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SEATTLE - The fight against litter on Washington roads has a new face — meet Kevin, the marmot who wants you to remember that littering is still a choice, even when no one is watching.
The Washington State Department of Ecology launched a new ad campaign "We Keep WA Litter Free" this week, featuring Kevin the marmot, the state's official endemic mammal. In a video Ecology posted to Facebook, Kevin picks up litter his friend dropped, before the two head off on a road trip to soak up the sights of the Columbia River.
"Keeping our roads litter-free paves the way for our next epic road trip," the narrator says in the ad. "When we care about something and all do our part, it shows. We keep Washington litter-free."
"Kevin", the puppet marmot featured in the Washington Department of Ecology's "Keep WA Litter Free" ad campaign.
The state agency says Kevin plays the part of that little voice in your head, telling you to pick up after yourself. The goal? Stop littering before it starts.
"To change behavior, we have to reach people before litter hits the ground," said Amber Smith, the Department of Ecology’s statewide litter prevention coordinator. "This campaign brings those everyday moments to life and reminds us to listen to that inner voice that tells us to do the right thing. Even when no one else is around, our choices matter. Small decisions each day add up to a cleaner state we can all be proud to call home."
More than 38 million lbs of garbage on WA roads every year
By the numbers:
According to the agency, 38 million lbs of garbage is littered on Washington's roads and public areas every year — roughly 5 lbs per person.
The state relies on widespread litter cleanup work to get around this, investing more than $17 million just last year to pick up more than 6.2 million lbs of litter across 19,000 miles of roadway.
Still, the Department of Ecology says they can't just out-pickup the amount of littering in the state.
"Our litter crews and volunteers work hard to keep our roads clean, but we need every driver and every passenger to do their part – we all have a role to play in protecting our state’s natural beauty and environment," said Smith.
What's next:
According to a 2022 statewide study, the most commonly littered items in Washington are cigarette butts, food wrappers, snack bags, glass bottles, and debris from construction and demolition work. Ecology plans to conduct a new litter study in 2026 to see what's worked, what needs to change, and what prevention and cleanup efforts are needed in the future.
For more information, visit the "We Keep WA Litter Free" website.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from the Washington Department of Ecology.