Trash, trash and more trash--Oh My!!

In reading the book “Momentum” by Allison Fine on the development of MoveOn.org and using the internet to create social change I was surprised how one community, Martha’s Vineyard, solved the problem of trash on their beaches. A great deal of time was spent by people paid to pick up the trash from the trash baskets on their beaches. It seemed that no matter how often the trash containers were picked up they still seemed to have trash overflowing from them. This not only was costly for the community but created unsanitary conditions and a problem with seagulls and rodents. The simple solution was to remove the trash containers and put up signs saying “No barrels, No Trash, No Kidding.” Guess what? People took their trash with them!

This got me thinking about the trash baskets that CA maintains along its paths and at Tot Lots. They seem to be used primarily for dog owners to drop their bags of dog poop and fast food trash. I am sure that CA could have more productive things for their open space maintenance employees to do than empty these containers. Maybe it is time to have them removed.

What about the possibility of having a program for our path system like what the State and County do with the “Adopt a Highway” program for picking up trash. I am sure that open space maintenance employees spend a considerable amount of time in keeping the path system clean and in good order. Maybe there are community groups that would enjoy assisting this in an “Adopt a Path” program. Sounds like a great effort for Boys and Girl Scouts, religious congregations, walking, biking and running clubs. I know I frequently pick up trash and clear fallen tree branches and twigs off the paths on my runs. This could be expanded to garden and flower groups to deal with planting and greenery along the paths. I am sure that there are many other types of partnerships that are possible to keep our green spaces clean and attractive. Any other ideas???

Tomorrow March 26 the Columbia Association is sponsoring a “Columbia-Wide Clean Up Day” from 10 am to 1 pm. If you are interested in participating you can call Sean Harbaugh, assistant director of open space for Columbia Association at 410-381-3470 or just go to one of the following locations.

Village	Where to Park	Cleanup Area
Dorsey’s Search 410-730-4005	Dorsey Hall Pool 4649 Columbia Road	CA and County open space behind the Dorsey Hall Pool and along the Plum Tree Branch and Red Hill Branch
Harper’s Choice 410-730-0770	Longfellow Pool 5257 Eliot’s Oak Road	Stream valley from Harper’s Farm Road through behind Hildebrand Court, Mystic Court and Killingworth Way
Hickory Ridge 410-730-7327	Clary’s Forest Pool 11615 Little Patuxent Parkway	Open space play meadow in the interior of the Little Patuxent Parkway loop and the path that runs parallel to Dark Fire
Kings Contrivance 410-381-9600	Amherst House 7251 Eden Brook Lane	Open space and natural area behind the Amherst House and near Dickinson Pool
Long Reach 410-730-8113 301-596-3265	Locust Park Pool 8995 Lambskin Lane	Open space across from Locust Park Pool following stream to Route 175 underpass
Oakland Mills 410-730-4610 301-596-5237	Columbia Ice Rink 5876 Thunder Hill Road	From the Ice Rink to Whiteacre Road and the open space area along the path towards Talbott Springs Pool
Owen Brown 410-381-0202	Lake Elkhorn – dock side parking lot Dockside Lane	Lake Elkhorn and the forebay area
River Hill 410-531-1749	River Hill Village Center - Claret Hall 6020 Daybreak Circle	Behind Gentle Call down past Ascending Moon Path
Town Center 410-730-4744	Historic Oakland Manor 5430 Vantage Point Road	Wilde Creek stream valley from Little Patuxent Parkway to Lake Kittamaqundi
Wilde Lake 410-730-3987 301-596-4883	Wilde Lake Barn 10027 Hyla Brook Road	Wilde Lake stream valley from Wilde Lake upstream to Faulkner Ridge Circle