Join Keep Blount Beautiful and Little River Watershed Association for the 6th Annual Little River Run 5K on November 16th at the Townsend Abbey! The Little River Run 5K brings together hundreds of people to celebrate the beauty of Blount County and promote environmental sustainability. All proceeds from the event benefit KBB and LRWA's many free programs, events, and initiatives that focus on environmental education and conservation.

Let’s make this year our biggest yet! Register to run or volunteer on RunSignUp.com

Runners registered for the 6th Annual Little River Run 5K can pick up their race packets early on Thursday, November 14th from 5-8 PM at Little River Trading Company/Cycology Bicycles (2408 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville). Race packets include a chip timed bib and race T-shirt.

During this time, each beer purchase from Cycology Bicycles' taproom will benefit the 5K, so make sure to stay for a pint!

Runners unable to make it to the packet pickup can get their packets on race day from 9 AM to 10:30 AM at the registration tent front of the Townsend Abbey. Those who register after the packet pickup on November 14th will need to get their packet on race day.

For more information on the Little River Run 5K, visit RunSignUp

Keep Blount Beautiful will host its Annual America Recycles Day collection on Saturday, November 2nd at First Baptist Church Maryville, 202 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy, from 10 AM until 1 PM. This event is a free, drive-through collection of various items for proper recycling or reuse. The collection items are listed below.

Please review the information below carefully before packing up your items. Household recycling, household hazardous waste, paint, or lightbulbs will not be accepted at this event. For disposal information, visit the Resources tab at KeepBlountBeautiful.org.

Volunteers are needed for this event! Volunteers will help with set up/tear down, directing traffic, and unloading cars. Register to volunteer here (required)

ACCEPTED ITEMS Items cannot be dropped off any earlier than 10 AM

Paper Bee Gone- Secure documents for shredding and recycling*

NOTE: Documents will be accepted from households and small businesses/nonprofits only. Staples, paper clips, and extra small binder clips do not have to be removed, but binding, three ring folders/binders, and medium/large binder clips cannot be shredded. Shredding is done on-site. Shredding services will only be available as capacity lasts. To ensure room for secure documents only, regular paper should be taken to the Blount County Recycling Center or placed in your recycling bin.

*Please consider a $5 donation for shredding services.

Scott Recycling- Electronics*
NOTE: There is a disposal fee for CRT TVs and CRT monitors. Cash or check payment only. Checks can be made out to Scott Recycling. CRT Monitors are $15 each, Small CRT TVs are $25, and Large CRT TVs are $35.

*Please consider a donation for the use of electronic recycling services.

Evolve Renewable Materials- household batteries*

• Alkaline

• Zinc Carbon

• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

• Lithium-Ion

• Lithium Primary

• Mercury Batteries

• Silver Oxide

• Button Cells

• Small Electronics batteries (cellphones, tablets, wireless headphones and earbuds, smart watches, activity trackers, power tools, etc.)

*All other batteries, including E-Cigarette/Vape Devices, Damaged, Defective, and Recalled Batteries, and Mercury Containing Devices will not be accepted.

Goodwill*

• Clothes and shoes

• DVDs/CDs/Books

• Housewares

• Luggage

• Blankets, towels, etc

*Items must be in good, working condition with no stains, rips, or breaks

Maryville Lions Club- Prescription eyeglasses. NO sunglasses, safety glasses, or cases.

Keep Blount Beautiful

• Reusable grocery bags in good condition (NO totes, backpacks, or wine bags)

• Used Brita products (Brita brand only)

• Used oral care products (empty toothpaste tubes, floss containers, toothbrushes; NO electric toothbrushes)

• Used air care items (air and home cartridges, plugs, spray nozzles, film packaging; NO aerosol cans)

• Used squeezable snack pouches (squeezable snack pouches and caps)

• Used hair tools and appliances (hair dryers, curling irons, and styling irons)

This event is one of our events in celebration of the Blount County Great American Cleanup (BCGAC), an initiative that encourages residents to take action to improve and beautify their community. Thank you to the Tennessee Valley Authority for sponsoring the BCGAC and for their continued support of a clean Blount County. Thank you to The Daily Times for being a media sponsor of the BCGAC.

