Support TCB

Mission and History


Tucson Clean & Beautiful is an incorporated 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization with a variety of programs designed to improve our local environment in a cost-effective and socially responsible manner. With just a few staff overseeing its programs, community partners including individual volunteers, local government, businesses and organizations, are an integral part of the services TCB provides to the community.

  • Mission: The purpose of Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Inc., a non-profit organization, is to preserve and improve our environment, conserve natural resources, and enhance the quality of life in the City of Tucson and eastern Pima County. These goals will be achieved through initiating educational and participatory programs implemented with broad citizen, multiculture support.
  • Founding: City Council and Pima County chartered; incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 1985
  • Coalition: government, business, community groups and volunteers
  • Program support: City of Tucson & Pima County; Tucson Electric Power; private grants and program sponsorships; annual membership; inkind donations and volunteer services

TCB Program History and Accomplishments

  • Adopt-a-Park & Public Areas litter cleanup and prevention program, 1984: Currently over 200 continually adopted sites and additional one-time projects at parks, streets, washes and other public areas with about 17,000 volunteer hours (over $300,000 value) each year - 220,000 cumulative volunteer hours.
  • Children’s Memorial Park, 1987: Neighborhood park destroyed by 1983 flood; collaboratively rebuilt and enhanced to include many more trees, river walk, ramadas, field and ballcourt, in addition to sanctuary with granite memorial walls inscribed with names of children who passed away (over 1,500 children's names currently recorded); recently renovated playground equipment with grant to TCB; Soon-to-open 2nd Children’s Memorial Garden at Michael Perry Park, SE of Pantano Parkway and Golf Links Rd. in 2012.
  • Recycling and Waste Reduction, 1988: Founded first ongoing Telephone Directory program (now available curbside, year-round); Outreach Recycling monthly collection sites (now part of Neighborhood Recycling Center network); E Pluribus Recycles! Play reaching over 5,000 elementary school students yearly; Recycling Information Line answering several thousand calls and emails each year; Recycling Directory with nearly 1,000 recycling options in 45 categories receiving tens of thousands of visitors; periodic Electronics Recycling Outreach days ; RUMBA Recycled Art contest and display showing talent of up to 100 student and professional artists each year; over 6,000 out-of-service trash barrels donated from Tucson to border communities in Mexico; and many other creative community creative partnerships.
  • Trees for Tucson, 1989: Low-cost shade tree planting for homes; street tree planting for neighborhoods; trees available for community sites including schoolyards, nonprofit organization sites and other public space restoration when planted by volunteers; educational presentations and tours. About 4,500 trees planted annually. Over 75,000 trees planted to date. Program benefit estimates for the life of the program include 50 million kWh/over $5 million in energy savings, $1 million aesthetic improvement, over 190 million gallons of stormwater interception, over 16,000 metric tons CO2 reduction, and more than 400 additional acres of new tree canopy cover. TEP sponsorship began in 1993. Trico sponsorship began 2012.
  • Commemorative Tree Parks (El Paseo de los Arboles, “Pathway of the Trees”), 1996: Santa Cruz River – habitat restoration after flood barriers built; trees purchased by public to be planted in honor of loved ones. Ribbon-cutting recently held for new site at Pantano Wash, from Kenyon Dr. to Golf Links Rd. Trees available for purchase in 2012.
  • Hot Topics/Cool Solutions, 1998: Conferences on urban heat island, cool & pervious paving, solar energy, landscape, stormwater runoff, air quality
  • YARDS, 2010: Youth Landscape Maintenance Training program, developed as an alternative to traditional juvenile probation court-ordered community service and restitution to provide youth with job and life skills to become more employable and reduce recidivism in Juvenile or Adult court settings. Nearly 50 program graduates to date.

For more information about all Tucson Clean & Beautiful programs, call (520) 791-3109 or email tcb@tucsonaz.gov.