December 22, 2024

Hi and welcome to newsletter #49 of OneBeautifulPlanet.org! You are one of our 260 subscribers. Thank you for signing up. If you have just subscribed, check out the Newsletter archive, which starts in June 2023.

Last Cleanup of the Year

Earlier this week I took an evening walk to the ATM at my local bank. On the way there, a large, mostly white, plastic bag was floating aimlessly on the road, and I could not resist picking it up. Figured I would just drop it off in the nearest trash can. But before I could find one, I stumbled upon a few pieces of litter! And then a few more! Pictures below (and my post on Reddit and Instagram) tell the rest of the story.

Happy Holidays! and here’s to a peaceful and productive 2025!

Mom, We Made the News !

The Levittown Lake cleanup we completed in November made the local news in Bucks County, Pennsylvania! Read all about it here, and on the new “In the News” section of the website. I am thankful for the efforts and time of journalist and editor Jeff Bohen, who took on the topic, and helped promote our cleanup.

And if you would like to volunteer with us at a future event, please get in touch! It will be a lot of fun, and may even result in your picture being featured in the local newspaper!

2024 Annual Report

I started working on our annual report for 2024, and am excited about 2025! Since inception, we have published more than 35 articles, our volunteers carried out 65+ cleanups, collecting more than 2,000 lbs. of litter from public spaces, and we supported approximately fifty organizations and individuals doing work in the environmental space. Web traffic is slowly increasing, and the email list has grown to 260 subscribers. OneBeautifulPlanet.org has just passed the 1,000+ unique visitors per month milestone!

Inspiration from Friends in Johnston County, Tennessee

After Hurricane Helene devastated Johnson County, Tennessee, Watauga Lake was overwhelmed with debris. While the annual cleanup typically run by Watauga Watershed Alliance was delayed, individuals stepped up to restore the beloved destination. Ms. Joellyn Smith of the group Litter Chicks took the initiative, starting with a solo effort to remove trash after work. She inspired others, leading three cleanup days that removed nearly three tons of waste. These initiatives highlight the power of personal responsibility in taking on environmental challenges. Small, determined steps DO lead to meaningful change!

Please share this newsletter if you found it helpful or interesting. And if you would like to collaborate in some way, whether in writing, or volunteering together at a cleanup, get in touch!

Razvan