This project cultivates a sustainable behavior-changing litter prevention program for Gulf of Mexico watersheds within the Coastal Bend of Texas by expanding the Up2U litter prevention program from the headwaters of the Nueces basin to six counties and ten watersheds within the Coastal Bend.

Up2U Litter Bags Up2U Coastal Expansion Project Partners Litter Bag Distribution Locations Up2U Challenge Media

The Bag

The cornerstone of the program is a yellow mesh litter bag emblazoned with the empowering Up2U message. The bags serves as a tool for trash removal, trash prevention, and outreach. Over 200,000 litter bags have been distributed in the Texas Coastal Bend since 2020.

Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program received financial support from the US EPA under an Assistance Agreement to implement Up2U Litter Prevention Campaign in the Coastal Bend in 2020, and received additional funding from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and LyondellBasell to continue the program in 2025.

In 2026 the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program received funding to expand the program to the entire Texas coast from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 made available to the State of Texas through the Texas Coastal Management Program.

Up2U Litter Prevention is implemented on the Texas Coast by the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program and in the upper Nueces River Watershed by the Nueces River Authority.

Up2U Coastal Expansion

Up2U is expanding along the entire Texas Coast! There are a variety of services available for coastal communities. If your community or organization is interested in any of these services, please fill out an interest form here:
Up2U Interest Form
Distribution Boxes and Litter Bags

For communities with a litter problem near the coast and waterways.

What is Provided: litter bag distribution boxes and mesh litter bags for residents and visitors to encourage proper waste collection and disposal

Outcome: Supports coastal communities by reducing marine debris, preventing litter from entering waterways, and promoting individual stewardship of Texas beaches and coastal environments

Pet Waste Stations

For communities with a pet waste problem.

What is Provided: Pet waste collection stations and compostable pet waste bags for use in coastal parks, beaches, boat launches, and other high-use public areas

Outcome: Encourage responsible pet ownership, reduce pollution from pet waste, improve water quality, and protect the health of Texas’ coastal ecosystems

Dumpster Mini-Grants

For communities struggling with illegal dumping.

What is Provided: Funding and technical support to coastal communities to host local dumpster collection events that offer residents free, convenient disposal options for bulky waste items such as tires, appliances, furniture, and other debris

Outcome: Reduce illegal dumping, improve community cleanliness, protect waterways, and promote environmental stewardship through community-led waste management solutions

Project Partners are key to the success of the Up2U Coastal Campaign! 

Aransas County Navigation District
Center for Coastal Studies
City of Port Aransas
City of Portland
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
Coastal Bend Bays Foundation
Coastal Bend Council of Governments
Friends of Padre
Galveston Park Board
Goose Island State Park
Keep Aransas County Beautiful
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
LyondellBasell
Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve
Mustang Island State Park
Nueces County Coastal Parks
Nueces River Authority
Padre Island National Seashore
Port of Corpus Christi Authority
Refugio County
Surfrider Texas Coastal Bend Chapter
Texas Adopt A Beach
Texas Master Naturalist Mid Coast Chapter
Texas Master Naturalist South Texas Chapter
Texas State Aquarium
Valero

Interested in becoming a distribution partner? Contact the CBBEP at 361-336-0304 or [email protected].

Map of Distribution Locations

Up2U bags are distributed at manned and unmanned distribution sites hosted by project partners throughout the Coastal Bend. Use the map to find a location near you!

When it rains in the Coastal Bend, the rain washes down the streets into the ditches or gutters along the road, but do you know where it goes from there. It makes its way through more ditches or underground pipes and eventually is discharged into the bay. When this happens, the water takes with it all the trash along the way, so all that trash ends up in our bays and estuaries. This negatively impacts fish and wildlife that live in and near our bays, fish and birds can eat the trash, or become tangled up in it. But you can help by taking the Up2U Challenge!

Grab a litter bag and have your own trash clean up. Every piece of trash you pick up is one less piece that will end up in the bay, harming our fish and wildlife. Fill any Up2U bag with trash, have someone take your picture with the bag of trash, and share it on social media with the hashtag #Up2UTexas.

Click here to take the challenge

For more information about the Up2U Litter Prevention Campaign contact the CBBEP at 361-336-0304 or [email protected].

Up2U Photo Gallery

If you are interested in becoming an Up2U distribution partner, please email [email protected], call 361-334-0304, or fill out an interest form here.


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