Fielder’s Choice

There seems to be more focus then ever on keeping Marshall County and our towns and communities clean.

The county is making a huge difference through its program in which state inmates are involved in picking up litter along our roadsides.

Holly Springs continues to push its Team Up To Clean Up efforts. And it’s been a positive force in the beautification of our city.

But at the same time, when the clean-up efforts take a step forward, they seem to take a step or two back.

About a week ago, crews picked up litter and mowed along Chulahoma Avenue which leads to Hernando Road. I travel that way, to and from home, several times a day. The area looked as good as it has ever looked.

Then, not too long after the clean-up, the litter started to multiply again. There were plastic bottles, fast food bags, fountain drink cups and more and more.

It was discouraging to me.

And I know it was frustrating for those who are involved on a daily basis in keeping our city clean.

Just last week, in your South Reporter, Holly Springs Mayor Kelvin Buck wrote a guest column entitled, “City zoning and code enforcement.”

A portion of the article focused on Team Up To Clean Up and the need for everybody to get on board.

So many have stepped up to the plate and gotten involved in adopting a stretch of highway or picking up litter in their own communities.

And I truly believe it makes a difference when the clean-up efforts are seen by others. It’s all about setting an example.

“Regardless of how much paper our city picks up, if citizens don’t do their part we will not have the clean city many of us say we want,” Mayor Buck wrote.

The article also got into unsightly property, old abandoned automobiles, overgrown grass, etc.

No doubt about it, a cleaner community makes for a better community, primarly for the citizens who live there.

But as I’ve said before, the first thing noticed when visitors enter a county or city is the way it looks. That appearance leaves a lasting impression, either negative or positive.

And odds are, they go tell others. It spreads.

Businesses and industries evaluate many things when deciding whether or not they want to locate in a certain area. One of those is appearance. They like to get a glimpse of whether or not residents take pride in the their community. Litter, indeed, can have a negative effect on economic development.

Maybe through programs like the state inmates picking up garbage, Team Up To Clean Up, street adoption, and the involvement of city and county workers on a daily basis, we can influence one person at a time, those who roll down the window of their automobiles and toss that bag or cup or bottle onto the roadside.

I appreciate those citizens who are involved in beautification. So many times it’s a thankless task. You clean it up, and a day or two later, it’s littered again.

But believe it, you are making a difference. Someone is taking notice. And maybe, just maybe, that someone will also start doing his part to keep our county clean.