Join Keep Blount Beautiful, the Little River Watershed Association, and Peaceful Side Brewery for a Pint Night benefitting the Little River Run 5K! All day, $1 from each beer purchase will benefit the 5K. KBB and LRWA representatives will be on site from 4- 7 PM to provide more information on the event and other events and programming! Race registration will also be available at this time. 

For more information on the Little River Run 5K and to register, visit RunSignUp.com

Join Keep Blount Beautiful and Blackhorse Pub & Brewery for Dash for Trash on September 14th! Dash for Trash is a family-friendly, hour-long litter pickup event. Volunteers should meet at the overflow parking lot on Bessemer St. across from Blackhorse (https://maps.app.goo.gl/tJ5sgLKLKDHkn9N2A). All litter pickup supplies will be provided. Volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes and bring water.

Don’t forget to grab a snack/drink after the cleanup! Each volunteer will receive free chips and beer cheese at Blackhorse and a chance to receive prize giveaways.

We will be collecting items for TerraCycle US at this event. Feel free to bring any of the following items for collection. Collection items can be found here.

Volunteers are encouraged to register for this event to receive event updates and reminders.

Join the City of Maryville and Keep Blount Beautiful for the City of Maryville Creek Cleanup! Litter pickup supplies and some waders will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to wear muck/rain boots and clothes that can get dirty.

This event will take place at multiple locations. Please register to receive an event location as well as reminders and updates. Last minute volunteers unable to sign up can meet us at Edward Jones, 1515 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37804 (priority) or the Public Parking Lot off of Parham Ave. (https://g.co/kgs/1z1N6jH)

Join Keep Blount Beautiful and Little River Watershed Association for the 7th Annual Townsend Community Cleanup! Volunteers will meet at the Townsend Visitor Center to gather supplies and then clean up various areas of Townsend. All litter supplies will be provided. (Note: this event was originally scheduled for March 23rd and rescheduled due to weather.)

Volunteers are encouraged to register for this event to receive event reminders and updates.

This event is one of our events in celebration of the Blount County Great American Cleanup (BCGAC), an initiative that encourages residents to take action to improve and beautify their community. Thank you to the Tennessee Valley Authority for sponsoring the BCGAC and for their continued support of a clean Blount County.

Join Keep Blount Beautiful, Little River Watershed Association, and the City of Alcoa for the Pistol Creek Cleanup! All litter supplies and some waders will be provided. Volunteers will meet behind New Midland Plaza where Gill St. meets Home Ave. (where Home Ave. crosses the creek).

This event is a part of the Blount County Great American Cleanup (BCGAC), an initiative to encourage residents to take action and improve their community. Thank you to TVA for sponsoring the BCGAC and for their continued support.

Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for this event to receive reminders and updates.

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College (MC) students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Alcoa Intermediate School on Friday, May 3rd, to provide a community environmental education activity titled “Seed Spreaders” – to promote awareness of bird species and the support they provide our community - to grade school students and their families at the school’s Career Day event! This is the twelfth and final Community Environmental Education (CEE) event, and the fourth one in Spring 2024, that is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in 2022.

As spring is here and summer is ahead, we remind you to plant native species in the region and choose pollinator-friendly plants! Happy Spring and Summer!

Keep Blount Beautiful will host its Annual Earth Day Recycling collection on Saturday, April 20th at First Baptist Church Maryville, 202 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy, from 10 AM until 1 PM (please note the time change). This event is a free, drive-through collection of various items for proper recycling or reuse. The collection items are listed below.

Please review the information below carefully before packing up your items. Household recycling, household hazardous waste, paint, or lightbulbs will not be accepted at this event. For disposal information, visit the Resources tab at KeepBlountBeautiful.org.

