What is Green Up Day Vermont?
Green Up Day happens every year in Vermont on the first Saturday in May. It is a unique Vermont tradition when volunteers from all over the state help to pick up roadside trash that has ended up along the state's roads.
Vermont is the first state in the nation to designate a day to pick up trash throughout the state. The first Green Up Day occurred on April 18, 1970 and was started by Governor Deane Davis. The first year the results were amazing. Four thousand truck loads were taken away by the highway department which comprised of over 20,000 cubic yards of trash that was removed from the Interstate and and other state roads while another 20,000 cubic yards was collected from the town roads.
In 1979 it became a non-profit organization with 10 percent of the funding coming from the state while the remainder comes primarily from private businesses and individuals through charitable contributions, including giving on the Vermont State Income Tax Return. Vermont is the only state in the nation that does not have an Adopt A Highway program. They choose instead to maintain the grassroots tradition of Green Up Day where Vermonters of all ages can participate in this yearly event. While the State of Vermont cleans up state highways, Green Up Day participants clean up all of the town roads.
Green trash bags are distributed throughout the state which are then used by volunteers to 
help pick up trash in their town. Bags can be picked up at your local town hall. Volunteers are often asked to pick a location that they will be responsible for which is often the road on which they live. Once full the bags can be left on the side of the road for pickup or can be brought to a specific location.
Join Green Up on Saturday, May 6th to help raise public awareness about the benefits of a litter-free environment and to help make our beautiful state of Vermont free of trash on our state and local roads.
For more information on how to participate contact your local town hall or visit:
