To the editor:
The region’s beauty begs us to get outside, but litter dampens our enjoyment, degrades soils, harms wildlife and pets, and can worsen climate change. Littering is never justified! Photos of cleanup hauls in Lee and the litter sculpture created last summer by two local artists and teachers illustrate the volume in just one small town:
Some litter is “donated” by non-residents. We’re not grateful. We typically find litter in unspoiled areas and often deep in the woods, making it more difficult to pick up. And litterers throw a lot of money away. Most of the recyclables we collect—hundreds of bottles and cans a month—could be returned to recoup deposits.
Our committee has organized monthly and annual cleanups since 2016, and Lee’s Department of Public Works installed several “please don’t litter” signs. We’ve removed over 1,500 large bags of recyclables and trash from our roadsides, plus tires, car parts, bicycles, a projection television, a computer, a sink, and even a safe. Some people dump full garbage bags, which bears break into! We’re so grateful to cleanup volunteers since we can never cover all the roads needing attention.
We installed 11 cigarette butt collectors downtown, and have collected more than 2000 cigarette butts. Cigarette butts are toxic and can contaminate soil and water, but people keep flicking them on the ground!
We can’t imagine what downtown and our roadsides would look like without our efforts. Our experience isn’t unique.
It’s so easy not to litter. Here are quick tips. Put your cigarette butts in your vehicle’s ashtray or use our collectors. And keep a trash bag in your vehicle, use it, then recycle/dispose of your waste at your home. It’s safer, might make you some money, and would benefit other people, pets, wildlife, and the environment.
We hope we’ll eventually work ourselves out of a “job,” that cleaner roadsides will encourage people not to litter. But we’re not even close. So, if you see litter, please pick it up. And if you know people who litter, please ask them to stop.
If people just think about their actions and stop littering, our roadsides and woods will be cleaner and safer. And the Berkshires will shine with unblemished beauty, inviting us to soak it all in. Just think!
For more information about the Lee Greener Gateway Committee, click here.
Peter Hofman
Valerie Bluhm
Joan Angelo
Ann Sterlin
Patricia Johnson
Katherine Miller
Catherine Laird
Lee
