Dear Editor,
I’m increasingly dismayed by the fast-food wrappers, beer bottles, and random refuse lining our roads from New Hope to Foxworth. This isn’t just ugly — it damages farmland, threatens wildlife and undermines our reputation as a welcoming, close-knit community. Unfortunately, it also gives credence to the insulting and demeaning term “dirty south.”
Every piece of trash tossed from a car window takes years — or even centuries — to decompose. That means plastic litter in our ditches ends up in streams that feed our fields and families. When our roads look dirty, it’s embarrassing to residents and local businesses such as the country stores that serve our community, costing us undue judgement of passersby
We can — and must — turn this around. Here’s how each of us can help today:
- Speak up: A polite reminder to friends or family can stop litter before it hits the ground.
- Pitch in: Grab some garbage bags and pick up what you can on your road. Keep it safe and be cautious of traffic!
- Report repeat offenders: Mississippi law fines littering on highways — report it to the Sheriff’s Office.
- Organize: Rally neighbors for an impromptu roadside cleanup this weekend (gloves and bags welcome!).
Imagine driving around our charming country roads and seeing clear shoulders. That vision is within reach if each of us picks up one piece of trash—or speaks out when we see someone else throw it.
Let’s hold ourselves — and each other — accountable. Our county’s beauty deserves nothing less. DON’T BE TRASHY!
Mark Baughman
Marion County
