Vermont Litter with a Story to Tell

In Memoriam

2012-01-26T18:30:00.000-05:00

I lost an old friend today, January 12,2012. We first met some thirty years ago. Even then, the age, and stature of mynew friend was humbling. To have lived so many years, some good years with deepgrowth, some slow growing years, is to demonstrate patience, perseverance andstrength, with maybe a little bit of luck.

My friend and many like my friend, standtall in all kinds of weather, suffering insults and offenses in stride. It isenough my friend once proclaimed, to offer others shelter, a breath of freshair, or simply a place under which to rest and contemplate.

Offspring, to countless to name, have spreadabout, many taking root in the community offering the same generous healthbenefits as did my friend. I hope they may have as many years to filter for us,what is most precious, as is in their nature to do.

Walking brings me pleasure for manyreasons. One is to meet friends along the way. Stand in their shadow. Place ahand upon them in quiet respect and honor. Absorb the unspoken wisdom theoldest have gathered and freely share. I will miss my old friend when I pass bywhat will now be a gaping absence – a space that now seems more open but at thesame time exposed.

Mortality confronts us mainly upon thedeath of a loved one. However, I also contemplated my finite existence in thepresence of this elder whose way of communicating was through silence. Whosestillness arrested time and allowed me to think of what my time means to me.

In honor of my solid Oak friend whoseroots reached out along Kirby road for more than a century, I offer this quotein remembrance as well as a reminder of the giving spirit of this gentle giantwhom I wish to emulate. "The true meaning of life is to plant trees, underwhose shade you do not expect to sit” Nelson Henderson.

Ialready miss your stillness and silence. Your majestic towering outreachtouched my soul. I promise to cultivate more like you for those that willfollow me.

Help keep your community Green, plant a tree.

“The Native American Tree of Life – For many Native Americanpeople, all living and growing creatures are members of one family. The trees,the animals, and human beings are “all my relations.” Each has its own wisdom,and tribal council meetings frequently took place under a great and ancienttree, hoping to harmonize with the earth’s innate wisdom” Source/Authorunknown.

Frozen Fossil named Bud found in ICE

2012-01-26T17:16:00.000-05:00

Before: "Bud ICE"

After: Just "ICE"

Litter is an All-Season Sport.
Drop a piece of trash, you lose a point. Pick up a piece of littered trash, you gain a point.

Christmas Fruitcake Graveyard

2012-01-23T17:29:00.000-05:00

Real snowflakes are not as heavy as a brick, do not take hundreds of years to decompose, and do not make a tinny sound when stepped on.

Litter is an All-Season Sport.
Drop a piece of trash, you lose a point. Pick up a piece of littered trash, you gain a point.

Iced Coffee

2012-01-21T20:32:00.002-05:00

Bitter cold temperatures tonight; Please keep coffee cups indoors.

Litter is an All-Season Sport.
Drop a piece of trash, you lose a point. Pick up a piece of littered trash, you gain a point.

Frozen Lung

2012-01-18T15:32:00.002-05:00

Sucking on ice chips might help curb the urge to smoke!

Ice chips now available in cool minty flavor!

Litter is an All-Season Sport.
Drop a piece of trash, you lose a point. Pick up a piece of littered trash, you gain a point.

Frozen Entree

2012-01-14T15:06:00.001-05:00

Take me home and warm me up!

This take out meal must be frozen in place. It has been sitting in front of the post office for over two weeks. I decided not to add this meal plan to my plastic bag for trash, in order to see if someone else would garnish the point. Lots of people enter the post office. But no litter pickers-yet.
Litter is an All-Season Sport.
Drop a piece of trash, you lose a point. Pick up a piece of littered trash, you gain a point.

Chipmunks pick up their trash!

2012-01-13T15:52:00.002-05:00

I feed birdsthereby I have fed first squirrels and now chipmunks. I have played block and tackle with squirrelsfor years with some success keeping them out of our birdfeeders. Now newcompetitors have arrived-chipmunks.

Thesquirrels are mysteriously gone, no longer visiting our bird feeders.
Chipmunkstook up residence after the squirrels departed for more adventuress fun insomeone else’s yard. Either my squirrelevading tactics were to challenging or my birdseed was too old to bother withanymore. At first, I thought how lovelya creature the chipmunk.

Small, soft looking, pretty shades of brown, wigglylittle noses, fat cheeks, tiny mouse like feet. Soon though I realized, as the vacancy signcame down, that the new residents were similar to the old – both being zealous pickup artists.

Summer isshort. Spending all day trying toout-fox chipmunks was not on my agenda-so down came the bird feeder. A fewweeks after reluctantly taking down the bird feeder for the summer, like thesquirrels the chipmunks made fewer and fewer appearances. By early August, theblueberries in our backyard turned purple yet birds seemingly had not noticed.I eagerly guarded over them checking the progress twice a day, sampling a fewfor ripeness. Just as I figured I would begin picking berries, the chipmunksraided the harvest. Let me tell you, chipmunks do not need pint baskets whenthey go on Pick Your Own ventures. These cute, furry, yet damnable creaturescan quickly and efficiently pick and store a human handful of blueberries intheir greedy little cheek pouches that expand as easily as balloons.

Adding saltto the wound the chipmunks even feasted on the sunflowers, nearly dosing thelast ray of late summer sunshine from the lower end of our garden area. Now I believe in sharing with wildlife, in fact I have planted an assortment ofplants specifically for, or at least to share with, birds and other wildlife. However, I think pound for pound these sometimesnot so adorable chipmunks outdo their squirrel cousins in their consumption appetite.One afternoon as I emptied coffee grounds into our compost barrel, I heard aquick scampering, looked inside, and sure enough a chipmunk had practically setup a dining table and was probably glad for the incoming coffee to accompanythe day old pastries and other food scraps.

It is a lovehate relationship. Chipmunks eat seeds intended for birds but they also burynuts that may contribute to new hardwood trees and I have to admit I find thema wee bit cute at times. Admirably, chipmunks keep their sleeping quartersextremely clean. They store shells andother garbage in refuse tunnels. If onlywe could teach chipmunks to collect ourlittered trash. In the meantime, we will have to rely on those people who pick up littered trash throughoutthe fall and winter.

Startyour own Trash Patrol, pick up apiece every day-help keep your community green and clean.

Let us celebrate 2012 with actions.

2012-01-06T15:38:00.001-05:00

Were you successful in 2011? Bushels oftomatoes, a return on your job or financial investments, increased businessprofits. For 2012, I wish you a wealth of family, friends, and good health.

