Snow-covered mountains offer a months-long playground, but the blanket of white also hides the human impact of ski and snowboard season. When the snow recedes in March and April, the costs of high alpine play come into view: snack wrappers, broken gear, beer cans beneath chairlifts, and a season’s worth of plastic waste. From shifting climate patterns to the trash left behind, mountain communities are reminded how easily we can harm – or help – the natural spaces we depend on. As Green Up Vermont Executive Director Kate Alberghini observes, “Leave it better than you found it is a really powerful mantra. It speaks not only to refuse pick up but just as a reminder to breathe deep, listen closely, stop time for just a moment and enjoy the surrounding.”
For many, that responsibility is personal. Alberghini, who grew up with the tradition, says the mission is to ensure residents and visitors have a place to “live, work, and play.” That collective spirit reached a global stage in 2024, when Green Up Vermont earned a record from Guinness World Records for the most pledges to pick up trash in 24 hours – 6,833 in total. “By achieving the Guinness World Records title in 2024 it really showed every age Vermonter that when we band together we can really do amazing things that speak volumes to the world. Having achieved this accomplishment together builds great pride and camaraderie. We work to extend those feelings every year by outreach to various groups and by coming up with other contests and celebrations to be a part of.”
Sustaining record-breaking scale requires both public and private support. Vermonters contribute to the initiative through the Green Up Vermont checkoff on Line 23 of the state income tax form. This grassroots support is further strengthened by contributions from corporate partners, such as the ski mountains that welcome winter recreation. “Ski areas in Vermont are very passionate about participating on Green Up Day and are supportive of our nonprofit efforts financially as well. Every size mountain sends out teams of volunteers to not only clean mountain spaces but also up and down the roadsides that lead to their doorsteps. The skiers and riders of winter show up to take care of and enjoy Vermont’s mountains year round really—not only when there is snow but to hike, bike and simply enjoy the mental health benefits that nature provides.”
Vermont – the “Green Mountain State,” a literal translation of its French name – has long prioritized land stewardship. Fittingly, its signature cleanup effort even predates Earth Day by four days. Green Up Vermont began with a journalist’s call for collective action. In 1969, Robert Babcock Jr. of the Burlington Free Press approached Governor Deane Davis after noticing mounting roadside trash. Together, they spent a year planning a statewide mobilization. “We are one of the smallest states in our nation and we are the only one to have such a concerted, statewide, volunteer effort to take care of our environment. The first Green Up Day was April 18, 1970—a week older than the first Earth Day. The 56-year-old effort is a huge source of pride for all ages because every age can participate and really make an impact.”
Launched in April 1970, the first Green Up Day shut down the interstate system for three hours, allowing 70,000 volunteers to clean every mile of roadway. The results were immediate. Roughly 90% of the collected litter was beer bottles. That discovery helped catalyze Vermont’s 1972 “Bottle Bill,” designed to move containers into redemption centers instead of ditches and trails. As Alberghini remembers from her childhood, “I was taught to never throw anything out of the car window and to never throw trash on the ground. Some litter is accidental, you’ll have that, but sharing the message that purposeful littering is not acceptable should be shared far and wide.”
Davis also signed Act 250 in 1970, strengthening land-use regulation and shaping the state’s conservation legacy. That legacy continues to evolve. As lawmakers debate reforms to balance housing needs with environmental protection, the “Green Up” mindset remains constant. The goal now is to extend that ethic beyond a single day. Leaders emphasize that the effort is not just about cleaning roads, but about building civic pride and reinforcing a simple idea: litter has no place here. “Why? Because it is so detrimental to where we get to live, affecting our health, the environment’s health, wildlife and domestic animals, water quality, air quality, and the visual aesthetics we so enjoy and that our tourism economy depends on. Vermonters are committed to their quality of life and the beauty they share with our visitors. We would love for our visitors to enjoy feeling the same way.”
What began as a response to roadside trash has become something more enduring. Green Up Day is a shared ritual that signals the changing of seasons and a recommitment to place. Each spring, as the snowline retreats up the mountains, thousands of Vermonters step forward with gloves and bags in hand. “What I love most about Green Up Day is that people of all ages, religions, political view, etc. participate and come together for this event. Nothing else matters but cleaning up our communities statewide and everyone has a blast doing it! There is nothing better than environmental impact with selfless camaraderie.”
Participation is accessible just about everywhere in the state. Green Up bags can be picked up at local town offices, libraries, and community hubs in the days leading up to the event, with many towns also distributing them on Green Up Day itself. In some communities, bags are available at local stores and partner businesses. Grab a green bag, choose a stretch of road or trail, and leave it better than you found it. In Vermont, it’s that simple. As Alberghini reminds us, “We don’t get many opportunities to be a part of something bigger on a natural scale—maybe it took a trip to the moon for us to pay attention to that. My hope is that everyone who gets to travel to the top of any mountain thinks about how special it is and stops a moment to soak it in.”
