From The Anson Record

Earlier this month, a litter sweep was held in Wadesboro— but so few volunteers turned out to help pick up trash that only one road in town was able to be covered. Granted, it was a holiday weekend, during which many may have been out of town to visit the mothers in their lives. But still, it’s kind of a sad commentary on our times that only a handful of citizens cared enough about how their town looks to make the effort to clean it up a little.

Driving the streets of Wadesboro, it’s not uncommon to see a careless driver toss a cigarette butt out the window. When walking along the streets downtown, you’re just as likely to see a paper cup from a local fast food restaurant sliding along in the breeze as you are to see a butterfly fluttering along on a spring day. In fact, it’s probably more likely that you’ll see the paper cup.

In today’s society, we all seem to be so busy. We’re trying to get work done, trying to get to the grocery store, just living our daily lives, which has become so hectic that apparently, many of us can’t be bothered to find a trash can or other receptacle for our litter. Instead, we just drop it out the window of our vehicles, or just drop it wherever we happen to be standing on the street. The question is, would you do this in your own home? Say, you got a meal from a fast food place and took it home to eat it. When you’re finished, do you leave the bag sitting on your kitchen table? Do you just drop it near the trash can, thinking, “Oh well, someone will pick it up”? Unless you’re an exceedingly unhealthy or lazy individual, the answer is probably no. So then why would you behave so carelessly when out in public in the town or county you live in?

Wadesboro has an attractive downtown area, with an imposing courthouse and architectural gems of houses. Anson County has some beautiful stretches of rural farmland. We should all feel proud to live here. But that pride wanes a bit when the natural beauty of our area is tainted with trash.

Next time you’re in your car or truck and have a fast food bag, a can of soda, a cigarette or even a piece of gum, do a little experiment. See how much time it takes to actually hold on to that item of trash and dispose of it later, rather than dropping it out the window. Keep a plastic bag in your vehicle and place that trash inside the bag. Whenever you stop at home or work, or even a gas station, throw that trash bag into a larger trash can or dumpster. It’s only a small effort that, if everyone were to take part, would make a huge difference.

Think about it. Who wants to live in or visit a town with trash lining the streets?