Engler: Let's Pick It Up

As most of you know litter is my pet peeve.

I had many comments from constituents last year regarding litter and how to get involved in our district.  I received this press release in my Capitol office this week and wanted to pass it along.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather today.

---

Let's Pick It Up

April is No MOre Trash! Bash

JEFFERSON CITY – All winter long we drive Missouri's roads and see it. It's in the grass, on the river banks, in the ditches, it's everywhere, and it's disgusting . . . litter. Luckily, April brings warmer weather and the annual No MOre Trash! Bash in Missouri. The Missouri departments of Conservation and Transportation are urging everyone to pick it up!

"We have to start somewhere," said Stacy Armstrong, MoDOT roadside management supervisor and state Adopt-A-Highway coordinator. "If we can all get out and get the trash cleaned up, then we can focus more on prevention and make an even bigger impact."

Last year's Bash had more than 838 groups participating with more than 10,068 volunteers. Hundreds of educational efforts were held in schools, at rest areas, at community events, during Earth Day celebrations, on radio talk shows, through Take Your Child to Work Day, news conferences, trash can painting events, television promotions and more. Altogether, 111,134 bags of trash were collected throughout Missouri, 26,659 bags more than the previous year.

"We were lucky and thankful to have so much enthusiasm and hard work last year, but I think we can pick it up a notch," Armstrong said. "We just need everyone who participated last year to get one or two more people to confront the litter problem. It will make such a difference."

Schedule a cleanup or educational activity during the month of April to help spruce up Missouri, report your activity and you will receive a 2010 No MOre Trash! Bash lapel pin. The departments will also be happy to provide you with bags to stash the litter you clean up.  

Participants are asked to report their Trash Bash activities by May 15 through an After-Activity Report Card. The report card is included in the "Clean Up Missouri" Trash Bash brochure available at MoDOT and MDC offices and other locations throughout the state. The brochure, report card and other Trash Bash information are available online at nomoretrash.org.

"Littering isn't just ugly, it hurts wildlife, it costs Missourians millions of tax dollars each year, and it's illegal," added MDC No MOre Trash! Coordinator Joe Jerek. "Birds, fish, turtles and other animals get tangled in litter, such as plastic six-pack holders and fishing line, and it can kill them. Litter poisons fish, birds and other wildlife and can cost a litterer up to $1,000 in fines and one year in jail."

MoDOT spends more than $5 million each year cleaning litter from Missouri's roadsides, while MDC spends almost $1 million a year to clean litter from conservation areas and other department locations.

For more information on the April Trash Bash or to get trash bags, call 888-ASK MODOT (275-6636), or visit nomoretrash.org.