Friday, April 1, 2011

All That Trash


“Wow, look at all that trash!” These words did not escape from the lips of a city leader, an Adopt-A-Highway volunteer, or an environmentalist. They were exclaimed from the back seat by my 7-year-old son a couple of weeks ago on a trip down Route B, just south of Jefferson City.
For him to notice the trash… well, it truly was an eyesore. This kid’s idea of a clean room is one where dirty dishes, dirty socks and random legos and “art” projects are merely great things to jump over on your way from the bed to the door.
His 10-year-old brother (also not a clean freak) added that he thought all that trash “was probably thrown out by drunks”. Surely, your average SOBER person wouldn’t throw trash out their car window!
So, what can we do about all that trash? The answer is so simple that 7 and 10 year olds can comprehend it and even help out!
The entire month of April is No MOre Trash! Bash! The perfect time to get out there and clean up. Get together with your kids, your friends, your family or if you prefer, in peaceful solitude, and pick up some litter and put it in its place.
If you report your litter picking activity, at www.nomoretrash.org, we will send you a cool little trash can pin. And you will feel better doing something where you can see your progress.
If you want, you can even take the litter pledge – We should try this at HOME!
I promise to do my part to make and keep Missouri litter free. I promise to keep my house, my yard and my town clean and free of trash. I will throw my trash away and pick up trash when I see it. I will tell my family and friends about No MOre Trash!