Viewpoints
Speaking out against littering
by Karen Ramsey
April 18, 2004
Sunday
I am very pleased to know that the issue of litter in our community
was brought up at the most recent city council meeting. It seems
as though people are taking action in a way that I have not seen
in my ten years of residency here. I believe that is largely
due to the efforts of Jerry Cegelske and his use of this forum
for bringing the problem to this community's attention.
I wrote a letter to the Ketchikan Daily News expressing my frustration
with the problem back in 2002. I was amazed to get personal
mail from people who also said they were disgusted by the amount
of litter. One writer enclosed a copy of a letter to the editor
about the litter problem that her mother had written in 1986.
Every April we have a spring cleanup. I still think we need
to attack the problem at its roots. We need to educate our youngsters
that littering is wrong. We need strong enforcement of anti-littering
laws; Mr. Cegelske is really earning his salary finding culprits
and writing citations.
The amount of trash loosely tossed around here is a reflection
on the community itself. If more and more people get motivated
to fight the problem, which appears to be happening, perhaps
we can finally turn things around. Maybe the people who do litter
will feel the pressure and think twice before doing it. Let's
hope!
I want to thank all of those who have been out cleaning up roadsides
lately. It's been a while since I've taken a walk alongside
the highway with a garbage bag in hand.
Karen Ramsey
Ward Cove, AK - USA
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