Keep Cincinnati Beautiful helps turn nation’s largest paddling celebration to zero waste.

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) and its many volunteers made the 2019 Ohio River Paddlefest a zero-waste event. KCB’s team of volunteers called the Green Team set up waste stations complete with recycling, commercial composting, and trash collection. The composting efforts were made possible through a grant provided by the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District. 

“The Ohio River Paddlefest is a project of Adventure Crew (formerly Outdoor Adventure Clubs), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides outdoor recreation opportunities to city teens in 22 high schools in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky,” as described on the event website. “Over 2,200 participants (travel) nine miles through downtown Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky in canoes, kayaks, and other human-powered craft.”

In total, nearly 700 pounds of waste were diverted from landfills during the 18th annual event.