Volunteers are needed for this event! Volunteers will help with set up/tear down, directing traffic, and unloading cars. Register to volunteer here (required)

ACCEPTED ITEMS Items cannot be dropped off any earlier than 10 AM

Shred-It- Secure documents for shredding and recycling*

NOTE: Documents will be accepted from households and small businesses only. Staples and paper clips are okay for shredding, but binding must be removed. Shredding is done on-site. Shredding services will only be available as capacity lasts. To ensure room for secure documents only, regular paper should be taken to the Blount County Recycling Center or placed in your recycling bin.

*Please consider a $5 donation for shredding services.

Scott Recycling- Electronics*
NOTE: There is a disposal fee for CRT TVs and CRT monitors. Cash or check payment only. Checks can be made out to Scott Recycling. CRT Monitors are $15 each, Small CRT TVs are $25, and Large CRT TVs are $35.

*Please consider a donation for the use of electronic recycling services.

Evolve Renewable Materials- household batteries*

• Alkaline

• Zinc Carbon

• Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)

• Lithium-Ion

• Lithium Primary

• Mercury Batteries

• Silver Oxide

• Button Cells

• Small Electronics batteries (cellphones, tablets, wireless headphones and earbuds, smart watches, activity trackers, power tools, etc.)

*All other batteries, including E-Cigarette/Vape Devices, Damaged, Defective, and Recalled Batteries, and Mercury Containing Devices will not be accepted.

Goodwill*

• Clothes and shoes

• DVDs/CDs/Books

• Housewares

• Luggage

• Blankets, towels, etc

*Items must be in good, working condition with no stains, rips, or breaks

Maryville Lions Club- Prescription eyeglasses. NO sunglasses, safety glasses, or cases.

Keep Blount Beautiful

• Reusable grocery bags in good condition (NO totes, backpacks, or wine bags)

• Used Brita products (Brita brand only)

• Used oral care products (empty toothpaste tubes, floss containers, toothbrushes; NO electric toothbrushes)

• Used air care items (air and home cartridges, plugs, spray nozzles, film packaging; NO aerosol cans)

• Used squeezable snack pouches (squeezable snack pouches and caps)

• Used hair tools and appliances (hair dryers, curling irons, and styling irons)

• Paper egg cartons (paper only)

This event is one of our events in celebration of the Blount County Great American Cleanup (BCGAC), an initiative that encourages residents to take action to improve and beautify their community. Thank you to the Tennessee Valley Authority for sponsoring the BCGAC and for their continued support of a clean Blount County. Thank you to The Daily Times for being a media sponsor of the BCGAC.

Keep Blount Beautiful’s Blount County Waste Disposal 101 webinar covers everything you need to know about waste disposal in Blount County, including what/how/where to recycle, hazardous waste disposal, the landfill, and more.

This webinar is open to the public, but registration is required. We are offering this webinar at both 11 AM and 6 PM. Questions are welcomed via Zoom’s chat feature and will be answered at the end of the presentation.

Register for 11 AM- 12 PM Register for 6 PM- 7 PM

Join Keep Blount Beautiful and the Town of Louisville for the annual Town of Louisville Cleanup! Volunteers should meet at Louisville Town Hall, 3623 Louisville Rd, on Saturday, April 13th at 8:30 AM to gather supplies and receive instruction. Volunteers will then pick up litter on designated Louisville streets, parks, and waterways. Volunteers are advised to wear closed-toed shoes and long pants. Litter pickup supplies will be provided. Lunch will be provided after the cleanup.

Volunteers are encouraged to register for this event to receive reminders and updates.

NOTE: There is a rain date for this event on Saturday, May 4th.

This event is in celebration of the Blount County Great American Cleanup (BCGAC), an initiative that encourages residents to take action to improve and beautify their community. Thank you to the Tennessee Valley Authority for sponsoring the BCGAC and their continued support of a clean Blount County.