Success was often measured by how much we are able toextract.

The new mantra is “Beneficial”!

In 2012, will you compost to build new rich soil, plant atree, lend someone a helping hand or mentorship or heartfelt praise? Will youplace sustainability in the forefront of your production and consumptiondecisions? Will you pick up littered trash while you walk, hike, or paddle?

In this New Year, what will you do to “enrich our planetand your fellow human beings”?

Let us celebrate 2012 with actions that benefit the worldwe live in.

Happy Green and Clean New Year

“Heaven is under feet as wellas over our heads.”

Thoreau

Top Trashy Headlines of 2011

2011-12-30T12:34:00.001-05:00

Vote for your Favorite Trashy Headline

1. Litter Spotted From Space - Aliens Pick Vermont, Cleanest Landing Spot

2. Cat Boycotts Green Up Day - Hides Her Litter.

3. InscectsDecry Litterbugs - Launch "Sting-Em" Campaign.

4. Youth make it Cool to be Clean - Environment Wins!

5. Critters Bitter about Litter - Stage Demonstration Along Roadsides.

6. Scavengers Seek Trashy Treasure, Saturday May 7 (Green Up Day)
    Start Early for Best Pickings.

7. Litterbugs Denounced for ASBO (Antisocial behavior disorder)
    IJAF - Littering is Just Wrong.

8. Psychics Predict World Will Clean Up Its' Act - IF we don't Trash it first.

9. Umpire Throws Out Litter- Dirty Call!

10. Lawyer Files Suit against Fast Food Corporations claiming their
      food wrappers are Responsible for Clients Littering Behaviors.

11. Businesses Quick to Move in after explorer discovers Litter-Free City.

12. Cigarette companies begin Recycling Effort- Target 2.1 Billion Cigarette
      Butts thrown on the ground each year.
      Second-hand Smoke anyone?

13. Uncovered Pickup Truck Spills Trash-Leaves telltale trail.
       Driver Complains to Police - "Don't see you ticketing Hansel & Gretel".

14. Shortage of Litter Threatens Green Up Day. (April Fools!)

15. VERMONTERS ERADICATE LITTER -
       Dozens Scramble to Pick Up Last Piece.
       Now that was easy!

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil

is that good men do nothing".

Edmund Burke

Vermont Christmas Wishes

2011-12-04T17:18:00.016-05:00

Dear Santa,

I'd rather bike and walk to local stores for groceries and takeout food as well as holiday gifts, but if flooded or iced or snow bound sidewalks deter me at least let my drive be along tree lined streets.

I would rather not have to pay taxes to eradicate urban litter. Thankfully, a score of people volunteer to pick up litter on Green Up Day and some pick up a piece every day. I ask that each of these folks may receive overflowing Christmas stockings.

I would rather most Christmas gifts be acts of kindness: a friendly visit, a helping hand, even a phone call to someone in despair or to someone who is ill. Janis Joplin once sang that we all want the same thing: Someone to listen to you, talk to you, hear you, want you, need you, hold you.

Let many of those material gifts consist of locally grown, crafted, designed, built and sold. Let them be minimally packaged and built with quality to lasts a long time before expiring and entering our landfill.

I would rather there were neither homeless nor hungry people in our community, nor lonely or depressed people in unattended need. I wish for us all to not be shy about saying a sincere “Thank You”, and “Can I help you with that?”, while extending a warm handshake or hug in season and neighborly greetings to acquaintances and strangers alike.

I would rather we could slow the clock to find more time to actively participate in local government, and keep abreast of community activities. At least let us recognize the 'power of one' to influence good behavior, shared responsibility, and to spread a 'one for all and all for one' community philosophy.

Santa, I wish for community organizations, businesses, neighborhood groups, and individuals to take up Green & Clean activism by promoting and demanding more green (trees, shrubs, flowers) along our streets and parks. In addition, I wish for a Fall Litter Harvest Day to compliment our spring Green Up Day.

Finally, Santa, I wish all Vermont cities and towns become urban communities where the only paper on the streets is white birch bark. And, where the only clean up required on Green Up Day consists of raking leaves and preparing flowerbeds. Where litter is so rare, so unthinkable, so distasteful that even squirrels no longer leave their nut shells behind after feasting.

I would rather Christmas spirit shine from each of us all year long. I would rather the streets be Green & Clean all year long. With our help Santa, I think my wishes can come true, Merry Christmas!

Vernont Christmas Wishes first pubished on December 2009

Photo credits: Mailing Letters from Smithsonian Institution , Center of town. Woodstock,...from The Library of Congress, THIS DAIRY FARMER NEAR RANDOLPH...from The U.S. National Archives
Every February on Brookfield...from The U.S. National Archives

TRASHY TWEETS

2011-11-25T18:19:00.012-05:00

LOCAL RESIDENTS LOST on nature-walk. Signs deteriorated, paths covered with leaves, too much hard cider. After hours of wandering on the five-acre park, a trail of littered trash showed them the way out. Future walkers beware; the trash has been collected and disposed.

WEARING A VEST AND HAT OF ORANGE, he headed outdoors. THE GAME WAS ELUSIVE, hiding in the leaves motionless. Only an hour later he returned home with a grocery bag filled with littered trash –the daily limit.

Lingering witches use littered trash for their brews. Recipes call for, lawn mower chopped cans, fast food remnants (bag and all), slushy and moldy drink remains, lots of plastic, paper, and peppered with toxic cigarette butts. DO NOT FEED THE WITCHES – THEY WILL USE THEIR BREWS TO CURSE YOU OR WORSE!

CRAVING MORE HALLOWEEN CANDY? Try scavenging the day after Halloween for candy wrappers thrown aside on the streets and sidewalks-satisfying and less filling.

ü Vermont: Red, yellow, orange leaves, white spiraled church towers, vibrant mountains, potpie dinners, ballooning pumpkins, logs stacked like puzzle pieces, NOT littered trash.

Most surprising answer from an OUTER SPACE ALIEN visiting earth, when asked to describe one thing that the alien really took care of, the alien answered “The Planet”! Make ours Green and Clean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-7H-n0VrYU

I AM THANKFUL for … people who care about keeping their environment, their sidewalks and streets, litter free. For people who carry a grocery bag with them to stash found littered trash while they walk. For businesses that keep their storefronts –parking lots, sidewalk, and street frontage clean year round.

