America The Beautiful is a very inspiring and patriotic song. And we have many beautiful sights and sceneries all across our great Nation. And we also have litter. When I lived in Seattle I was very impressed how clean the roadways and highways in Washington State were, because their residents take extreme pride in their environment. I never saw any litter. That was night and day different from what I saw as a young man growing up in the south.

We have a litter problem all across America, and yes even here in Michigan. I live in a rural area of Grand Ledge on a dirt road. Many times we’ve been driving home on Eaton Highway and see Couches, Lounge Chairs, etc. Just tossed out on the side of the road. Really? Bottles, cans, paper, you name it, you can find it everywhere, strewn across our roadsides, beaches and waterways.

51 billion pieces of litter are scattered on America’s roadways every year. According to Keep America Beautiful: Litter research, Most roadway litter came from motorists (52%), pedestrians (22.8%), and improperly covered vehicles (16%). I’ve actually seen neighbors out picking up trash off our roads. Thank you for caring. There are fines for littering in every state. However I’m sure very few are ever enforced. We as Americans need to take pride in our country and State. Don’t Litter! After all, we do live in “Pure” Michigan.

Respectfully Yours,

Brent Alberts

More From 1240 WJIM AM