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College (MC) students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Eagleton Elementary School on Thursday, March 28, to provide a community environmental education activity titled “Seed Spreaders” – to promote awareness of bird species and the support they provide our community - to grade school students and their families at the school’s Carnival event! This is the eleventh Community Environmental Education (CEE) event, and the third one in Spring 2024, that is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in 2022.

As spring is upon us, we remind you to plant native species in the region and choose pollinator-friendly plants! Happy Spring!

This event has been canceled due to weather. It will be rescheduled for a later date. Thank you for understanding!

Join Keep Blount Beautiful and Little River Watershed Association for the 7th Annual Townsend Community Cleanup! Volunteers will meet at the Townsend Visitor Center to gather supplies and then clean up various areas of Townsend. All litter supplies will be provided. Volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes and long pants.

Volunteers are encouraged to register for this event to receive event reminders and updates.

This event is one of our events in celebration of the Blount County Great American Cleanup (BCGAC), an initiative that encourages residents to take action to improve and beautify their community. Thank you to the Tennessee Valley Authority for sponsoring the BCGAC and for their continued support of a clean Blount County.

Keep Blount Beautiful and the Little River Watershed Association are partnering with Ijams Nature Center to host two Alcoa sites for River Rescue. We are hosting a site at Howe St. Park and just down the street at the end of Kelvin Rd. All supplies will be provided. Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a positive impact on our community!

Registration is mandatory, so join us at either of the two designated locations using the links below to register.

Alcoa/Kelvin Rd: https://www.givepulse.com/shift/1202182-Alcoa-Site-at-Pistol-Creek

Howe St Park Site: https://www.givepulse.com/shift/1202183-Howe-Street-Park-Site 

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College (MC) students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Lenoir City Intermediate/Middle School on Thursday March 7th, to provide a community environmental education activity titled “Earth Exploration” – showing how to identify woodland creatures and other natural wonders in our region - to grade school students and their families at the school’s STEAM event!   This is the tenth Community Environmental Education (CEE) event, and the second one in Spring 2024, that is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in 2022.  

We would love you to look out your window more, to see why East Tennessee and the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is one of the more biodiverse ecosystems in North America.  Remember the Four Rs:  reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose:  wrap your St. Patrick’s Day gifts in reusable paper, cloth, or newspapers; and keep your winter thermostat set to 60F. 

*This event has reached capacity! Thanks to all of those who signed up.*

Join us for a day of community camaraderie and environmental stewardship! Peaceful Side Social is teaming up with neighboring breweries Tri-Hop Brewery and Swä'rā Brewing Company Brewing Co. to make a positive impact on our local environment and support Keep Blount Beautiful! Sign up using the link below to select a brewery location. All supplies will be provided.

Grab your gloves and trash bag as we come together to beautify our surroundings and promote a cleaner, greener community. After the clean-up efforts, participants will be rewarded with a beer ticket which can be used for a complimentary pour at any of the participating breweries. Let’s raise our glasses to community collaboration and environmental conservation. Together, we can make a difference, one pint and one clean-up at a time. See you there!

Volunteers should sign up for this event to receive event details and updates. This will also help each brewery know how many volunteers to expect.

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College (MC) students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Carpenters Elementary School on Friday 16 February, to provide a community environmental education activity titled “Earth Exploration” – showing how to identify woodland creatures and other natural wonders in our region - to grade school students and their families at the school’s 1st and 2nd grade musical event!   This is the ninth Community Environmental Education (CEE) event, and the first one in Spring 2024, that is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in 2022.  

We would love you to look out your window more, to see why East Tennessee and the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is one of the more biodiverse ecosystems in North America.  Remember the Four Rs:  reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose:  wrap your Valentine Day and President’s Day gifts in reusable paper, cloth, or newspapers; and keep your winter thermostat set to 60F. 

Keep Blount Beautiful’s Blount County Waste Disposal 101 webinar covers everything you need to know about waste disposal in Blount County, including what/how/where to recycle, hazardous waste disposal, the landfill, and more.

This webinar is open to the public, but registration is required. Be ready to take notes! Questions are welcomed via Zoom’s chat feature and will be answered at the end of the presentation.

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Loudon Elementary School on Thursday 14 December, to provide a community environmental education activity titled “Earth Exploration” – showing how to identify woodland creatures and other natural wonders in our region - to grade school students and their families at their Holiday in the Hall event!  

This is the eighth Community Environmental Education (CEE) event, and the fifth one in fall 2023,  that is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in 2022.  

Be sure to look outside your window, because East Tennessee and the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is one of the more biodiverse ecosystems in  North America.  The Fellows also remind you to stay off Santa’s Naughty list by reducing your holiday waste (we create 25% more waste during the holiday season).   Use reusable dishes; recycle at holiday events; wrap gifts in reusable paper, cloth, or newspapers; and turn down your thermostat to 60F.  Wishing you all a Happy, and Sustainable Holiday Break!

Join Keep Blount Beautiful and Little River Watershed Association for the 5th Annual Little River Run 5K! The Little River Run 5K is a joint effort through which both organizations encourage participants to engage with their community, enjoy the beauty of Blount County, and help spread the message of environmental stewardship. All proceeds from the run will support the many free events and programs offered by Keep Blount Beautiful and the Little River Watershed Association.

This is a chip-timed event. In-person and virtual options are available. Learn more and register for the Little River Run 5K on RunSignUp

Sponsors and volunteers are needed for this event! Fill out the form on our event page if you are interested in sponsoring or volunteering.

Runners registered for the 5th Annual Little River Run 5K can pick up their race packets on Thursday, November 16th from 5-8 PM at Little River Trading Company (2408 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy. Maryville). During this time, each beer purchase will benefit the Little River Run 5K, so make sure to stay for a pint! Runners unable to make it to the packet pickup can get their packets on race day from 9 AM to 10:30 AM. Those who register after November 16th will need to get their packet on race day.

Learn more about the Little River Run 5K on RunSignUp.com

Reduce your Holiday Waste and Lower your Energy Consumption!

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Alcoa Intermediate School on Thursday 16 November, to provide a community environmental education activity to grade school students and their families at their Student Showcase of Learning Night!  

This is the fourth Community Environmental Education (CEE) event of the second year of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in fall 2022 - and the seventh CEE event overall. 

The Fellows and our “Out of the Box Community Sustainability” project remind you to reduce holiday waste (we create 25% more waste during the holidays), and to decrease energy consumption during the holiday season.  Use reusable dishes; recycle at holiday events; wrap gifts in reusable paper, cloth, or newspapers; and turn down your thermostat to 60F. 

Keep Blount Beautiful will host its America Recycles Day collection on Saturday, October 28th at First Baptist Church Maryville, 202 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy, from 10 AM until 1 PM (please note the time change; electronics can still be collected until 2 PM). This event is a free, drive-through collection of various items for proper recycling or reuse. The collection items are listed below.

Volunteers are no longer needed for this event.

Would your business like to sponsor America Recycles Day? Contact keepblount@gmail.com for more information!

NOTE: Please review the information below carefully before packing up your items. Household recycling, household hazardous waste, paint, or lightbulbs will not be accepted at this event. For disposal information, visit the Resources tab at KeepBlountBeautiful.org. Items cannot be dropped off any earlier than 10 AM.

Shred-It*:
Secure documents for shredding and recycling

NOTE: Documents will be accepted from households only, not businesses and corporations. Staples and paper clips are okay for shredding, but binding must be removed. Shredding is done on-site. Shredding services will only be available as capacity lasts. To ensure room for secure documents only, regular paper should be taken to the Blount County Convenience Center or placed in your recycling bin.

*Please consider a $5 donation for shredding services.

Scott Recycling* (accepted until 2 PM)
Electronics
*There is a disposal fee for CRT TVs and CRT monitors. Cash or check payment only. Checks can be made out to Scott Recycling. CRT Monitors are $15 each, Small CRT TVs are $25, and Large CRT TVs are $35. Please consider a donation for the use of electronic recycling services.

