Public littering in East TN (Greeneville: shop, area, pickup)

[mbmouse]

Good job! Thank you
My boys were in scouts for many years and we would take them at least twice a year to do clean up in areas that needed it. Many troops around still do but it takes more than the boy scouts and the prisoners to get it all done.

[zetnan]

We have purchased a home near Sparta and will be moving from near Gainesville Florida in February. In my travels I have noticed that littering is a widespread problem. What is wrong with people??? However, I noticed that there was less litter around the Sparta and Cookeville area than I see here in Florida. I wish the littering laws were actually enforced. We really like what we have seen in Tennessee and are excited about our move.

[willowslady]

The trash is always going to be a problem no matter where you go. People are just going to do it and the state can not afford to have a cop stand behind each person to make sure they don't.. I say if it bothers you so much, do like we do down here below the tri-cities....get out of your vehicle and pick it up yourself and get your roads adopted out. We have a lot of our roads adopted out and they get out there and clean up trash that they did not throw out the window. It is not going to do any good to b@#@$ at the ones who throw out the trash, they don't care. Sometimes, you have to give a little to get what you want, in this case do it yourself and expect to do it again and again until your pride spreads to the rest.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by willowslady

The trash is always going to be a problem no matter where you go. People are just going to do it and the state can not afford to have a cop stand behind each person to make sure they don't.. I say if it bothers you so much, do like we do down here below the tri-cities....get out of your vehicle and pick it up yourself and get your roads adopted out. We have a lot of our roads adopted out and they get out there and clean up trash that they did not throw out the window. It is not going to do any good to b@#@$ at the ones who throw out the trash, they don't care. Sometimes, you have to give a little to get what you want, in this case do it yourself and expect to do it again and again until your pride spreads to the rest.

I agree! We always pick up after ourselves and pick up litter when we see it, but I think we need to do more!

[peszone]

its true that maybe 20 years ago,mainly the rural back hills of tennessee was trashy.since then things have cleaned up.dump stations were set up at different locations.back then,they had no place to take the trash or it was too far away.that has now been corrected.

[zetnan]

I wrote my previous email just stating that I can't understand why people litter so much and that Tennessee had no more litter than other states. I'm sorry that you are telling me to pick up trash without knowing if I did or not. First of all I have to work for a living so I can't spend everyday all day out stopping and picking up trash, however, I do on a regular basis pick up litter around in the area I live and when I take my grandchildren to the play gound I take a garbage bag and pick up the litter that people don't bother to put in the garbage cans that are available for them. I like to go hiking, when I have the time and I also carry out the trash I find on the trail. I just wanted you to know that I do what I can and don't appreciate you all blasting me without knowing if I clean up litter or not.

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by peszone

its true that maybe 20 years ago,mainly the rural back hills of tennessee was trashy.since then things have cleaned up.dump stations were set up at different locations.back then,they had no place to take the trash or it was too far away.that has now been corrected.

Way wrong. Way, way, way wrong. This past weekend I spent some time picking up in the CNF around Elizabethton and I can tell you that we filled every bag we brought and could have easily filled three dump trucks more with debris.

For every pound we took out I guarantee that you could bring out 100 more just in tires. I'm going back this weekend because this is really bugging me but I'll bet we saw no less 10 tons (yes, TONS!) of garbage while driving. We actually started counting and came up with:

146 tires
3 TV sets
1 box spring and mattress
2 sofas
3 misc pieces of furniture
24 freon cans
11 propane tanks

That's not including the thousands of pieces of debris in the way of soda cans, wrappers, oil jugs, etc.

I have no idea who's dumping all this garbage in the woods but they should be captured and prosecuted fully. It's disgusting and really fires me up that people use these pristine forests as their own trash can.

I'll take some "before" pictures in case anyone thinks I'm stretching the truth and welcome anyone that wishes to assist with the clean up to PM me. I'm taking my truck and a utility trailer and plan on spending the better part of Saturday trying to make the CNF a better place for our future generations.

Joe

[Joe P]

Since this has come up in conversation lately, I'd like to publicly thank the late model silver Ford F150 I was behind on I26 today, license plate number Moderator cut: too identifying of someone else. I really hope you enjoyed your lunch, which appeared to have been McDonalds, but you really need not throw your trash onto the highway. Moderator cut: sorry, opening yourself up for bad accusations

[hiknapster]

Zetnan:

My remarks were not directed at you. I meant that I should pitch in. I am almost certain that no one else meant you, either.

[insanesmooch]

Just looking through some news sites and one points out a litter hotline.
1-877-8-LITTER (877-854-8837)

If you see someone with a TN license plate you can call and report them. You do not have to leave your name. They will be mailed a letter and a car trash bag. The letter will also remind them that littering is punishable by a $1,500 fine.

I know it won't stop most people. If they really had a conscience about it, they wouldn't litter in the first place. Maybe the threat of a fine will stop them- I doubt it.