Thankful for winning the Fish and Game department trash HUNTING PERMIT, she wondered how many pounds she could bag this year. The state issued more permits than the last few years due to the rising amount of littered trash. She welcomed the competition.

POLITICAL SIGNS for flower bulbs. November elections bring bazillion political signs to heavily travelled roadways and intersections. POLITICIANS please “replace those signs with flower bulbs after the election”. At least one of the two promises will flower in the spring.

ü Fall back, spring forward. Fall Clean Up. Spring Green Up.

WALK THE TALK. His mother taught him “not to talk trash”, so now he drops it on the ground. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEeAdPFPdNM&feature=related

People sometimes drop littered trash on the ground. Do you know where much of the land littered trash ends up? Hint: it’s not on land.

NOVEMBER ELECTION REFERENDUM: Who wants littered trash in our city, town, community, neighborhood, park, storefronts, sidewalks, roads, streams, rivers, lakes? Votes tallied -No one does. That was easy. Now let’s do the hard part and pick it up year round!

I think three things are too big: Texas, Taxes, and Trash. Probably can’t do much about reducing the first two but I think we can DRASTICALLY REDUCE LITTERED TRASH. Pick up a piece every day.

My Twitter address: https://twitter.com/#!/VTLitterStories

Intensive Care (Reprint from Nov. 2010)

2011-11-19T11:22:00.002-05:00

Persistence is the act of persisting or persevering, a continuing or repeating behavior.

Our grandson Gavin is alive due to love, faith, hope, advanced medical science, and persistent optimism and care. Gavin and his parents recently visited my wife and me. While Gavin was at our home, I played some bird songs and showed him the corresponding birds. Ask Gavin what a turkey sounds like and he will quickly respond with “gobble, gobble gobble”. Ask him what a chickadee sounds like and he will probably respond with “dee, dee, dee”. Those quickly learned responses warm grandpa’s heart. His even being here in this world with us after being born more than three months premature and fighting through a bees nest of medical issues is awe-inspiring.

Gavin spent 103 days in NICU (Neonatal intensive-care unit). Here is one excerpt from Gavin’s Caringbridge journal : “I got a new bed the other day -- that means that I am stable enough to move. It took a lot of people to move me though, someone to hold my tube, someone to hold my head, someone to hold my body, someone to hold all my sensor and IV lines, and a couple people to switch out the bed units.” Gavin weighed 1 pound 12 ounces at the time.

Being in an Army family our grandson often lives far away. Visits are sweet but all too short. Mom and Dad keep Gavin in our lives on a daily basis through “Facebook” entries and phone calls. Those Facebook entries and calls remind us not only how special Gavin is to us but also how much daily care his parents and the medical community continue to provide on his behalf. Gavin and his parents have faced many seemingly overwhelming challenges and disappointing setbacks along with a progression of healthy developments. Now nearly three years old, Gavin is a living testimony to the value of community-many hands supplying intensive and persistent daily care.

Every one of us receives Thanksgiving blessings bestowed in a variety of forms. Some of these blessings come through the work and actions of others. Our ability to take action to make the world a better place for others and ourselves is also a blessing.

In a thankful and giving spirit help keep our environment, and your neighborhood, clean and green by persistently picking up a piece of litter every day. Our family wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

Nothing to Waste

2011-11-01T12:48:00.003-04:00

Nothing to waste, a Vermont folktale, written by Bernard Paquette in 2009, revised January 2011.

Mr. Gardner steps into the general store, each arthritic step carefully chosen. The conservative Vermont farmer now storeowner scans his new domain. The pyramid of apples on display gives testimony to the efficiency of his art. Each apple positioned to support those above it, each turned to highlight the shiny red and green coat covering the crisp juicy interior. An old chipped, never stained or painted six layer Oak bookshelf catches the reflected light beaming off the apples. The sun begins to rise and streak through the wooden sash windows. On its base and on the next shelf up sit gallons of pure Vermont liquid gold or more precisely amber colored remnants of boiled maple sap. Maple syrup, made in Vermont by nature, conserved and collected by Vermont farmers, every drop precious, as it is sweet.

Other neatly organized products lie across desks and shelves and in coolers leaving only a pleasant pathway in which to stroll. The delectable homemade and freshly baked goods provide the in-season selections canned and baked by the wise farmer's wife. Mrs. Gardner makes the best use of each locally grown and harvested vegetable and fruit and nut. Nuts from walnut and butternut trees incorporated in pint size loaves of sweet heavy aromatic bread. Pastries carrying maple topping as enticing as candy canes at Christmas. Maple candies in the shape of maple leaf for children and adults alike. The apple pies are erupting upward, apple slices pushing at the roof that shines in a glaze of polish. Canned fruit of all kinds preserve that which otherwise would not last beyond a few weeks of their natural season. Of the harvest that is brought in to her kitchen little goes out which is not intended to be eaten. Moreover, what little refuse remains comes to good use in the compost pile preparing new dark loamy soil for the next generation of plants.

It is four A.M., too early for customers. There is no need for electrical lights just yet. His granite surfaced and deep veined hand wraps around the cold iron wood stove door handle. A chill reaches through to his mind and draws out stored memories, memories packaged and labeled for use and re-use. Past events preserved like fruit, beyond their debut; then later brought out, opened, and enjoyed as they were in their prime time. Like opening a sealed jar of cherries or peaches in February bringing forth the escaping scent of spring. The memories are as crisp as fresh fruit, providing delight both palatable and aesthetic. Not just memories as in remembering a time when, but more like stepping back in time to re-live events, experiencing the same sadness, the same joy, the same disappointment, the same surprise and excitement as the first time. Remembering a time when…

Mr. Gardner took the same well-chosen steps, only not arthritic back then. He started early – four in the morning-just as he did today. This was the beginning of what was to become a lifetime habit taking full advantage of nature’s gift of early dawn's natural light. This time the cold door handle was on the barn door. No wood-stove rested in the corner to fight the frosty air, only cows expelling their body heat through black and white mosaics and steamy breaths. Expelling their body heat the cows helped to keep the barn and the farmer warm. Energy harvested and recycled. Recycling, an old concept well known to native Vermont Indian tribes (Abnaki, Mahican, Pennacook, and Pocomtuc) carried forth by farmers. Fields harvested to feed the cows, milk from the cows to feed people, cow paddies to feed and nourish the soil to aid in the next crop growth. Tools sharpened, handles rubbed with linseed oil in the fall to be sharp and strong for next year, and repeated each year for a long and durable life. Obsolescence is unheard of as is replacing a tool for a new and improved model.

