ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996 TAG: 9609100019
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GENE OSBORN
I SALUTE Roanoke and the entire valley as an All-America city. My wife and I have enjoyed the two years that we have lived here.
But how can we citizens of this beautiful area continue to allow it to be deluged with trash and garbage that's scattered all along the roadways?
The entire valley, including Salem, is becoming its own landfill.
All citizens should open their eyes and see just how many fast-food restaurants' paper products, drink cans and bottles, plastic grocery bags and cigarette butts are covering the landscape. This debris is taking over the beauty of the greenways and roadways of the valley.
Do we not really care how we look? My relatives from California visited during June, and they enjoyed the green beauty of the valley. But they also remarked about the visible trash that dotted the green and scarred the beauty.
Solutions are simple. First, we all should adopt a caring attitude. We should carry a trash bag in the car to deposit our unwanted items, and empty the bags into the garbage cans at home.
Don't toss objects out the car's window like a slob. Take care and concern for your environment.
Every business and homeowner should police the area around his or her property. Every neighborhood should organize a ``Snatch the Trash'' program, and make sure that the neighborhood's streets, corners and empty lots are kept clean.
A few people cannot do all of the work. All of the people can make it easier. And it would be amazing to have visitors come to our valley and never talk about or even see any trash - because it would not be visible. It would be in its right place, and we could be a little prouder to live in an All-America city and its surrounding area.
Some may ask if I am doing my part. My wife and I have personally adopted Hershberger Road, from Florist Road down to Oakland Boulevard, and Oakland, from Hershberger down to Richardson Street.
It is an almost daily ordeal to clean up after the thoughtless slobs who throw trash out onto the road, but we will continue until these people learn to take pride in themselves and their environment.
Gene Osborn of Roanoke is a substitute schoolteacher.
LENGTH: Short : 48 linesby CNB