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LITTERING - WE ALL PAY THE PRICE
What's the first, and most important thing you can do to prevent littering? Simply put, don't do it in the first place. Here are some quick facts about the prices paid for littering:
*18% of the total amount of litter from Tennesseans ends up in our streams and waterways - making its way to other states and eventually to the ocean. Litter from other states makes its way to our waterways as well, compounding this problem. *Fines for littering range up to $1,500 plus several hours of community service. *Our tax dollars pay for the cleanup of litter. Help us by becoming involved to make a better difference for your local community - it will have a far-reaching affect on our city, the state and this country! How can you help?
*Keep a bag in your car for your trash until you're able to dispose of it properly. This includes cigarette butts and biodegradable items such as banana peels, apple cores, etc. *Make sure items in your vehicle are secured so they won't blow out. *Secure your household garbage container so it doesn't topple over and cause garbage to spill out onto your property and/or the street. Garbage that is in our streets can easily end up in our streams and waterways. *If you have household items to dispose of, call us for a bulk pick up, drop it off at the recycling center, or call if the item(s) contain hazardous materials. We'll be happy to provide you with contact information on where to dispose of hazardous materials. Each county in Tennessee, as well as most cities, have programs in place for the disposal and removal of household items. *Encourage officials to enforce anti-littering laws. *Take part in programs like Adopt-A-Highway and/or assist with local clean up efforts. *Utilize materials such as bumper stickers and other outreach materials found at www.stoplitter.org. *Report littering by calling the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Litter Hotline at (866) 739-2812. Visit these websites for additional information on the impact of littering and how you can make a difference! StopLitter: www.stoplitter.org Keep Tennessee Beautiful: www.ktnb.org Tennessee's Adopt-A-Highway Program: www.tdot.state.tn.us/environment/beautification/adopt-a-highway.htm Did you know ~ Since it's inception in 1989, the Adopt-A-Highway program has had almost 4,000 Tennesseans assist in collecting more than 12 million pounds of trash? Annually, 13 tons of trash are collected from Tennessee's highways. Litter not only makes our roadsides ugly, it harms the environment, poses health risks to wildlife and discourages tourism - not to mention the fact it's very costly! Those most likely to litter fall within the 18-34 year old age bracket, and men claim to do litter more than women. To return to the Solid Waste home page, click here. |