The model followed by the farmer mimics that of the forest and the meadows, the streams, rivers, lakes, and the mountains, wherever nature runs its course freely. Each element down to a crystal of silicon sand is precious. Mr. Gardner the farmer fully utilizes nature’s bounty from the tiny spotted red-capped ladybug to the full pallet painted maple tree in October. From maturity to death, many give multiple returns as seasons change and time wears on them.

A younger Mr. Gardner fills his farm stove with wood, cut from a tree toppled the previous October with the help of his aging father. The tree no longer offers seasonal colored ware, or sticky sweet maple sap, but is willing to give a final return in the form of a crackling flickering fire. The flames wave goodbye through the stove glass. Heat is expelled offering a toasty corner to warm ice-cold hands, and shuffling feet belonging to those who once walked under her. Then his mind returns to today and the store.

Tales are exchanged; some old and well rehearsed, some refurbished and spiked with new twists. The store is open to customers now. Neighbors savor Mrs. Gardner’s homemade pastries and hot cider. Some sit a spell to partake in a chess game on a board so worn one barely can distinguish the black squares from the tan squares. The day stays bright but cold. Yet the iron door handle retains warmth from so many hands sharing its utility. One of a few stores that still sells penny candy, honoring frugality-is sure to endure through generations.

After fully utilizing the entire spectrum of daylight hours, the well worked but refreshed farmer closes up shop. Walking the mile or so home brings him past a leaning barn. Not fully standing, yet not ready for demolition. Never brash, only stoic, never painted, only enamored by boards weathered and warped. The stone foundation is crumbling, making way for critters to hide. This is no longer a functioning farm structure. The mature aged and seasoned barn now offers rustic beauty as it places a stamp on the cornfield and pastures like a postmark on a Vermont postcard. The leaning barn like the farmer, now general store owner, belaying the ole farmers creed- Waste not, Want not.

At the drop of a spoon

2011-10-22T16:46:00.035-04:00

Halloween folktale (fiction)
By Bernie Paquette

A late fall day found me sitting with an elderly Vermont man at his kerosene lit rustic home while watching trees lose their leaves. As he placed small pieces of wood into the woodstove careful not to place his hand beyond the dark iron entrance, he told me a tale so scary, I hoped I would never forget.

It seems forgetting runs in his family. His great grandfather down to his grandfather and onto his dad- if not early on, than later in life lost memories as well as things in that soupy swamp of tangled spider web of neurons. Today such effect might be diagnosed as dementia due to the attack on the hippocampus and surrounding areas of the brain.

"Therefore it was no surprise" he began, "when my wife kindly noted how often I ’misplaced’ items like tools, watches, eyeglasses, and especially for some reason, our everyday silverware. Fortunately, most of the items would turn up right where I left them. Except for the silverware, which once lost, stayed lost. This was but a mere annoyance until silverware once belonging to my wife’s grandmother, which we used only on special occasions, began turning up missing one piece at a time.

No surprise was my awakening with a shiver one very cold winter night as I shook the cobwebs from my head wondering what I had lost (in my head) overnight. An hour later, sitting on a chair staring at the china cabinet with the remaining silver silverware as though waiting for a piece to jump up and run away, I fell asleep.

I should have known then - real life seldom mimics sci-fi horror stories. There is less drama, more rational explanations, and unlike horror stories, the shock in real life is by far, diminished by the pain, sometimes excruciating pain, that lasts well beyond the initial shock birthed by its unexpected and gruesome delivery. Yet it is easier than facing your own demons head on. Living is sometimes harder than dying."

He speaks now as in a fog, "Awareness partially illuminated again. Thunderstorm raging, rain-hitting windows so hard sounds like hail pounding against the glass. Electricity is out. I am making, (more like fumbling in a drowsy half-dreaming stupor) a cup of tea on the gas stove. The match spark in the dark nearly spooks me as much as the lightning flashes. The tiny kitchen is even darker after a brief multitude of lightning flashes end. I Drop the sugar spoon. Dredge through the kitchen cupboard drawers for a flashlight. Potholders can opener, lid opener, gravy ladles, hammer, nails, screwdriver, finally a flashlight. Switch on, nothing. Flicking the switch on/off, on/off to no avail-nothing.

A slight scratching sound breaks my awkward silence as I try to figure out what to do now. One of the dogs scratching a flea I assume. I pound the flashlight against my leg as the scratching continues sounding more like something trying to get in or get out. The dogs are yipping now apparently sensing an intruder, something to chase at the least. The flashlight comes on dimly, flickers a couple of times but barely provides enough light to see the dogs at my feet. They are now adding to the scratching sound as they paw away at the floor next to me. It dawns on me, my wife’s remedial consternation about batteries. “You can’t expect them to be, ‘good to the last drop’, like Maxwell House, dear!”

I'm despondent, staring at a crack in the floor remembering there is a crawl space beneath, an area accessible only through a small opening outside. My small frame has allowed me the past honor of fighting off cobwebs, dust, and crawling over mouse and chipmunk remains in order to insulate the cavity.

I Shine the light into the hole. Shinny reflection….piles of silverware with a dropped spoon at the pinnacle. The scratching has stopped. The dogs, unquestionably still interested, have nonetheless backed away. They quietly watch, moving their eyes up towards me than back to the proximity of the earlier scratching sound. If they had been bird dogs, I would have expected their tails to be standing upright and their noses solid on the trail pointing to the prey. Our dogs only lay prone, pointing to me.

I feel compelled to retrieve that spoon. The mystery of what the rest of the cache of silver is doing piled up below the floor. How it got there. What is causing the retched stench? Are there bodies buried or worse yet unearthed beneath our kitchen? What caused the scratching sound and why was it scratching? All have become secondary to the overpowering need to retrieve that spoon.

I reach down to feel for and grab the spoon. Light a candle. The faint light gives no sign of the shimmering utensil but instead cast an eerie shadow in a shadow. I look toward the corner where the tiny crack is-or was. Now there is a larger hole seemingly carved or whittled open, wood shavings surrounding the now fist size hole.

I feel the hole as if that would give me some clue as to what was beneath me. Finding no clue, I lower my fingers through the dark hole. A candle light flickering wildly as I move it closer to the floor gives only a faint hint of what is about to hit me. The stench of rotted and rotting carcasses, somehow unnoticed by me while standing, now hits me at full force as I peer into the gullet of the kitchen floor.

