Burke River Trail Association got involved with roadside cleanups with the March 2024 Burke County Chamber Litter Sweep. As part of that event, we held trash pickups in all the Trail Towns along the trail route. 65 bags of trash were collected by 51 different volunteers in 9 towns over the 8 day event.
Because we care about our environment, wildlife, safety of drivers, bikers and walkers, and the appearance of our communities, we continued the Trail Town Trash Pickups each month.
Littering behavior is usually considered to be either negligent or deliberate. People either do not secure their loads or they simply throw trash out their windows. Until people stop littering, we will continue our Trail Town Trash Pickups.
Why is litter so bad (in case you need a reminder)
Environmental impact: Trash can leach harmful chemicals thus contaminating the soil and the groundwater. Light-weight litter items can be blown by the wind or be carried by the rain runoff and end up in streams, rivers, and drains, and even find their way to the ocean Some plastics decompose into microplastics, not only polluting the water and harming marine life but also can end up in our food chain.
Wildlife safety: Animals can mistake trash for food, leading to ingestion and potential choking hazards. Most of these items are thin plastic materials, which can easily get stuck in animals’ throats, causing them to suffocate, or in their digestive tract, causing them to starve. Trash such as broken glass cut and injure animals, leading to fatal wounds or infections. Small aquatic life and waterfowl at risk of being tangled and caught by the plastic bags.
Community appearance: Trash is just visual blight. It causes more trash to be dumped in an area. A clean roadside enhances the visual appeal of a neighborhood or area.
Road safety: Debris on the road can cause accidents by puncturing tires or causing vehicles to swerve. It can clog storm drains which then created flooding. Litter can pose safety hazards on the roads for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles.
Economic considerations: Areas that have a hard time controlling litter can deter real estate and business growth in that area. There is also the cost of community or DOT to clean up other people’s trash.