Keep Coral Gables Beautiful

Mission

To promote environmental sustainability and educate the community to take action every day to reduce litter from our open spaces & waterways, improve recycling efforts, and keep our City Beautiful.

KCGB was established in July 2020 and through this program, the City conducts a variety of events including downtown community cleanups, beautification events, educational opportunities, invasive plant removals, and more. Learn about upcoming events and how to get involved!

Programs and Upcoming Events

Text with a purple pinkish hue background

Come and join us at the Adult Activity Center, located at 2 Andalusia Ave, Friday, May 31, at 1 p.m. for a special celebration marking the launch of Keep Coral Gables Beautiful's latest program, NexTrex. We will be unveiling the plastic bag and film recycling boxes that will be located in three city facilities. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy complimentary snacks while listening to a brief presentation about the program and recycling process for plastic film. Please bring plastic bags and film you would like to recycle to the event and be one of first to recycle plastic film in Coral Gables!

Register for the NexTrex unveiling here.

Ingraham Park Community Cleanup

A tree stands in mulch surrounded by grass on a sunny day

Join KCGB, Community Recreation, and Greenspace Management during the upcoming teacher planning day Friday, June 7, at 10 a.m. for a litter cleanup at Ingraham Park, located at 4751 Ingraham Terrace, and the surrounding waterway across the pedestrian bridge. Help us beautify this wonderful neighborhood park and protect our waterways!

Carpool, public transport, walking/biking, and rideshare are highly encouraged as this park has limited parking around Cocoplum Circle. There is a nearby bus stop less than a minute away. Please see the bus route here.

KCGB will be providing supplies. Please bring a reusable water bottle, hat, and sunblock. Insect repellent and a water cooler will be on-site.

Volunteer hours are available on request.

Register for the Ingraham Park Community Cleanup event.

Fewell Park Invasive Removal & Native Planting Event

Two adults and one child in orange vests remove plants from around a tree. They are surrounded by brown leaves and green vegetation

Join us on Friday, June 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at Fewell Park, located at 950 Coral Way. During this event, volunteers will remove invasive plants and replace them with South Florida natives to beautify this natural park found within the heart of Coral Gables.

Carpooling, ridesharing, and public transport are encouraged. Overflow parking is available at Merrick House.
KCGB will provide supplies. Please bring a reusable water bottle, hat, and sunblock. Insect repellent and a water cooler will be on-site. Wearing long sleeves and pants is strongly advised as some plants may cause skin irritation.
Volunteer hours are available on request.

Register for Fewell Park Invasive Removal & Native Planting event.

Keep Coral Gables Beautiful has launched a new year-round Battery Recycling Pilot Program. This program aligns with the city’s goal of reducing waste that ends up in landfills and building a more resilient and sustainable City Beautiful. Since its launch in July 2021, over 2,981 pounds of batteries have been collected and recycled. Learn more about accepted batteries.

Battery recycling bins have been placed in the following locations:

Development Services Center: 427 Biltmore Way
City Hall: 405 Biltmore Way
Police and Fire Headquarters: 2151 Salzedo St.
War Memorial Youth Center: 405 University Drive
Public Works Department: 2800 SW 72nd Ave.
Adult Activity Center: 2 Andalusia Ave.

Keep Coral Gables Beautiful is offering litter kits for individuals and small groups looking to host recurring solo cleanups in Coral Gables. Each litter kit has everything that you need to hold your own cleanup event. The litter kit includes a litter picker, a pair of reusable gloves, a safety vest, and one reusable mesh bag. Litter Kits are made possible through Keep America Beautiful and the 2024 Great American Cleanup grant program. Kit recipients will be asked to complete a post-cleanup report for data collection.

Volunteer hours are provided upon request.

If you are interested in a litter kit, please fill out a litter kit request form. Availability is limited.

On a background of green grass, a green glove, yellow vest in the middle, and garbage net lie. A garbo grabber lies above the other items.

Keep Coral Gables Beautiful Information

Keep Coral Gables Beautiful is a local affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Florida Beautiful organizations.

Want to stay notified of upcoming Keep Coral Gables Beautiful events? Join our newsletter.

Business/Group Cleanups

Whether you are a business looking for team-building opportunities or a group of friends wanting to give back to the community, we will help you coordinate a cleanup event. Complete and submit the KCGB Business/Group Event Request Form to get started.

