Dr. Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful
In Liberty County, one way to achieve a clean and green community is to understand how to prevent our county from becoming littered. We must remember that litter is something we do not want in Liberty County. Litter may not be solved overnight, but we can help reduce its effects.
When you examine the litter and those who carelessly do it, it becomes clear that only about 10 percent of our local population is responsible for littering. Some people need to be made aware of the effects of litter and can be educated to understand its impact. There are many effects of litter when you think about it. I found these effects of litter on a Waste Management website called “Why Do People Litter?”- Causes And Effects Of Littering: Litter attracts litter: If the place is filthy and full of trash, it attracts more and more litter.
Spreads diseases: Litter serves as a breeding ground for many harmful bacteria, rats, and other pests that spread numerous dangerous diseases.
Clogs up the sewers: Inappropriate dumping of litter (mainly plastic) clogs storm drains and causes flooding after heavy rains and water pollution. It also ultimately contributes to the contamination of soil and water sources.
It can cause a fire hazard: Accumulated plastic/ paper waste, as well as carelessly discarded cigarette butts, can pose potential fire hazards.
It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money: Regular clean-ups require a significant amount of money, which comes from taxpayers’ pockets. So, even those who do not litter still have to pay the price for those who do.
Each of us has the power to make a significant difference in our community’s health. By committing to picking up just one piece of litter a day, we can collectively remove over 360 pieces of litter from Liberty County in a year. A family of four could eliminate over 1,440 pieces of litter annually. Imagine the impact if your street or neighborhood joined in - thousands of pieces of litter could be removed, making our community healthier and more attractive. With less than five minutes a day, we can significantly reduce litter in many areas of our community.
While solving our litter issues won’t happen overnight, we can make a lasting difference here in Liberty County. It’s a journey we all need to embark on together to make our community as clean and healthy as possible. Every piece of litter we remove is a victory for us all. Will you join us in our commitment to a litter-free Liberty County?
We at Keep Liberty Beautiful love to ensure we have a green community, too. I know working outside in this heat is hard, especially if you have a garden. Last month, we released butterflies in our certified Pollinator Garden, which was an exciting experience. We observed 20 butterflies’ life cycle up close with a butterfly kit from Insect Lore. The kit came with 20 baby caterpillars and everything we needed to get them growing! The entire metamorphosis took about three weeks. Our summer interns, KLB staff, and summer campers watched as the butterflies transformed from caterpillars to chrysalides and then to beautiful butterflies.
While working in our Reading Garden, we always strive to plant native plants, which are more beneficial for the environment. During my readings and advice from Amada Jeffers, the KLB volunteer coordinator, native plants were recommended because they are better suited to growing in their native areas. Native plants grew naturally in an area before humans began introducing outside plants to cultivate and farm. Native plants, adapted to the climate and cultural conditions of a specific region, become an integral part of the ecosystem.
In our Reading Garden, we are doing our part to “Keep it Green” by planting native plants and making an effort to increase pollinator habitats in Liberty County. One of Keep Liberty Beautiful’s goals this summer is to promote awareness and reduce cigarette litter in Liberty County and Fort Stewart. We are doing this by being part of the Georgia’s Coast is Not an Ashtray.org partnership. Cigarette butts are so small that some people do not think it’s littering when cigarette butts are thrown on the ground.
KLB is giving away cigarette receptacles that can be placed on a building, a pole, or as a standalone unit to anyone who needs one and wants to participate in the Liberty County Proud and Beautiful program.
For information on the program, please email klcb@libertycountyga.gov or call (912) 880-4888.