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I've been to 20 states, which is nothing to "ooooooooh" and "aaaaaaaaah" about, but I'm just curious about what you've noticed.
Here is my top three list of cleanest and dirtiest: Cleanest
1. Texas. I was drop-jaw amazed at just how clean its city streets, secondary roads, and interstates were (that was in 2001, and I hope they're still that way.) I literally recall the state being so clean that I LOOKED for litter along the ride on I-10 b/t San Antonio and Houston and finding very little.
2. Indiana. I've never ventured north of Indy, but Indiana sure seems like a clean place.
3. Mississippi or Illinois...probably Mississippi. I hope that "Pick It Up" campaign down in Miss. is continuing to help the state!
Dirtiest
1. Georgia. Uh...uh...wow! It's sad for such an aesthetically beautiful state to be partially tainted because of litter. Wait...pitiful.
2. Kentucky. Thankfully, the situation here has much improved much over the last five years. Aside from spending hours cleaning the roadside by my house, parts of (especially) rural Kentucky can be breathtakingly littered.
3. Tennessee. The most aesthetically pleasing of the Southern states I've been to, but east Tennessee especially needs some cleanin' along I-75 and I-40.
I've been to 20 states, which is nothing to "ooooooooh" and "aaaaaaaaah" about, but I'm just curious about what you've noticed.
Here is my top three list of cleanest and dirtiest: Cleanest
1. Texas. I was drop-jaw amazed at just how clean its city streets, secondary roads, and interstates were (that was in 2001, and I hope they're still that way.) I literally recall the state being so clean that I LOOKED for litter along the ride on I-10 b/t San Antonio and Houston and finding very little.
2. Indiana. I've never ventured north of Indy, but Indiana sure seems like a clean place.
3. Mississippi or Illinois...probably Mississippi. I hope that "Pick It Up" campaign down in Miss. is continuing to help the state!
Dirtiest
1. Georgia. Uh...uh...wow! It's sad for such an aesthetically beautiful state to be partially tainted because of litter. Wait...pitiful.
2. Kentucky. Thankfully, the situation here has much improved much over the last five years. Aside from spending hours cleaning the roadside by my house, parts of (especially) rural Kentucky can be breathtakingly littered.
3. Tennessee. The most aesthetically pleasing of the Southern states I've been to, but east Tennessee especially needs some cleanin' along I-75 and I-40.
I agree with GA, it's very dirty especially in Atlanta, you see ALOT of roadside litter.
Last summer, while driving I-40 in NC, I noticed a lot of litter strewn everywhere. Also, i had never seen so many broken down cars in my life. That trip was not what i had expected.
I agree about California. I was suprised when I first lived in the San Diego area several years ago to see so much roadside litter. I just assumed that a state like California, which seems so environmentally conscious, would not have much of a litter problem, but I was wrong.
I agree about California. I was suprised when I first lived in the San Diego area several years ago to see so much roadside litter. I just assumed that a state like California, which seems so environmentally conscious, would not have much of a litter problem, but I was wrong.
Moderator cut: off topic remark
Haven't been to enough states to really say, but from what I've seen, I'll post by city or area:
To be fair, things have changed a lot in the past year. The 95 is actually really clean now that they've repaved and added new lanes. And the newer 215 has always been clean and nicely maintained.
Older areas around the central parts of town may be dirtier, but most residents can avoid those areas completely. The bad areas are what you see immediately off the strip, but that's not reality for the majority of the city.
I haven't been everywhere, but in my experience...
Cleanest - Upstate NY, WY, and Chicago was really clean for a city (at least what I saw of it)
Dirtiest - NJ (I lived there for 30+ years. Try going for more than 100 feet on Rt 22 without seeing trash caught in bushes, carpeting the ground, etc. "Preserved" areas filled with cigarette butts, beer cans, etc.)
I've back-country camped in CO and UT and was appalled at how much trash that was left behind at campsites that we ended up cleaning up, burning, and carrying out for disposal.
And VA really upsets me...They clean up the highways pretty consistently, but I see lots of trash in what should be beautiful mountain areas...dishwashers or refrigerators dumped down hillsides off of mountain roads, etc.
I noticed a lot of roadside litter on a recent trip to Georgia/South Carolina as well. (Flew into Atlanta.) New Mexico, where I live now, seems to be a fairly clean state. (Although on a roadtrip yesterday I did notice a lot of litter alongside the road--don't know why I didn't see a lot before and all of a sudden it's there.) I think it's simply because this is not a very populated state.
To be fair, things have changed a lot in the past year. The 95 is actually really clean now that they've repaved and added new lanes. And the newer 215 has always been clean and nicely maintained.
Older areas around the central parts of town may be dirtier, but most residents can avoid those areas completely. The bad areas are what you see immediately off the strip, but that's not reality for the majority of the city.
Well my grandparents live in North Vegas and have lived there even before it was a bad area. I've been going there for years I am always amazed at how dirty it is, even though it's such a clean city. I can understand if areas near The Strip are dirty because of all the tourists, foot traffic, and car traffic, but up in North Vegas it's just ridiculous.
Also, that supports my argument. Moderator cut: off topic remark I live in a nice area of LA by the beach and it is always clean. But, come holidays such as 4th of July or just really hot days when it's over 100* inland, all the Hispanics from South Central and East LA come over to the beach where it's cooler with 17, a couch, an oven, and a refrigerator in a little Honda Civic. Moderator cut: off topic It's disgusting to walk on some beaches for a few weeks after holidays and even the ocean is filled with plastic bags, styrofoam cups, cardboard boxes, condoms, etc. for a few days.
Last edited by MB2; 03-03-2008 at 09:26 AM..
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