St. Johns County’s ‘Get Hooked’ Anti-Litter Initiative Wins Top Honors at National Conference
October 31, 2024 – St. Johns County is proud to announce that its innovative anti-litter initiative, Get Hooked, received multiple prestigious awards at the recent Savvy Awards Ceremony, held at the 3CMA (City-County Communications & Marketing Association) Annual Conference in Arlington, Texas, from Sept. 4-6, 2024. The initiative was spearheaded by the Office of Public Affairs and Public Works Department.
With more than 1,100 entries from local governments across the nation in 38 categories, St. Johns County was honored to receive the first-place Savvy Award in the Go Green Communication Program Efforts Division for the Get Hooked initiative. Additionally, the campaign was recognized with the prestigious Diamond Award for the Communications & Marketing Processes category, marking it as one of the three top achievements honored at 3CMA.
Launched in January 2023, the Get Hooked initiative was developed in response to the alarming collection of more than 49 tons of roadside debris by the County’s Road & Bridge Division Litter Crews in 2022. The campaign aims to educate and engage residents, raise awareness, and provide actionable steps to combat litter. Its slogan, “Get Hooked! We need all hands on deck to keep SJC litter-free,” is inspired by the County’s Solid Waste mascot, Captain Reducio, a pirate hooked on keeping his community green.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated partners and volunteers whose efforts have made the Get Hooked campaign a resounding success,” Public Works Outreach Coordinator Matthew Denny said. “We’re not just Getting Hooked; we’re getting results!”
The impact of these efforts is evident: Road & Bridge Litter Crews collected only 16 tons of litter from January to June 2024, a significant reduction from the more than 32 tons collected during the same period in 2023.
Since its inception, the Get Hooked initiative has successfully partnered with 20 organizations and hosted four countywide events, drawing nearly 900 participants. Together, they have collected almost 4,000 pounds of trash from local beaches and roadways. Captain Reducio has actively engaged the community through appearances at various events, schools, radio stations, and summer camps.
Residents have also played a vital role by participating in the County’s Adopt-A-Road program. To date, volunteers have contributed nearly 1,000 hours and collected over 10,000 pounds of litter.
St. Johns County Solid Waste customers are encouraged to subscribe to The Curbside Times Monthly Newsletter and the Recycle Coach for updates on upcoming green events and more opportunities to Get Hooked.