By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Joined on Earth Day by family members and a number of department directors, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee launched a statewide anti-litter campaign to encourage residents to “Keep Rhody Litter Free” all year long.

“Today we launch for the first time a statewide effort that is an all-inclusive effort of all 39 cities and towns to really make a conscious effort to keep our state litter free,” McKee said.

He was joined by his wife Susan, daughter Kara and son Matt, along with directors of the Departments of Transportation, Environmental Management and transit agency RIPTA and Mayor Robert DaSilva in a state park-and-ride lot on Route 44 in East Providence for the announcement. Afterward, McKee and most of the participants donned gloves and picked up ‘grabbers’ to collect litter in a green space adjoining the parking lot.

“We need to send that message, it is not okay to litter in Rhode Island, or anywhere, but not in our beautiful state,” said Donna Kaehler, Director of Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful.

“We live here, these are our homes and we just need to stop littering,” Kaehler said. She added, plastic waste, such as so-called “nips” is a particular problem, because it does not disintegrate.

McKee announced a website with information including upcoming community clean-up efforts at: litterfree.ri.gov