Every now and then we all take things for granted. It just happens, right? It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, it just means you’re human. But it does happen, and when it happens for long enough, there is usually a price to pay. For example, you expect your car to crank every time you hit the ignition. Usually it does, but if you take it for granted and ignore that “check engine” light long enough, you will suffer the consequences. “How could this have happened?” You moan in bewilderment! Same thing with people. If you think that the kitchen will just run itself without some praise for the chef, then…well you see where this is going. Every worthwhile thing requires a little effort somewhere along the line. Here’s another example. We happen to live, I think, in a beautiful county. We might not have everything we desire, but the basic “quality of life” requirements are here. So, as you are driving to work in your car that you take for granted, you notice day after day the growing collection of fast-food drink cups, plastic bags, half-empty beer cans, junk mail and all the other souvenirs of our cluttered world blowing up and down the shoulders of the road. “That’s really bad”, you say, and as an empty dog-food bag flies out of the pickup truck up ahead you wonder how people could be so irresponsible. If you haven’t noticed, trash is getting the upper hand, and we are helping through our own neglect. This county is spending thousands and thousands of dollars yearly in an effort to control litter. That’s too much, but it’s not enough to win the fight. Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle in our battle against our trash and litter is our tendency to “take things for granted” and simply overlook it.
Keep Emanuel Beautiful is a local group of volunteer citizens affiliated with Keep America Beautiful that is working with the Emanuel County Commissioners to bring the fight against litter and trash and also against complacency about the problem. For the past two years, this group has worked to survey and monitor the areas of the worst litter contamination in the county. They have conducted sweeps and strikes picking up trash in different areas as well as presenting informational programs all around the county. What they have learned is that the trash and litter problem is growing at a faster and faster rate and will not be under control until the public fully understands how serious and threatening the issue is. Littering and trash dumping is against the law, but the KEB group believes that the public attitude can be the strongest weapon in the crusade if people will just make up their mind not to litter and not to tolerate those who do. Otherwise, the only other realistic option is stricter laws and stronger penalties to convince the offenders of the seriousness of littering. Aside from the damage this problem does to the natural beauty of our county, trash and litter are now becoming legitimate indicators of health and economic trouble spots both in towns and in the county. This is a real problem, but it is a battle we can win with just a little bit of help and awareness from us all. Every worthwhile thing requires a little effort, and a little effort can make a big difference. As one member of Keep Emanuel Beautiful says, “If you can’t pick it up, just don’t throw it out.”
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