Akron Woman Removes 700,00 Pieces of Trash from City Streets
Discover how Debbie Miller turned a tragic accident into a city-wide movement, transforming Akron one piece of litter at a time
Debbie Miller joins a group of Keep America Beautiful volunteers, for a cleanup in Cleveland, OH along the lakeshores of Lake Erie. (Photo credit: Nancy Andrews)
A year ago, Keep America Beautiful introduced you to Debbie Miller, whose mission to clean up Akron, Ohio, began after a heartbreaking incident. While walking her dog, he was severely injured by broken glass on the sidewalk. Determined to make a change, Debbie started what has now become a passion project. Over the past year, we’ve been following her inspiring journey. Debbie has tirelessly worked to remove litter from streets, sidewalks, and public spaces, transforming her community one piece of trash at a time. Her efforts have grown from a small neighborhood initiative into a city-wide crusade, making Akron a cleaner, more beautiful place for everyone, including our furry and feathered friends.
“Picking up trash has changed my life, both mentally and physically,” said Miller. “I go out every day with my trash grabber, bucket, gloves, and trash cart because picking up trash makes me a better person. And I’m changing the world, one person at a time.”
Through her blog, “Akron Woman Picks Up Trash,” Debbie shares the progress of her cleanups, showcasing the dramatic transformations of once-littered areas into beautiful spaces. Follow her inspiring journey and see the incredible impact of her efforts.
Since embarking on her mission, Debbie has picked up nearly 700,000 pieces of litter and is steadfast in her goal of reaching 1 million.
You can make a difference like Debbie Miller, even on a smaller scale. Keep America Beautiful has launched the Greatest American Cleanup, a nationwide effort to remove 25 billion pieces of litter and create thousands of new green spaces by July 4, 2026—our nation’s 250th birthday. We invite everyone to join us in this monumental task. Start by committing to pick up 250 pieces of rubbish and help us reach our goal of a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful America by Independence Day 2026! Click HERE to learn more.
In recognition of her dedication, News 5 Cleveland, a local news station in Cleveland, Ohio, conducted an interview with Debbie Miller, spotlighting her tireless efforts and rallying others to participate in this vital mission.
In just five months, Debbie has personally collected over 152,000 pieces of litter. This accomplishment is highly significant based on the Keep America Beautiful® 2020 National Litter Study. The in-depth study determined there’s an average of 152 pieces of litter for every American. Meaning, Debbie’s efforts in litter pick-up assumed the share of 1,000 individuals (or .5% of the total population of Akron!).
“What she’s is doing is really impacting our community,” said Ward 7 City of Akron Councilman and longtime support of Keep Akron Beautiful, Donnie Kammer. “It’s really inspiring that someone would take it upon themselves to go out in their spare time and clean up trash.”
Armed with determination and a deep love for Akron, Debbie took it upon herself to tackle the litter problem that plagues many cities across the nation. But with every journey, there is a starting point. For Debbie, it all began while on a walk with her dogs.
“My dog cut his nose on a piece of glass just a block from my house, and he was hurt badly,” said Debbie. “I called the city and said, there’s broken glass and trash all over Firestone Park. They said, we know we have a trash problem, we are not sure how to fix it.”
Keep Akron Beautiful’s Litter Reduction Program removed 113.05 tons of litter and illegal dumping in 2022, but litter is still a big problem for the City of Akron. “Over the last year and a half, we’ve been preaching the message that Akron has a major litter problem,” said Keep Akron Beautiful Executive Director Jacqui Ricchiuti. “We’re trying to work on a program where we can encourage Akron’s residents to help us do what she (Debbie) is doing.”
Debbie’s achievement is a testament to the fact that cleaning one street can make a difference in the world. When we think globally and act locally, we come to understand that even seemingly small actions like this can have a significant impact on the overall well-being of our planet.
“This movement is built on the care, concern, and action of people who want their communities to be better and more beautiful,” said Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful®.
To learn how you can make a difference no matter where you are – click HERE to help Keep America Beautiful®.
About Keep Akron Beautiful
Keep Akron Beautiful is a 501(c) (3) agency celebrating 42 years of serving the citizens of Akron by improving Akron’s quality of life through beautification and responsible environmental management. Keep Akron Beautiful engages thousands of volunteers each year to remove litter, plant and maintain beautification sites, and improve the community. For additional program information, visit www.keepakronbeautiful.org or join us on Facebook or Instagram.
About Keep America Beautiful®:
Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful® strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green, and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. The organization is driven by the work and passion of 700 Keep America Beautiful® affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, X, Linkedin, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
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Keep America Beautiful®