Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful is a U.S. based nonprofit organization founded in 1953. It is the largest community improvement organization in the United States, with more than 620 state and community-based affiliate organizations (similar to local chapters) and more than 1,000 community organizations that participate in their programs.

Keep America Beautiful focuses on three key issues: litter prevention, waste reduction/recycling and community greening and beautification. This is accomplished through a combination of community organizing, public education and the fostering of public/private partnerships.

Keep America Beautiful was founded in 1953 by a consortium of American businesses (including founding members Philip Morris, Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola), nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and concerned individuals in reaction to the growing problem of highway litter that followed the construction of the Interstate Highway System, and an increasingly mobile and convenience-oriented American consumer. The original goal of the organization was to reduce litter through public service advertising (PSA) campaigns.

Keep America Beautiful conducted many local PSA campaigns early in its history. One of these early campaigns in Pennsylvania (PENNDOT), some attribute to having coined the term "", as opposed to the New York Transit Authority. It was, however, coined by Paul B. Gioni, a copywriter in New York City who originated it for The American Ad Council in 1947. Keep America Beautiful joined with the Ad Council in 1961 to dramatize the idea that every individual must help protect against the effects litter has on the environment.

Gioni also wrote the copy for the popular television campaign theme in 1963, "Every Litter Bit Hurts". Another campaign in 1964 featured the character Susan Spotless.

In 1970, Keep America Beautiful began distributing a free brochure; more than 100,000 copies were requested within four months.

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