In addition to new buds on the trees, green grass and spring flowers, something else is making an appearance: winter trash. Once the snow melts, our ditches and other property close to the side of the road begin to show off the accumulation of litter from the past winter.

Some folks believe the roadside litter has been thrown out the window of passing vehicles. While there’s no doubt that some folks are inconsiderate enough to discard their unwanted items, we believe most of the debris ended up beside the road unintentionally, blown out of the back of pick-up trucks or from small trailers. If you have ever followed someone headed to the dump, i.e. the recycling center, with leaves, brush, hay and bags of trash you’ve watched on occasion as some of it landed on the side of the road with the driver unaware what’s happening behind them.  Sometimes an entire bag or trash can full of garbage falls out or blows out. Larger items can fall out, too; this weekend I-95 was sporting a chair in the breakdown lane. It might have been hours before the driver missed it.

Probably the worst litter offenders are truck drivers who still haven’t learned that an empty paper coffee cup, plastic jug  or lightweight soda can is no match for a strong breeze, and once the truck picks up speed and the wind swirls around the truck bed, presto, out goes the litter. It would be interesting to tally up just how many of the items littering the side of the road very likely blew out of a truck, including pieces of plastics, cloth, cardboard and other lightweight treasures which were thrown in the back of the truck, out of sight, out of mind.

State and federal highways seem to have less litter then our rural roads, probably because of more scheduled clean-up efforts.  Locally, however, we’re really presenting an ugly side of Maine we really don’t want the passing motorist to see.

Many walkers and joggers pick up items as they travel our side roads which makes a big difference. More heavily traveled roads with fewer walkers, such as Route 27, our entrance to the peninsula, and other more heavily traveled here on the peninsula don’t get the same attention. Some of the folks responsible for the litter are very likely headed for the recycling center since areas close by tend to be especially susceptible to roadside garbage.

It’s almost Memorial Day, when we’ll have an influx of visitors. We’re not looking so good (unless a massive clean-up took place in the past few days).  If you see litter in a place you can easily access, why not pick it up, throw it in a bag and take it with you on your next visit to the recycling center.  Each and every one of us can make a difference. It is, after all, our home town.