

• With the assistance of the County Council and fellow Prince Georgians, we passed legislation to ban plastic straws - a move that will go a long way toward eliminating microplastics that end up in our food and harm our waterways and marine animals.

In addition to these accomplishments, we launched our anti-littering campaign, which encourages residents to share the responsibility for improving our environment. In early July 2019, we distributed a beautification survey to residents and used the feedback to better equip Prince Georgians with the information and resources they need to help keep the County greener, cleaner, and more beautiful. In October 2019, we gathered input from the community on various slogans and creative concepts (in both English and Spanish) to determine the best ways to promote positive behaviors around reducing litter.

Based on the feedback collected, we have adopted the slogan “Part of it. Proud of it. Keep our County Clean and Beautiful.” This slogan speaks to accountability, inclusion, and pride. Also, with resident input, we selected an eye-catching advertising concept for the campaign. You’ll soon see the campaign messages in locations throughout the County, such as The Mall at Prince George’s, on billboards, at bus shelters, and more. We will also offer fun, educational ways for Prince Georgians of all ages to engage with the campaign.

While advertising and slogans help promote our message, I know our Beautification Initiative must do much more to unite us in our effort to work toward shared goals. Shifting perceptions and encouraging positive behaviors takes continuous and consistent effort - as well as commitment, buy-in, and participation from all Prince Georgians. We have a long way to go, but I am Prince George’s Proud to say that we are on our way and the best is yet to come.

Yours in service,
Angela Alsobrooks
Prince George’s County Executive