I immediately yank my hand back not because of the stench which in and of itself nearly drove me back in repulsion, but because of a splinter lodging itself into my wrist. The bite of the thorn becomes a black swarm of stinging bees coming out of the abyss. A thick black smokescreen rises up from the whole in the floor. Bees, hundreds and hundreds of buzzing swarming, angry bees looking for someone or something to take out their revenge upon, bees on a solitary kamikaze pilot mission; sting and die, kill and be killed.

A Jurassic park era centipede follows, with multiple legs beyond count of which the first pair is poisoning fangs the size of Dracula’s. Fangs are only the opening ante. To back up the threat, under a rippling lip, lay rows and rows of shark like teeth. This nocturnal predaceous creature crawling up into my kitchen looking for a snack stared up at me and I swear smiled at me like the Cheshire cat.

There is a time loss gap then I find myself sitting again. I tried to move from my chair but my arms and feet felt like they were made of sand as though some viper had struck and not killed but merely paralyzed me. I could only watch, envisioning my entrails pulled from my body like a spool of thread unwinding into a sewing machine. Even before the last of this centipede’s feet reach the surface of the floor, I pulled and pulled trying to lift myself from the chair. It was as if I had stepped through a loose floorboard, worn, and ample enough to let my foot through but upon reverse course bound and held tight neither releasing my foot nor showing any of its prior forgiveness. The harder I pulled the tighter the noose held me.

I begin to imagine my rotting flesh giving way to dusty bones joining the ancient remains of the rodent skeletons in the crawl space. Will my wife think I lost myself entirely, wandered off somewhere and never discovered? Suspecting my wife slid the silverware down through the crack in the floor depositing them into the crawl space, I become angry. She hid them. She hid them. She hid them, I bellowed out."

As the old Vermonter pauses to feed the fire more wood, I recall that the memory loss, the hallucinations, the confusion, the aggression, the repetition, and sundowning (more confused and agitated in late afternoon and early evening) are all common behaviors of people with Alzheimer’s disease. These behaviors can be addressed through compassion and non-judgmental attitudes like those of my wife.

The old Vermonter continues with his story, "My other self –not my wife, had slid the silverware down through the crack in the floor dropping them into the crawl space. My hallucinations caused me no bodily harm. However, the shiny silverware in the crawlspace had become a glistening coveted stash of treasure for a demonized-rabies infected raccoon.

Now, as you can see I am very careful about placing my hand into dark caverns of any sort and I use only chopsticks as eating utensils. Moreover, I focus on remembering every day how blessed I am to have such a caring, patient, and giving wife."

In Memory of Beatrice Martin and in honor of her caring grand daughter, Barbara.

Authors note:

For those of us that do not have a disease like Alzheimer's there is no excuse for dropping littered trash where it does not belong. Put trash in its place and be thankful you know where it belongs!

Happy Halloween. See Halloween menu at: http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-menu.html

You can share this Halloween short story with others by using any of the icons below.

Let’s Not Disappoint Them

2011-10-15T19:21:00.005-04:00

Red, yellow, orange, replacing green are the dominant colors of our landscape as nature ushers in autumn. White spiraled church towers, mountains painted with a vibrant palette, and chicken potpie dinners represent some of the best of Vermont. Pumpkins are ballooning like basketballs. Logs are stacked like puzzle pieces. Littered trash does not belong in this mix. Fall foliage in Vermont brings people with similar expectations of what the Vermont landscape will look like. Let’s not disappoint them!

Residents step out into your front yard today and clean up any littered trash in view: on your lawn, on the sidewalk, in the road-insure your piece of Vermont landscape is green and clean.

Businesses and non-profit organizations, show your community pride with a business entryway, parking area, sidewalk and roadway that are clean and green 365 days of the year.

Receive recognition for your socially responsible anti-litter accomplishments via my blog postings @ http://www.litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/ and in my Green and Clean column published in The Other Paper @ http://www.otherpapersbvt.com/ and The Mountain Gazette @ http://www.mountaingazetteofvermont.com/.

Email me @ litterwithastorytotell@yahoo.com with information listed below.

Information requested to facilitate anti-litter activity recognition:

1. Organization and representative’s name.

2. Date(s) and location(s) cleanup or prevention activities occurred.

3. Quantification of littered trash eliminated. Such as the number of pounds, pieces, or large garbage bags filled.

4. Person-hours utilized in cleanup and or prevention effort.

5. Photos (Optional) for publication on blog only:

§ Before and after shots, or pictures of found trash.

§ Photos of your team litter picking.

§ Photos of unique, startling, or otherwise noteworthy items of found littered trash.

I encourage your organization to become a member of Green Up 365 in acknowledgment of your team’s community service in removing littered trash.

Thank You and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

*Note this offering has no affiliation to the Green Up Vermont nonprofit org.

FAQ: I keep my business lot clean. Why should I clean up trash on the sidewalk and roadside in front of my establishment?

Ø True, your organization does not own the sidewalk and street frontage, nevertheless littered trash in this area reflects on the view of your business storefront.

FAQ: With a successful yearly Green Up Day event, why do we need to do more?

Ø On a single day in May (Green Up Day) our communities experience a wealth of refurbishment when months of accumulated trash-a debit against the landscape- is removed and properly disposed (by volunteers throughout the state). Can we ignore the perils of litter on the other 364 days of the year? Not anymore than businesses can open only on Black Friday and expect to succeed. Just as businesses strive every day throughout the year to bring their clients products and services so they and we must remain vigilant in deterring and cleaning up littered trash year round.

Sharing Summer Vacation

2011-09-09T15:09:00.006-04:00

A One Act Play

The CHARACTERS are SARAH, JOEY, & PATRICK, each members of the same grade school class, and their TEACHER.

The SETTING is along a sidewalk on route to a local school in Vermont in early September as classes are about to resume after a summer long hiatus.

SCENE: Sarah has spent the summer at her Uncle’s farm in St Albans, Vermont. Joey spent the summer with his Aunt in North Carolina. Patrick spent the summer in South Burlington, Vt. with his mom and dad. The trio- lifelong friends, separated all summer are now walking to school together after the final day of summer vacation.

SARAH: [Reaching as high as she can with her hand in the air] Wild patches of blackberry plants grew twice as tall as I am. We picked and ate blackberries until we looked like goblins our face and hands colored purple. Uncle Tom said we might come out scratched a bit by the thorns but the best treasures usually required some sacrifice to obtain. I wondered how the birds managed to eat berries unharmed by the thorns or turned all purple like us.

