Keep Virginia Beautiful and askHRgreen.org are inviting volunteers to take action to clean up Hampton Roads.

Litter has become a significant problem during the pandemic, according to a press release. Both volunteer cleanups and litter pickup by paid municipal employees has declined as everyone’s focus shifted to staying healthy and safe during the health crisis. Increased use of disposable masks, gloves, sanitizing wipes and restaurant takeout containers has also contributed to the issue.

Instead of gathering in large groups for organized community litter cleanups, residents are encouraged to focus on cleaning up their own communities and local outdoor spaces in smaller numbers the weekend of March 26-27.

The Great American Cleanup is the nation’s largest community improvement program. Its purpose is to help end littering, improve recycling and beautify America’s communities. It’s traditionally held in the spring, but last year’s local events were moved to the fall due to the pandemic.

Officials are urging participants to be mindful of safety for this year’s event. If you organize a group, it should be 25 people or less, everyone should wear a mask, maintain social distancing and use gloves or tools to handle litter.

To register for a local event or to lead a cleanup project of your own, visit askHRgreen.org/cleanup.

AskHRgreen.org is a regional environmental advocacy and education initiative run through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, which is made up of 17 counties, cities and towns in Southeastern Virginia, along with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District.