Litter knows no boundaries

To the editor, “It’s not mine, so why should I pick it up?” This seems to be the attitude of many Pine Island and Warwick residents lately. Recently I’ve seen many “Letters to the Editor” concerning the debris, bottles, papers and trash that are littering our beautiful roads and I want to add my thoughts and frustration. I frequently walk the roads in my neighborhood and am appalled by the trash that I see along my route. I decided to go out and pick up the trash. Within the first half mile, my bag got so full and heavy that I had to bundle it and leave it on the side of the road. I walked home, got the car and returned for the bag of litter. I was amazed that there was so much. It was overwhelming. What irks me the most is why don’t other people see it as they’re driving along? And if they do, why aren’t they bothered by it? I know it may not be your litter, it’s not mine either, and I know we’re all very busy. Did it ever occur to you, though, that maybe it blew out of your recycling bin? Or perhaps an animal knocked over your trash receptacle, tore the bag and the wind blew the trash around. Maybe someone just threw their trash, beer bottles, cigarette boxes, etc., out their car window. I certainly don’t like picking up other people’s trash, but if we would just step off our property and walk 20-40 feet to the left and then to the right, maybe even go across the street, and pick up the litter we see, maybe our town would look a little cleaner. It also wouldn’t be so overwhelming to those of us who care enough to pick it up. I was amazed to see how much litter was actually on people’s property, and they still don’t pick it up! Littering is disgusting, disrespectful, and unlawful. Just don’t do it! April 18 through 20 is Warwick’s Operation Clean Sweep. Let’s all do our part and pick up what’s around us, even if it’s not yours and you didn’t put it there. Kim Starks Pine Island