JOEY: [Barely waiting for Sarah to finish] The beaches in North Carolina go on and on and on farther than from here to school. Aunt Danielle and I saw wild dolphins swimming so close we could almost reach out and touch them as we swam in the ocean. We helped a sea turtle that was trying to dig a hole in the sand for her eggs. She had a piece of plastic tangled around her, binding one leg-we cut and removed the plastic.
(See pic of turtle deformed due to six pack plastic ring @
http://extra.mdc.mo.gov/nomoretrash/documents/Peanut.pdf and
@http://extra.mdc.mo.gov/news/images/fullsize/20100326-3.jpg. )
There were giant birds; I think Aunt Danielle said they were albatross or pelicans, sailing just inches above the waves. We picked up litter off the beach so birds and fish wouldn’t die from eating the trash. Oh and I almost forgot, there was a harbor seal and a sea otter and-

PATRICK:[Feeling somewhat left out, Patrick steps out and in front of Joey cutting him off in mid sentence.] Ok you guys, just cause you got to go to faraway places doesn’t mean you are the only ones who had fun this summer. Mom and I planted a raised bed garden and grew asparagus as big as trees. We planted trees too, a McIntosh apple tree, and an Evans Bali Cherry tree, and a chestnut and an elm tree. Twice a week we walked all over and picked up trash wherever we found it. Mom says if we all plant a few trees and pick up a piece of litter every day everyone’s walks will be better than ever. Even the birds helped pick up littered trash. We saw a robin’s nest in our cedar tree made of grass, leaves, string, and blue threads from a shredded tarp and other pieces of plastic too.

TEACHER: [After all three friends and other students reach school and settle into the classroom, their teacher begins the first day back to school] Students will you each share with us something you did and something you learned this summer? Yes, Joey you can start for us.

JOEY:[ Stands up and addresses the class] I walked miles of beaches and swam with dolphins and turtles in the ocean. [Pausing to think] I learned there are miles and miles of walking places with trees and animals and birds right here at home that need our help.

TEACHER: Thank You Joey. Now Sarah you may begin.

SARAH: [In her lovely summer dress turns brightly to address the class] I wore bib overalls, got up every day before the sun, and fed chickens and geese and calves. [Looking at Joey] I learned that littered trash could end up in the ocean and harm turtles and other sea animals.

TEACHER: Thank You Sarah. Patrick, what would you like to share with us?

PATRICK: [Begins quietly but confidently] Summer carried me for miles and miles and miles, but I never left home for more than a day. Mom and I and sometimes dad and sis walked beaches, and sidewalks, and dirt roads past farms. I learned we live in a Green and Clean city and state but no matter where you live, getting dirty is a small price to pay to keep our world green and clean.

TEACHER: [Smiling] Joey, Patrick and Sarah, you all three seem to share a common thread even though you each spent the summer far apart. When exactly did you learn the lessons that you shared with us?

JOEY, PATRICK, SARAH: [call out in unison] Today! [All three friends look at each other and laugh.]

CURTAIN

Personal note: I ache for all the individuals who lost so much from the storm Irene. One cannot take in all the pain and anguish of so many, yet my heart feels for the overwhelming agony washing in to our regions. Support fellow Vermonters, Buy Vermont.

Why did the turtle cross the road?

2011-08-11T18:46:00.006-04:00

Why did the turtle cross the road? One common whimsical answer is, “to get to shell-ter”. Near my home in South Burlington, Vermont, one turtle about the size of a small hubcap crossed the road and the sidewalk in nearly a snap, but found the rest of the journey littered with obstacles.

At first mistaken for a discarded knapsack, the olive green to brown bony-shelled creature lifted its powerful jaws and agile neck garnering the first spectator. Five clawed toes on each foot seemed as fit for a badger as for this aggressive species though the long tail was most turtle like. Though not displayed as of yet, the sharp horny beak would later confirm any doubters that this was a snapping turtle. Snapping turtles cannot withdraw their large heads into their shell. With no place to hide, the large aberration continued to attract onlookers and bystanders.

The near record temperature that mid-day in June had already approached ninety degrees making even slow moving turtles question why they were out walking about. No one walking down the sidewalk could look any less happy than this snapping turtle.

How to help; from the children to the adults lining the sidewalk, discussion ranged from “do nothing” to “where to transport the creature to safety?” With little ado, our neighbor, standing behind the now aggravated visitor, reached down, grabbed the turtle by the shell as far back as possible, attempting to move the snapper into a dog crate we had positioned directly in front of the snapper. In a flash “Snappy” extended her thick neck back over half the length of her body. With beaked jaws opened wide enough to capture a wrist, she fell just short of clamping onto her predator’s fingers.

Even now long after the successful carriage of the snapping turtle to a nearby stream in the woods I still have visions of that large gaping beaked jaw arching across the turtle’s back and locking onto one of the handler’s appendages.

Edward Hoagland in his essay, The Courage of Turtles, wrote, “Turtles cough, burp, whistle, grunt and hiss, and produce social judgments.” Before leaving us, our visitor declared, “Don’t trash my environment or I will snap at you”.

Trash on our sidewalks, roadsides, and other public areas as well as on business properties are obstacles to our health and feeling of well being. When asked why YOU crossed the road, make the answer “to pick up a piece of littered trash to improve the next person’s journey.”

Save your fingers. Pick up littered trash wherever you see it; allow snapping turtles to cross the road on their own.

Photo by BLPaquette

Tell Me Why

2011-07-18T18:20:00.004-04:00

The Beatles first connected me to the question; tell me why, on their album A Hard Day’s Night. Blink 182, Taylor Swift, the Backstreet Boys, and Neil Young all sing a song of the same title. However, my current favorite that asks “Tell me Why is titled “Hey World (Don’t Give Up)” sung by Michael Franti. Franti asks, “Tell me why on this hill all the birds they used to come to fly here, come to die here.” He asks, “Tell me why there’s child soldiers, tell me how to fight diseases, tell me now, won’t you please”. Amidst many heart wrenching questions, he sings, I try, try, try, and don’t give up on me I won’t give up on you; Hey world, what you say?

On a scale closer to my ability, my very young nephew would, each time his family visited ours, ask why. “Why are the jets so loud?” Because Christopher, they use jet propulsion to become airborne (driving airflow over the wings creating lift). “But why Uncle Bernie, do they need to become airborne?” The pilots need to practice flying. “Why Uncle Bernie, do they need to practice?” They need to be prepared to fight for our freedom. “But why?” On and on he would ask why until another subject came up to ask why about or I just ran out of answers, real or made up.

