June 18, 2008

Charlotte, NC -- Charlotte's overall score with the Keep Charlotte Beautiful Litter Index improved for 2008.

The scale used in the survey includes:
1  =  Virtually no litter
2  =  Slightly Littered - a small amount is apparent that one or two persons could easily pick up
3  =  Littered - Visible litter is readily seen and would require an organized effort to remove it
4  =  Heavily Littered - A continuous amount of litter is one of the first things noticed. This may include dumpsites that would require special equipment and additional manpower to remove

Charlotte's 2008 score is 1.63, compared to 1.85 in 2007

The locations that are survey are the same from year to year, in order to measure change through time. The locations are diverse in nature and include Interstate ramps, schools, restaurants, city streets and intersections, shopping centers, county parks, business parks and other locations all around Charlotte. Seven teams visit these locations - one team per Charlotte City Council political district. the scores are tallied and averaged to obtain a score for each political district, as well as an overall score for the city.

Keep Charlotte Beautiful is one of the nation's oldest Keep America Beautiful affiliates. Founded in 1974, part of the Keep Charlotte Beautiful mission is to participate in programs that promote clean, safe, and beautiful communities, and to forge partnerships with government, communities, and organizations with similar goals and objectives. Among its annual projects are the Great American Cleanup, the Neighborhood Recognition program and the Adopt-a-Street Program.

For additional information contact:
Keep Charlotte Beautiful
704-336-4211