Co-Executive Directors: Solanch Lopez and Matthew Anderson

Phone: 305-569-1835 | 305-460-5008

Staff

Diego J Cancel - Sustainability and Resiliency Supervisor

Phone: 305-460-5547

Nicole Gautney - Sustainability Coordinator

Phone: 305-476-7797

EMAIL: KCGB@coralgables.com

ADDRESS: 204 Minorca Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33134

More Initiatives and Past Events

In this section

Reverse Vending Machine Rewards Incentive Program

Thank you to the 715 people who participated in our Reverse Vending Machine Pilot Program. With your help, we were able to collect 18,258 containers in one year; that equals 1,035 pounds of beverage containers recycled! This program was made possible through the Florida Beverage Association Community Grant and Cycle.

We are grateful for all six of our local Coral Gables business partners who rewarded the top ten highest recyclers for each bi-monthly contest period. Coral Gables Art Cinema, Amigo Grill, ManKind Grooming & Services, Well Groomed Gentleman, Just Salad and Mint Wellness.

Click here to learn more about recycling in Coral Gables and check in often to learn about our new recycling programs coming in 2024.

Graphic with photos of children using the Reverse Vending Machine and text reading "18,258 Containers Recycled"

Air Potato Patrol

Air potatoes in South Florida are an invasive and noxious weed. To remove, pull them out from the bulb and detach from the vine. Place them in a plastic bag as they can continue to grow if left on the ground. How to spot and remove air potatoes.

Commissioner Anderson's Removal Campaign

In an effort to build awareness, Commissioner Anderson is giving out a $10 dollar Books & Books gift card for anyone that brings in one pound of air potatoes. You can bring them to City Hall to her office or at a city event. Events the Air Potato Patrol will be attending will be posted here.

Downtown Community Cleanup – End of Summer Edition 2023

Keep Coral Gables Beautiful held it's End of Summer Downtown Community Cleanup on Aug. 31. Fifty-seven volunteers collected 369 pounds of litter from the downtown area, setting a new record for litter collected and our biggest turn-out to date. The Most Pounds Collected Contest provided several team winners with Books & Books gift cards, Venetian Pool tickets and a VIP Clutch Burger Card. A special thank you to the Chamber of Commerce, Clutch Burger, and Baptist Health South Florida.

Group photo of participants at the Downtown Community Cleanup

Pinewood Cemetery Invasive Plant Removal 2023

Volunteers standing together with pinewoods behind and over them

On Friday, Aug. 4, 40 volunteers helped remove more than 7,500 pounds of invasive oyster plants from the Pinewood Cemetery. Volunteers did a fantastic job completing this collection in under two hours. Thank you to the Pinewood Cemetery Advisory Board and the Greenspace Management team for making this event possible! Also, a special thank you to Ranger Ready Repellent for their donation of 500 3.4-ounce insect repellent sprays that were given to everyone who attended the event.

Orange Ranger Ready text inside an orange badge

Plogging at Matheson 2023

Keep Coral Gables Beautiful wants to thank everyone who participated in the Great American Cleanup season kickoff event, "Plogging at Matheson," on April 1, 2023. Participants collected a total of 56 pounds of waste, all while enjoying the spring weather and helping the environment.

Volunteers stand in front of the bay, a green tree and blue sky are in the background

Dual North America - Global Giving Week

Companies are encouraged to participate in organizing community cleanups in partnership with Keep Coral Gables Beautiful. Recently, Dual North America took to Old Cutler Road as part of their Global Giving Week. The Dual team collected 50 pounds of litter in one hour helping to keep our City clean and beautiful.

Environmental Film Screening & Panel Discussion

In celebration of Earth Month in Coral Gables, KCGB hosted a screening of “The Biggest Little Farm” on April 5 at the Coral Gables Art Cinema. This documentary is a breathtaking chronicle of one family’s dream to harvest in harmony with nature.

Following the movie, a panel discussion on sustainability was held as part of the national Science on Screen initiative. The panel was moderated by Commissioner Rhonda Anderson with panelist Matthew Anderson – City of Coral Gables Resiliency and Sustainability Manager, Teddy Lhoutellier – University of Miami Sustainability Director, and Irela Bague – Miami Dade County Chief Bay Officer.

The screening of this film was sponsored by Commissioner Rhonda Anderson and coordinated through Keep Coral Gables Beautiful and the Coral Gables Sustainability Advisory Board.

*An initiative of the COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE, with major support from the ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION.