Hikers Jordan Price and Carlie Roberts today kicked off an environmental campaign along the Appalachian Trail in the name of national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful (KAB), the Trek Against Trash: The Hike to Keep America Beautiful.

Jordan Price, Carlie Roberts

 

Friends and supporters gathered this morning to wish the couple well on the journey that began in Dawson County, Georgia at Amicalola State Park.  “We welcome Jordan and Carlie on behalf of Keep Dawson County Beautiful and wish them well as they embark on this six month journey across the Appalachians,” said Keep Dawson County Beautiful Executive Director Cathy Brooks.

“Jordan and Carlie’s vision of a clean America matches that of Keep Dawson County Beautiful,” Brooks continued.  “They are serving on this hike as ‘ambassadors for the environment.’  Keep Dawson County Beautiful encourages all citizens to take greater responsibility for their environment.” 

The couple has pledged to start a revolution by demonstrating how simple it is to recycle, reuse and clean up litter and pollution along the way.  Jordan Price plans on trekking the 2,174 miles from Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin, Maine to raise $150,000.

Jordan and Carlie hope to spread word of their effort through media exposure and through a dedicated web page—www.TrekAgainstTrash.org.  The page serves as the central location for online donations and to follow the trek’s progress and leave messages for Jordan and Carlie.  Their efforts have caught the attention of sponsors such as Leki and Sprint Nextel, who have signed on to support them.

Along the way—and in the spirit of KAB Man (one of their personal heroes – http://www.kabman.org)—they will be working with Keep America Beautiful  affiliates in trail communities to raise awareness by cleaning up litter, stenciling storm drains, planting trees and participating in other local greening activities.  They hope to lead by example and have others follow the trend to take responsibility for the environmental well-being of their communities.

“This hike is something we’re very passionate about, as we feel we can make a positive impact on the environment,” said Jordan Price.  “We want to show that while not everyone is able to hike two thousand miles, or even one mile for that matter, being a responsible consumer in everyday life is really quite simple!”

The Appalachian Trail—also known as the A.T.—passes through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  It is 2,174 miles and ranges in elevation from a low of 124 feet to a high of 6,625 feet.  Since the 1930s, less than 10,000 people have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and the expenses can exceed $8,000 per hiker to complete the journey.

Keep America Beautiful believes that each one of us has an obligation to preserve and protect our environment.  Through our everyday choices and actions, including reducing, reusing and recycling, we collectively have a huge impact on our world.  It’s a simple concept, but one with far-reaching effects.  KAB follows a practical approach that unites citizens, businesses and government to find solutions that advance its core issues of preventing litter, reducing waste and beautifying communities.

KAB OFFERS SIMPLE TIPS TO GO GREEN:

• Don’t litter.  Do your part to reduce litter by joining in local cleanup efforts.  Find events at www.kab.org.
• If you smoke, properly dispose of your cigarette litter.
• Plant trees, flowers and shrubs to beautify your community.
• Donate to your local community KAB affiliate; find one at www.kab.org.
• Know your local recycling rules and remember that “reduce and reuse” come first.
• Lots of litter is unintentional.  Make sure your trash bags and cans are secured.
• Carry a refillable water bottle and be sure to properly recycle all of your beverage containers.
• Take a reusable bag when shopping, and reuse or recycle any single-use bags, whether paper or plastic.

About Keep Dawson County Beautiful
Keep Dawson County Beautiful, a Keep America Beautiful affiliate, along with its community partners, builds and sustains a safer, healthier, cleaner and more livable community.  For more information call 706-344-3501 x 255 or email kdcb@dawsoncounty.org.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization.  With a network of nearly 1,000 affiliate and participating organizations, Keep America Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.  For additional information, visit www.kab.org.