STAMFORD, CT. - November 13, 2008 - Fifteen Keep America Beautiful affiliates will share $150,000 in cash grants from Waste Management, Inc. The Waste Management Think Green(R) Community Improvement Grants are part of a nationwide effort that encourages local solutions to improving community environments.

Waste Management (NYSE:WMI) is partnering with Keep America Beautiful (KAB) for the third year of the Think Green grants program. More than 575 local KAB affiliates were challenged to present proposals for ambitious projects representing a wide array of stewardship, community outreach and educational projects. Fifteen recipients were chosen from a nationwide field of 61 entries and will each receive a $10,000 award to bring their proposals to fruition.

"The ambitious work of KAB's affiliate organizations demonstrates our mission to engage individuals in taking greater responsibility for improving their community environments," said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. "We look forward to seeing all of these important projects come to fruition thanks to the generosity of Waste Management's grant."

The wide range of programs reflect the diverse interests and needs of the communities involved, and include projects that promote recycling, engage school children in litter prevention and composting, support local beautification efforts with community gardens and green spaces, and revitalize neighborhoods through graffiti eradication.

"The Think Green grants provide us with a great avenue to demonstrate how Waste Management and Keep America Beautiful think green everyday," said Barry Caldwell, senior vice president of public affairs and communications and chairman of the KAB board. "After all, supporting communities "“ making them cleaner safer and helping improve their quality of life "“ is what our company, and KAB, is all about. Each of the affiliates has a project that will make its community cleaner and more beautiful."

Waste Management also partners with KAB on different programs, which include additional community beautification grants (target/showcase) and as a National Sponsor for Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup(TM), the nation's largest community improvement program.

Waste Management 2008 Think Green Grant Recipients:

Keep Phoenix Beautiful, AZ
Keep California Beautiful, CA
Keep Brevard Beautiful, FL
Keep Winter Park Beautiful, FL
Keep Cobb Beautiful, GA
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, IN
Keep Dodge City Beautiful, KS
Keep Meridian/Lauderdale County Beautiful, MS
Keep Tularosa Beautiful, NM
Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, NV
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful SE Region, PA
Pennsylvania Resources Council, PA
Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful, RI
Keep Fort Worth Beautiful, TX
Hampton Clean City Commission, VA

About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This national nonprofit forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For additional information, visit www.kab.org.

Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a powerful national network of community-based affiliates, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment.

For more information, visit kab.org, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, discover us on Pinterest, or view us on YouTube.

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