I admired the curiosity, the non-linear analysis, and the persistence of Christopher who looked at the world the way many children do, with eager interest in learning why things happen, and why others behave the way they do. Christopher was often unwilling to give up asking why until reaching the true root answer showing me, the adult, that I had accepted for myself many shallow answers that were not really answers at all. “Hey Uncle Bernie, what you say?” often left me with the same indignation, Tell me Why.

Now that Christopher is grown up, I carry on asking why. Not tell me why questions like Michael Franti poses; those are bigger than I can get my head around. Mine are more mundane everyday life questions, like why don’t neighbors each cut their grass at the same time to eliminate the cacophony of Briggs and Stratton’s throughout the weekend. Moreover, tell me why so many folks haul away nature’s own fertilizer –lawn clippings instead of mulching or leaving them on the lawn. Lawn clippings are full of nutrients and organic matter.

Tell me why asphalt is ‘planted’ and maintained while environment-softening trees that provide shade and beauty are an afterthought and often neglected in urban parking lots.

Tell me why anyone living in Vermont would ever complain about hot weather when it takes most of June and July to thaw out from winter and a snow-ridden spring. I try, try, try, not to complain about the long winters, and I never give up on Vermont with its’ beautiful luscious green that amazingly comes back every year even if it takes a bit longer than I would prefer.

You might ask tougher questions like Michael Franti or dig deeper into the initial answers like my nephew Christopher. The key is not to give up. Don’t give up on asking, seeing what might be made better in the world and what you can do about it.

Like Michael Franti sings, “Don’t give up on me and I won’t give up on you”.

Just tell me why we can’t eradicate litter in our communities year round. Hey world, what you say?

Fathers Day gift to his son

2011-06-19T10:00:00.003-04:00

A few years back shortly after my dad died I found I needed to walk and think or maybe more to not think. I walked along the ocean beach in San Diego, barefoot. Not intending to go very far, I walked, and walked and walked. I began to wonder what city I was in, so headed up the cliffs to a park to find out. I than noticed my feet - naked feet were blistering and decided to start hobbling back on a narrow trail atop the cliffs overlooking the ocean. My shoe-less feet were really hurting, when I came upon a pair of tattered Gilligan Island type of canvas sneakers-just my size. Sometimes picking up litter pays dividends in ways not expected. Maybe they were a gift from Dad, him knowing how I would have my eye out for litter!

Happy Fathers Day Dad.

Bernie

Bird Fever - You Should Catch It.

2011-06-17T13:24:00.004-04:00

A recent trip to California presented me with an opportunity to join the local Audubon society representatives on a bird walk through Tecolote Canyon Natural Park in San Diego. The canyon has about 6.5 miles of trails. After short introductions of about 15 birders, we started our walk onto dry dirt packed trails lined with tall yellow flowers resembling daisies. Green shrubs, tall grasses, palm trees and various deciduous trees, provide a green and clean safe haven for birds and other wildlife.

Quickly the varying degrees of birding skills becomes apparent as individual birders spot and identify birds while others ID birds by ear, and novices like myself ask questions about the birds we see and listen and learn from those more practiced and knowledgeable. Birders I have met enjoy sharing their bird sightings and identification information with others. No particular skill is required to spot and enjoy birds other than maybe patience and observation. Thus, no matter the skill of each birder, everyone can have the opportunity to feel the excitement and shared pleasure of spotting and identifying a different bird.

Stardom fever helped us in our quest, not our brashness but that of some of the less frequently sighted birds. Blessed are those birds that though rarely seen out in the open, proclaim their tantalizing beauty by perching in open view atop a high branch singing to a captivated audience while turning occasionally to be sure we accurately identify them by their unique body, wings, tail, bill and overall shape, and size. In addition, allowing us to have a few minutes to observe their behavior.

Over thirty different bird species presented themselves to us that day. Some such as the California Thrasher (with a long decurved bill), Orange Crowned Warbler, and Black-headed Grosbeak were not rare sightings for those residing in California, but new and exciting birds for me to see. Other sightings were admirable, not so much the bird species but what the bird was doing. Like the Western Kingbird snatching a butterfly out of the sky, landing on a branch and eating its captured meal.

Learning the bird’s stories is just part of the adventure of birding with others. The naturally occurring camaraderie that develops from a shared cooperative venture also promotes new friendships. This along with the peace and contentment nature offers us if only we take the time to visit with her.

One member of our group spotted maybe the day’s most prominent bird, a Black- chinned Hummingbird. A fever of excitement arose as a second member of the group locked in on the sighting. Now both members tried to steer our remaining eyes to the unusual but thankfully patient small bird, resting on a limb in heavy brush not twenty feet away. Finally, in what seemed an eternity only one member had not yet found the cause for our excitement. We would not let him give up and continued to provide directions; follow that crooked large limb than look right by the clump of dead leaves…finally a cry of wow and the group was in unison in spotting the male Black-chinned Hummingbird.

About 50 million people enjoy bird watching every year. Bird watching is the fastest growing recreational activity in the world. Birders can observe upwards of 296 bird species regularly seen in Vermont.

What do birding and eradicating litter have in common? Year round opportunity for walking at a leisurely pace, living in the moment, learning to observe our surroundings, sharing with others what we see and find. Both activities encourage stewardship-maintenance and protection of our environment.

For more information on birding in Vermont, see the Green Mountain Audubon Society’s website at, http://greenmountainaudubon.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=3

Carry It with You - or - If Roads could talk

2011-05-20T00:25:00.003-04:00

Main Street, the artery. A roadway used by pedestrians and cars, residents and visitors. Across her skin are tracks of rubber from tires and sneakers. Caressing her sides is a band of grass or mounds of snow depending on the season. Overreaching her expanse, bowing tree limbs throwing shadows upon the placid route.

Ah, what activity she sees! Oh, what iniquity she suffers. If she could curse, surely her asphalt would spew with disdain. She endures the effect of sourly actions of carelessness, and the purposeful act of degradation. If she could speak, what words would she choose to utter to those who make use of her passageway?

