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.
Programs and Upcoming Events
Parks Pollinator Palooza
Join us and Community Recreations on Saturday, Sept. 23 beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the War Memorial Youth Center for Parks Pallinator Palooza 2023.
Participate in a family friendly event while giving back to nature. September is all about pollinators as we learn more about butterflies, build birdhouses, and create our very own butterfly garden. The event will feature a nature talk, planting activity, children’s crafts and readings, and an introduction to the iNaturalist app to track and record local pollinator species in our community and backyards.
Plants sponsored by the Coral Gables Garden Club and the Marlene Kerdyk Beautification Fund.
Fewell Park Invasive Plant Removal
Join us on Monday, Sept. 25, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Fewell Park, 950 Coral Way to remove invasive plants and any litter found throughout the park.
Carpooling, ridesharing and public transport are encouraged. Parking is available at the Merrick House.
Please bring sunscreen, a reusable water bottle and reusable gloves (if you have been to any of our previous events, please try to bring the reusable gloves that were provided). KCGB will provide all other supplies and a water cooler.
The type of invasive plants we will be removing at this location include air potato vines, oyster plants and invasive weeds in the fern beds.
Volunteer hours are available on request.
Recycling Drive-Thru
Keep Coral Gables Beautiful will host a Recycling Drive-Thru Event on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon at the parking lot behind City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way. Residents can bring old electronics with a plug or batteries; large cardboard boxes for recycling; household hazardous waste such as paint cans, pool chemicals, oils, batteries and household pesticides; documents for shredding; and lightly/gently used clothing to be donated to Camillus House. (Demand is high for men’s shirts, pants and shorts.) Proof of residency in Coral Gables is required.
This bi-annual event has diverted nearly 440,000 pounds of electronics, hazardous waste, clothing and paper from entering landfills. This event is organized in partnership with the Coral Gables Sustainability Advisory Board and the City of Coral Gables Police and Public Works Departments.
Click here for more information on the event or call 305-460-5008.
Please note: Items will not be accepted before 9 a.m. or after noon on the day of the event.
- All participants must enter the event through the Coral Way entrance to the City Hall Parking Lot.
- The event will open promptly at 9 a.m. and close at noon. Items will not be accepted before 9 a.m. or after noon.
- Be prepared to show your ID as proof of Coral gables residency.
- Gently/lightly used men's, women's and children's clothing, including suits, ties, shoes, socks, etc. will be accepted. High-demand items are men’s shirts, pants and shorts. Undergarments will not be accepted.
- Medical waste will not be accepted. Expired or unwanted prescription drugs can be taken to our drop-off location on the first floor of the Police & Fire Headquarters at 2151 Salzedo St.
- For paper shredding, a maximum of 5 standard-sized boxes or one 13-gallon trash bag per vehicle will be accepted.
- Attendees are encouraged to bring large cardboard boxes to be recycled.
Materials not accepted:
- Biological or infectious waste (i.e., sharps)
- Radioactive materials
- Styrofoam
- Unknowns
- Tires
- Appliances
- Non-propane cylinders
- Fire extinguishers
- Smoke detectors
- Fireworks, explosives or ammunition
- Reactive materials requiring stabilization
- DEA-regulated substances
Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) Rewards Incentive Program
The city and Cycle are teaming up to reward Coral Gables residents and visitors for recycling their empty aluminum and plastic containers at the War Memorial Youth Center. The official program's launch took place on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. This program is made possible through the Florida Beverage Association Community Grant.
How it works:
- Recycle your plastic bottles or aluminum cans at the RVM machine located at the War Memorial Youth Center, 405 University Drive.
- Scan the QR code that appears onscreen at the end of your recycling transaction to enter the bi-monthly contest and check the leaderboard.
- At the end of each contest cycle, the top 10 total recyclers will receive a reward from a local Coral Gables business partner. The leaderboard will reset at the beginning of each cycle. Official rules and conditions [PDF]
Businesses
Participate in local sustainability initiatives while driving foot traffic to your storefront! Learn more about this program and the location's market demographic [PDF]. Contact kcgb@coralgables.com for more details on how you can become a retail partner and reward your customers through this incentive program.
Keep Coral Gables Beautiful offered litter kits for individuals and small groups looking to host recurring solo cleanups in Coral Gables. Each litter kit had everything needed to host solo cleanup events. The litter kit included a collapsible litter picker, a safety vest, a pair of reusable gloves, biodegradable trash bags, a handheld weight scale, a large reusable bag for recyclables and/or storing filled trash bags, and a container to collect cigarette butts. Litter Kits were made possible through a Keep America Beautiful grant program. Kit recipients are asked to complete a post-cleanup report for data collection. Volunteer hours are provided upon request.
Keep Coral Gables Beautiful Information
Keep Coral Gables Beautiful is a local affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Florida Beautiful organizations.
Newsletter
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: 305-722-8769
Nicole Gautney - Sustainability Coordinator
Phone: 305-619-4258
Email: KCGB@coralgables.com
More Initiatives and Past Events
In this section
Battery Recycling Program
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 2,000 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.
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
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.
Pinewood Cemetery Invasive Plant Removal 2023
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.
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.
Dual North America - Global Giving Week
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
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.
