Hutto, TX, April 25, 2018– Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement organization, recently named Keep Hutto Beautiful a Silver Star Affiliate, a designation conferred on just 14 of KTB’s nearly 400 affiliates in 2018.

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In 2017 alone, KTB affiliates and their local volunteers contributed 92,250 hours to collect more than 1.6 million pounds of waste, including 3,268 pounds of tires and 136,296 pounds of recycling. Keep Hutto Beautiful successfully implemented programs to clean up litter, reduce and recycle waste, educate local citizens and beautify and enhance the Hutto community.

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To remain in good standing with KTB, community affiliates must submit a report, pay dues, attend training and participate in a KTB-endorsed activity annually.  In 2004, the organization introduced the concept of Silver Star recognition to reward those communities who sought to go above and beyond the established requirements.  To achieve this status, affiliates must share information on their mission and goals, answer questions about their recycling practices and community greening efforts or participate in the Keep Texas Beautiful or Governor’s Community Achievement Awards programs.  KTB will formally recognize Silver Star communities during its 51st Annual Conference in Georgetown, which will be held June 11-13, 2018.

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Hutto also received second place in the 2018 Governor’s Community Achievement Awards (GCAA). Since 1985, Keep Texas Beautiful has partnered with TxDOT to support its anti-litter and beautification programs such as Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off and the Governor’s Community Achievement Awards. The GCAA program has recognized outstanding communities for more than 50 years, with TxDOT providing landscape funding since 1986.  The awards recognize the best grassroots environmental programs in the state and are awarded in 10 different population categories. Every community in Texas is eligible to apply for a Governor’s Community Achievement Award. A community’s environmental program is judged on achievements in seven different areas: community leadership and coordination, education, public awareness, litter prevention and cleanup, litter law and illegal dumping enforcement, beautification and community improvement and solid waste management.