NEW ORLEANS — Keep Louisiana Beautiful selected Pontchartrain Conservancy to receive a Greener Grounds Grant to support Lights on the Lake’s litter prevention and waste management practices. Pontchartrain Conservancy announced that Keep Louisiana Beautiful has awarded the $5,000 grant to help create and execute a plan focused on waste reduction.
Pontchartrain Conservancy is hosting its 10th annual Lights on the Lake holiday celebration on Saturday, Dec. 9 at the New Canal Lighthouse (8001 Lakeshore Drive).
“This grant award represents an active partnership with KLB that will help our event organizers uphold their responsibility to do the right thing for the environment while we give our attendees all the fun and festivities Lights on the Lake offers,” said Kristi Trail, executive director of Pontchartrain Conservancy.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s mission is to promote personal, corporate and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. The Greener Grounds Grants are to improve litter prevention and waste management practices at large, outdoor Louisiana events such as fairs, festivals, parades and concerts. KLB partnered with French Quarter Festivals Inc. to create the Greener Grounds Guidebook and Workbook to provide practical ways that event organizers can plan to manage and reduce waste, increase recycling and prevent litter at their events. The grant supports the implementation of the best practices outlined in the guidebook.
“Louisiana is home to more than 400 festivals and events annually attended by locals and tourists who come together to celebrate the state’s vibrant offerings of food, music, history and culture. With these events often comes a completely avoidable and solvable issue: litter,” said Susan Russell, executive director of KLB.
Made possible with funding from the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, 25 Greener Grounds Grants totaling over $140,000 were awarded to eligible organizations including Louisiana nonprofits, municipalities and parishes that organize events of at 1,000 attendees per day.