Want to go for a walk on May 6 and help make Vermont an even more beautiful place?

Then pick up some trash along the roads and streams of the Green Mountain State that Saturday and join your neighbors in a Vermont tradition: Green Up Day!

Every year thousands of Vermonters in towns throughout the state volunteer their time to making our world a nicer and better place. Since 1970, Vermonters have greened up 13,000 miles of roadside in the nation’s largest and oldest statewide green-up event.

“This annual effort demonstrates our commitment to keeping our state and natural resources clean and as litter-free as possible,” Gov. Phil Scott said before he geared up for a recent Green Up Day. “I want to encourage all Vermonters to get involved in Green Up Day — it makes a real difference, and it’s an important part of who we are as Vermonters.”

Green Up Vermont Executive Director Kate Alberghini recently offered these “litter” statistics to spur on volunteers:

• Litter clean-up costs the U.S. more than $11.5 billion each year.

• 55% of Realtors believe litter reduces property values by 9%.

• Plastics in the litter stream have increased by more than 165% over the past 40 years.

• Tobacco products comprise about 38% of all roadway litter followed by paper (22%) and plastic (19%).

• 85% of littering is the result of individual attitudes.

• A strong contributor to littering is the prevalence of existing litter. 

• Communities that have ongoing clean-up efforts have lower rates of littering behavior.

• Changing a few simple habits can reduce our waste and our carbon footprint.

“For all of you who participate in Green Up Day and who live the Green Up way every day, the impact you are making for Vermont and our planet is great,” Alberghini said. “Your influence on changing the mindsets of others is so important to our next generation. If you have never joined in on Green Up Day, please grab a green bag and participate — it’s easy and extremely fulfilling. We need you.”

You can download the Green Up Vermont app from the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, visit greenupvermont.org.