Facts about Renew Our Rivers
Slogan for 2008 - Our Cause is Noble - Our Efforts are Local
Renew Our Rivers, formerly known as Renew the Coosa, began in May 2000 after employees from Alabama Power's Plant Gadsden became concerned about litter found in and along the banks of the Coosa River. Renew Our Rivers is now one of the Southeast's largest organized river-system cleanup of its kind.
Renew Our Rivers has since grown to include annual cleanups on the six-river system on the Chattahoochee, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Mobile and Black Warrior rivers in Alabama.
Since its inception in 2000, more than 8.6 million pounds of trash and debris has been removed from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and northwest Florida waterways with the assistance of more than 10,000 volunteers who have participated in the volunteer-led cleanups. In 2007 | 5,500 Volunteers| 26 Cleanups
The Renew Our Rivers total from 2000-2007 for Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi is 8.6 million pounds.
The program has become the largest organized river-system cleanup in Alabama and of many in the southeast, thanks to the efforts of the many volunteers who support Renew Our Rivers.
Education/Message in a Bottle
At the 50th National Keep America Beautiful Conference in December 2003, Renew Our Rivers received an award, along with other volunteers, for the litter-prevention educational initiative, Message in a Bottle. The inspiration for the initiative came from a 19-year bottle found floating in the river along Neely Henry Reservoir. The initiative includes an annual symposium and art contest for students in the Gadsden, Alabama area, focusing on litter prevention.
Making a Name…..Awards and Recognition
- 2007 Keep America Beautiful Award presented to Mississippi Power.
- In 2007 Renew Our Rivers program won the Oustanding Stewardship of America's Waters award from the National Hydropower Association.
- In December 2006, Renew Our Rivers received its second national award from Keep America Beautiful. Alabama Power along with other Southern Company operating companies were awarded the 1st Place Litter Prevention Award.
- In April 2006, the Renew Our Rivers program won the prestigious Outstanding Stewardships of America's Rivers award from the National Hydropower Association (NHA). Renew Our Rivers was recognized by NHA because of the project's innovation, collaborative partnerships, accomplishments and environmental stewardship efforts. Highlights and notable accomplishments of Renew Our Rivers are listed in The Outstanding Stewardships of America's Rivers report at www.outstandingrivers.org.
- In 2004, at the annual Keep America Beautiful national conference, Alabama Power employee Gene Phifer was presented the Volunteer Leadership Award for his role in launching Renew Our Rivers.
- In 2003 Alabama Power in 2003 received the Water Conservationist of the Year Award from the Alabama Wildlife Federation.
- In December 2002 the cleanups received Keep America Beautiful highest national award for litter prevention for its role in the Renew Our Rivers/Renew the Coosa campaign.
Media Coverage
In 2003, WBRC FOX6 television station, located in Birmingham, Ala. partnered with Renew Our Rivers to assist in promoting the various river cleanups. With their assistance and the support of local radio, newspapers and television stations around the state, Renew Our Rivers has had unprecedented community awareness and support.
Alabama Power Foundation
The Alabama Power Foundation continues to participate in the cleanups by awarding $1,000 educational grants to volunteer lake association to continue educating students about the environment. The grants are awarded to the lake and home owner associations annually.
| Spring, Summer and Fall 2007 | ||
| TOTALS | 379 Tons | 5,500 Volunteers |
| Yates and Thurlow (Tallapoosa) | 3.36 tons | 110 volunteers |
| Lake Eufaula (Chattahoochee) | 7.36 tons | 92 volunteers |
| Logan Martin (Coosa) | 13.58 tons | 450 volunteers |
| Mitchell (Coosa) | 1.68 tons | 100 volunteers |
| Weiss (Coosa) | 17.29 tons | 1,600 volunteers |
| Lay (Coosa)-(E.C. Gaston | 20.28 tons | 258 volunteers |
| Jordon (Coosa) | 3.5 tons | 190 volunteers |
| Lake Demopolis (Black Warrior) | 37.81 tons | 193 volunteers |
| Smith Lake (Walker Co.) (Styrofoam) | 31 tons | 25 volunteers |
| Cahaba River | 3.22 tons | 64 volunteers |
| Smith Lake (Cullman Co.) (Styrofoam and piers) | 15 tons | 40 volunteers |
| H.Neely Henry (Coosa) | 37.4 tons | 1130 volunteers |
| Locust Fork | 1.25 tons | 57 volunteers |
| Mobile River (Barry) | 2 tons | 26 volunteers |
| Bankhead (Black Warrior) | 10.23 tons | 93 volunteers |
| Smith Lake (Winston Co.) | 127.75 tons | 125 volunteers |
| Weeks Bay | 5 tons | 92 volunteers |
| Martin (Tallapoosa) | 6.17 tons | 167 volunteers |
| Holt (Black Warrior) | 3.7 tons | 123 volunteers |
| Upper Tallapoosa | 4.46 tons | 70 volunteers |
| Smith Lake (Cullman Co.) (Styrofoam) | 9.18 tons | 30 volunteers |
| Village Creek | 8.94 tons | 235 volunteers |
| R.L. Harris (Tallapoosa) | 5.91 tons | 156 volunteers |
| Locust Fork (Miller included) | 1.5 tons | 28 volunteers |
| Mitchell (Coosa) | 1.69 tons | 39 volunteers |
| Smith Lake (Walker Co) cancelled | ||
| Recap Totals of All Cleanups Since 2000 | |
| 2000 | 43.5 tons (waterways in Alabama) |
| 2001 | 142.67 tons (waterways in Alabama) |
| 2002 | 262 tons (waterways in Alabama & Georgia) |
| 2003 | 492.57 tons (waterways in Alabama & Georgia) |
| 2004 | 757.87 tons (waterways in AL, Georgia & MS) |
| 2005 | 1,071.19 tons (waterways in AL, Georgia & MS) |
| 2006 | 984.1 tons (waterways in AL, Florida & GA) |
| TOTAL since 2000 | 4,308.0 tons or 8,616, 000 pounds |
Environmental Stewardship - Alabama Power
Alabama Power owns and operates 14 hydroelectric plants in Alabama, providing clean, low-cost electricity. The facilities also provide more than 150,000 acres of water and more than 4,000 miles of shoreline for the public's use and enjoyment.
For more information about Alabama Power's environmental commitment, visit Planet Power. For more information about the Alabama Power Foundation, visit www.alabamapowerfoundation.com.
