Adopt a Highway -- Please don't litter!!

A week ago I helped out at my sons' school -- a very rare "treat" for me, since my schedule is so busy and I can hardly ever do anything at the school or go on any of my sons' field trips.*

The 7th and 8th graders were going to clean out these roads that are informally adopted by their elementary school and close to the campus. My group consisted of my son and four boys in his class and we were assigned the very first stretch of road, fairly short, and I was blown away by how much trash had been thrown by drivers in this short stretch of a rural side road!! Countless empty cans, cups and bottles of soda, beer and water. Old lottery tickets, grocery bags with trash. A large bag of bird-seed and plastic bags and lots of other small items.

The five boys in my group filled two of the bags you see above (probably the fullest ones). Our stretch was short, but I think the other roads cleaned were side ones and ours must be the most traveled stretch (after three other roads meet, leading into a minor not-divided highway). Some of the boys in my group were a little rowdy and started throwing some of the trash across the road to the other group, but other than that, they worked diligently and did a good job. We were the first group to finish.

I kept thinking that if the people who litter had to clean even a small area of the roadside they would never do it again! And I was very glad to have my son and his classmates do this service project. I have some qualms with a few things his teacher does, but I think that the good initiatives far outweigh the bad. I'll talk about my kids' teachers and schedules in another post. There'll be lots of posts this month.

I'm sure none of my blog readers do it, but in any case, please, don't litter!

* I am planning to go on two trips next year, one to the Capitol & White House and to their ski day. I will cancel my classes to do that.