Thousands of volunteers will descend on towns and cities across Vermont this Saturday to pick up litter and debris as part of the annual Green Up Day tradition.
This year, the goal is to clean 100% of all city and town roads in the state, not including interstates and state routes.
“100% is the goal every year,” said Green Up Day Executive Director Kate Alberghini. “We were so close last year in our data that we accumulated after Green Up Day, that it was kind of fun to bring that to light and kind of give that a little more emphasis this year, because it's totally doable.”
In 2025, Green Up Day volunteers cleaned 97.5%, or around 12,500 out of a total 13,000 miles of Vermont roads, Alberghini said.
In an effort to increase turnout and reach its goal, event organizers are encouraging volunteers to bring a friend who has not participated in a previous iteration of the event. They’re also encouraging people to clean just one extra half mile.
“That's kind of what we're pushing for, but it's also about celebrating what Green Up Day is all about,” Alberghini said. “It's the work done on Green Up Day, but it's also going to an after celebration, or doing a contest or having a community barbecue after and really kind of celebrating the work that we put in to make our state so beautiful.”
Typically held on the first Saturday of May, Green Up Day often lines up with the Kentucky Derby. This year, organizers have once again put together a Kentucky Derby hat contest to add some fun to the event. Interested volunteers can build and wear their own derby hats made of recycled, repurposed or reimagined materials. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entrants.
Keeping volunteers safe on Green Up Day is the organization’s top priority, Alberghini said. She recommends facing traffic while picking up, wearing bright clothing, gloves and boots, and for children to avoid touching anything sharp – particularly needles or other drug paraphernalia. Adults are encouraged to carefully place any sharp objects in a heavy plastic container which can then be taped shut and labeled. Organizers also advise volunteers to check for ticks.
Anyone interested in volunteering at an event this year can visit greenupvermont.org for a full list of gatherings in counties and towns across the state.
