West Virginia bringing prisoner work gangs back to work on the roads.

[mahlers]

Around here, you see the folks in the orange vests all over the place. They're almost all drunk driving offenders. Part of the penalty is to spend a few weekends cleaning up the roads. I think it is GREAT.

Big forest fires around here are also fought to great extent by prisoners. When we had our big fire over the summer, we had busload after busload of Dept. of Corrections workers rolling into the canyon day in and day out. They did a fantastic job, and saved a lot of houses (mine included).

Having non-violent offenders work off some of their time doing constructive work is a great thing. I wish our government would find other ways of getting things done so efficiently...

 

[Redbug]

South Carolina has the prisoner work gangs cleaning up the roads, also. I have talked to a couple officers that work for the state prison system here, and they told me the prisoners relish the chance to get out of the prison and do road work. It's like an elementary school "field trip", a break from boredom to get out in the real world. It is nice to see someone cleaning the place up. The locals certainly don't give a d@*%! They are the ones doing it.

Roadside litter and dumped trash is a real sore spot with me. I have lived in several states, but South Carolina has got to be one of the worst. It is a cultural thing too, I believe. I live on a dirt road and usually pick up trash 3 times or so a year, (no one else seems to care). It's usually about the same amount each time. I guess I have become overly sensitized to it.

By the way, when I pick up one of those quart beer cans and look at it, I ask myself...how can a person drink a whole one quart can of beer at one time while driving? I think all fast food containers/wrappers should be mandated to be biodegradeable in less than a year, or a tax imposed on the stuff that is not, (for litter cleanup), and that goes for all glass and aluminium cans too! There has got to be a biodegradeable type of plastic available by now to replace glass and aluminium.

Sorry for getting sidetracked from the prisoners...

 

[knute_m]

I agree, county roads can be terrible depending on where you are. Ive never seen anyone cleaning up county roads either...exc me.

I'm part of two road cleanup crews. We cleanup 4 miles of country road. Two in West Virginia and two in Virginia. To the best of my knowledge, none of us have arrest records.

One group is sponsored by the local 4H chapter, and the other is sponsored by our church's youth group.

We participate in the "Adopt A Highway" program in both states (I live on the border.) Adopt-A-Highway

We annually pickup about a couple thousand pounds of "stuff" ranging from bottles and cans, to air conditioners, TVs, drywall . . .

Many other volunteer groups throughout Virginia and West Virginia do the same under the Adopt a Highway program.

Knute

 

[rox]

I think trashing up the country side is a cultural thing here. Was at Krystal Sunday noon and watched a guy pull away from the drive thru and proceed to dump all his trash (cup top, bag etc) right there in the parking lot!!! I dont believe prisoners picking up trash or not will make any diff to those accustom to using the great outdoors as their personal trash can.

Yeah what is it with littering? Remember I thin ti was in the 1960's those cute public service commercials "Don't be a litter bug?" After that campaign ran I did see a difference in roadway trash, it was basically non existent. Over here in France it is just ridiculous the amount of littering. What is with people? They can't keep ti in their car and throw it away when they get home? I still keep a "litter bag' in my car. It really tells you something aobut a person who litters doesn't it?

 

[Bird]

I still keep a "litter bag' in my car.

Nearly all our stores put your merchandise in plastic bags now, so I guess most people have too many of them. I know Walmart has boxes by the door for "recycling" your surplus bags. But since they're free, we keep a supply in both vehicles, so having a litter bag in the vehicles is no trouble or expense at all. So it does make me wonder why there is so much trash thrown out along our roads.

 

[SnowRidge]

Yeah what is it with littering? Remember I thin ti was in the 1960's those cute public service commercials "Don't be a litter bug?" After that campaign ran I did see a difference in roadway trash, it was basically non existent. Over here in France it is just ridiculous the amount of littering. What is with people? They can't keep ti in their car and throw it away when they get home? I still keep a "litter bag' in my car. It really tells you something aobut a person who litters doesn't it?

I'm stunned. Europe was one of the cleanest places I have ever lived or visited. I guess it has changed. I didn't spend much time in France, just a few motor trips, but I don't remember litter as being an issue when I last was there in the 70s.

What a shame.

 

[jimg]

Yeah what is it with littering? Remember I thin ti was in the 1960's those cute public service commercials "Don't be a litter bug?" After that campaign ran I did see a difference in roadway trash, it was basically non existent. Over here in France it is just ridiculous the amount of littering. What is with people? They can't keep ti in their car and throw it away when they get home? I still keep a "litter bag' in my car. It really tells you something aobut a person who litters doesn't it?

Guess the litter bug thing is too condemning and bad for self esteem. Im sure you could never be so overt anymore.

LOL...I keep a litter bucket in my PU...one of those 5gal jobs. Its easier to hit from teh driver seat.

When I was in Romania they had a severe litter prob but just over the border in Hungary it was nice and tidy.

 

[ToadHill]

When I was in Belgium I was astounded by the amount of dog crap on the sidewalks. I don;t think anyone cleaned up after their dogs.

 

[VABlue]

I still notice England to be pretty clean. Not much litter at all on the roadsides. In fact, the populous is limited to only 2 trash bags per week for household trash. (At least in the Bramptom/Huntingdon area, anyway.) I was just there again the last couple of weeks - so clean, quiet, and peaceful...