Make Washington the cleanest city in Iowa

May 1, 2012

Washington, Iowa

To the Editor:

This Saturday at 8 a.m. volunteers will meet in Washington?s Central Park. They will bring work gloves, shovels, and rakes and wait for organizers Joe McConnell and Craig Davis to give them team assignments. Then they will pick up trash strewn around the square, by the schools, various residential areas, city streets and parks. There are painting projects planned to spruce up recreational areas as well if the weather cooperates.

Even if you are not available to pick up trash on this particular day, you can still help. Consider going on a walk or a bike ride around town. Wear some work gloves, take a sack or two and try to fill it with litter while you exercise. Do it throughout the year. You will feel better about yourself, you may shed a pound or two, reduce your craving for junk food and the litter it causes, and Washington will start to look a little cleaner, bit by bit. I think this act could become contagious!

If you are witness to someone throwing trash on the ground, I encourage you to walk to that spot immediately and pick it up. It is non-confrontational and it sets an example that at some point, others may choose to follow.

I would also like to respectfully suggest to the school administrators and the school grounds director that placing recycling barrels for plastic bottles and pop cans outside each school building at all entrances and at the various athletic fields around town would be a good first step in teaching students to recycle. Would the city donate the barrels? If not the city, perhaps area businesses would consider funding such containers. Would student councils and other student organizations help take ownership? Who knows where this could lead?

Thanks to all of you who make Washington a great place to live.

Susan See