Goodwill*:
Clothes and shoes
DVDs/CDs/Books
Housewares
Luggage
Blankets, towels, etc
*Items must be in good, working condition with no stains, rips, or breaks

Maryville Lions Club:
Eyeglasses. No sunglasses, safety glasses, or cases.

Keep Blount Beautiful:
Reusable grocery bags in good condition (no totes, backpacks, or wine bags)
Used Brita products (Brita brand only)
Used oral care products (empty toothpaste tubes, floss containers, toothbrushes; no electric toothbrushes)

Don’t Be Scared – Creepy Crawly Composting is Great – and Makes Our Soil Healthy and “Spooktacular”  !

Please send best wishes to our four Maryvile College students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Eagleton Elementary School on Friday 20 October, to provide a community environmental education activity to help grade school students and families learn about sustaining nature and promoting soil health during that school’s Halloween Dance! 

This is the third Community Environmental Education (CEE) event of the second year of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in fall 2022 - and the sixth CEE event overall.  The Fellows and our “Out of the Box Sustainability” project partners remind you that our soil needs nourishment to stay healthy in order to grow the fruits, vegetables, and plants that we love.   Composting creates new soil that helps grow the food that feeds both people and animals.  And composting is another form of recycling.   Composting in fall can make your garden “spooktacular” come spring! 

Don’t Be Scared – Creepy Crawly Composting is Great – and Makes Our Soil Healthy and “Spooktacular”  !

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Carpenter’s Elementary School on Thursday 19 October, to provide a community environmental education activity to help grade school students and families learn about sustaining nature and promoting soil health during that school’s Trick or Treat in the Wetlands Event!   

This is the second Community Environmental Education (CEE) event of the second year of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in fall 2022 - and the fifth CEE event overall.  The Fellows and our “Out of the Box Sustainability” project partners remind you that our soil needs nourishment to stay healthy in order to grow the fruits, vegetables, and plants that we love.   Composting creates new soil that helps grow the food that feeds both people and animals.  And composting is another form of recycling.   Composting in fall can make your garden “spooktacular” come spring! 

Don’t Be Scared – Creepy Crawly Composting is Great – and Makes Our Soil Healthy and “Spooktacular”  !

Please send best wishes to our four Maryville College students, the MC-EPA-EE Fellows, as they travel to Carpenter’s Elementary School on Thursday 19 October, to provide a community environmental education activity to help grade school students and families learn about sustaining nature and promoting soil health during that school’s Trick or Treat in the Wetlands Event!   

This is the second Community Environmental Education (CEE) event of the second year of the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education (EPA-EE) grant Maryville College was awarded in fall 2022 - and the fifth CEE event overall.  The Fellows and our “Out of the Box Sustainability” project partners remind you that our soil needs nourishment to stay healthy in order to grow the fruits, vegetables, and plants that we love.   Composting creates new soil that helps grow the food that feeds both people and animals.  And composting is another form of recycling.   Composting in fall can make your garden “spooktacular” come spring! 

Join Keep Blount Beautiful, Little River Watershed Association, and Knox Adventure Collective for a Pint Night benefitting the Little River Run 5K! From 5 PM-8 PM, $1 from each beer purchase will benefit the 5K.

For more information on the Little River Run 5K and to register, visit RunSignUp.com

Join the Little River Watershed Association and Keep Blount Beautiful on Saturday, September 16th from 9-11 AM for a cleanup of two key recreational areas on the Little River.

Volunteers will remove trash from both Coulter’s Bridge and Sevierville Bridge. Volunteers should sign up to be given a designated meeting spot. If you have a location preference or want to be with a group, please note when you register. Please wear closed-toed shoes and long pants or shoes with tall socks. All supplies will be provided and there will be a limited amount of waders on site for volunteers to use.

To sign up for this event, please fill out the form here.