At six A.M., Joe throws a cigarette out his car window – a toxic deposit soon to enter the waterways. Her first ever utterance is guttural but succinct; “The world is not an ashtray”. Joe nearly slams into the car ahead in shock, and then ponders upon his poor roadside manners. Another commuter, Susan, consumes her latte and spots a candy wrapper on the car floor. She silently curses her teenage son for his sloppiness as she tosses her empty coffee cup toward the curb. Susan fails to hear the street call out with firmness “Litter-it’s in the bag-carry one in your car”.

Now at seven A.M. students are heading to school. A small group stops for a fast food breakfast to eat along the way. Knapsacks and pockets apparently are full as wrappers sail like kite tails behind the students and across the sidewalk and roadway. “Rubbish” the main street artery cries out. “What a load of rubbish- now give a hoot and don’t pollute” she admonishes the startled students.

Later around ten A.M. Mary and Shawn traverse to market. They note the plastic bags, store flyers, and other trash on the ground in front of the store. Yet they show a surprising apathy toward the unsightly problem. Main Street cannot keep silent and speaks up. “Tell the storeowner the welcome mat is diminished by a trashy facade”. Mary and Joe are startled into an attitude of intolerance of litter. They decide they will alert the store manager of the opportunity to make the store more inviting by maintaining a litter- free parking lot and entrance. Somehow, the ride home seems more pleasant to both Mary and Shawn.

Evening comes, supper wraps up. A pleasant walk is welcome relief from a long day. John, Francis, and their dog Snoopy head out the door with poop scoop bags and two empty grocery bags. John and Francis have come to think of themselves as neat people. Not because they have, a dog named Snoopy, but because they pick up trash off the sidewalk and street as they walk. Their neighborhood is clean year round because John and Francis pick up after themselves and others. John and Francis attribute the sound to wind as a gentle voice expresses pride, “These are neat people-they must care about how their neighborhood looks”.

Yes, a good many people of all kinds and persuasions pass by our town every day. Some may even hear a mysterious voice decrying, “Be part of the solution-carry your trash with you!”

Lend a hand picking up found trash throughout the year to help keep Vermont a special place-Green and Clean.

Windjammer employees on Green Up Day

2011-05-15T20:27:00.003-04:00

Trash knows no boundary- neither do these determined litter pickers.

A natural area is cleansed once more.

Hey, that was easy! And fun too.

Many hands make for a job well done. Thank You Windjammer folks!

3 truckloads of trash removed-Patchen Rd & Allen Rd-South Burlington, Vt-May 7, 9 people- 3 hrs ea.-Unique finds: Bongos, ceramic buddah, computer.
Photo Credit: Michael Audet, Manager Windjammer Restaurant

Green Up Day - May 7

2011-04-21T18:21:00.003-04:00

Vermont — Cities and towns will host the 41st annual Green Up Day Litter/Trash Hunt on Saturday, May 7, 2011.

Over 15,000 people volunteer annually in picking up litter (over 40,000 bags of trash) on Green Up Day. Google GREEN UP VERMONT; find a list of town coordinators. View what a green and clean Vermont looks like in the eyes of students in grades k-12 –poster and writing projects. Share the website with your family-download winning poster, view photos and videos, buy t-shirts, check out the blog, learn about Green up Day history, and more, http://www.greenupvermont.org/index.php.

Many do not know the "state" does not do Green Up. The non-profit org. must raise about 80% of its funds from the private sector. Support the businesses that support Green Up Vermont. Interested individuals can also donate money.

When in my teens, no longer a child needing my parent’s attendance yet still harboring a deep down desire for family experiences, I sought out Green Up Day as a continuation of tradition mixed with my growing independence. As I joined friends that Saturday morning I felt like we were doing something good that seemed leveraged well beyond the ten or twelve bags of trash we collected. The activity was not as work anymore than climbing the hill to slide back down was in the winter. What I saw and felt that Saturday encourages me to view every day that I walk outdoors as Green Up Day.

I seldom see so many families and friends gathered enjoying each other’s company in a statewide yet community based tradition as on Green Up Day. Join your group on Green Up Day, Saturday May 7. Collaborate with those whom make Vermont a special place and Green Up Day a day to remember.

INVITATION to: for-profit and non profit organizations. Green Up and Shine.

2011-04-14T10:01:00.002-04:00

Re: Green Up 365

I would like to offer an opportunity to list your South Burlington, Vermont organization’s Green Up-Clean-up activities and results on my blog. There is no associated fee. The benefit to your organization can be blog reader’s recognition of your organizations volunteer work to help clean up litter and trash in our community. The blog listing will help increase community awareness of the amount of found trash removed from our streets, sidewalks, and watershed, not just on Green Up day, but also throughout the year.

Creditability: The columns contained in the blog are also published in The Other Paper and The Mountain Gazette, with a circulation of 9800 and 4500 respectively. This listing offer is only for the blog at this time. Readership extends throughout the U.S.

About the blog:

· Synopsis: Vermont stories reflecting Green and Clean-Vermont Values. Each short story blends true events with imagination.

· Each story promotes litter/trash eradication and prevention.

· Published a minimum of once per month.

· Column published continually for over 2 years.

· No ads in the blog.

· No fees for this service (listing your org and the clean up results).

About the listing offered: The blog side bar has a heading titled “Green Up 365”. This is the location where I intend on listing the organizations along with clean up information (see items 1-5 below).

Green Up 365 represents organizations who volunteer to help eradicate litter and trash throughout the year.

I look forward to hearing from you and gaining your permission to list your organization’s name and Green Up efforts and results on my blog, http://www.litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/ on a one-time basis or ideally on a monthly or quarterly basis-which ever your organization would prefer.

Information required:

1. Organization representative’s name (person authorizing me to list the information listed below onto my web site under the heading “Green Up 365”) and contact number and email address.

2. Location cleaned up (address). Pls. note if the area is a wetland or watershed area.

3. Any or all of the following information:

A. Number of pounds of trash picked up, and properly disposed of.

B. Number of pieces of litter/trash picked up and properly disposed of-individual pieces or number of large garbage bags of trash.

C. Person-hours utilized in cleanup effort.

4. Date(s) cleanup activities occurred.

5. Optional

· List any unique, startling, or otherwise noteworthy items of found trash.

· Photos are also welcome, such as before and after shots, or pictures of found trash.

· Written description along with pictures of:

-Green Up activities and celebrations such as your volunteers litter picking.

- Post clean up picnics or celebrations.

-Other litter eradication and prevention activities.

I encourage your organization to join this collaboration to promote and recognize efforts to eradicate litter and trash in our community. Please consider periodic year round clean ups in addition to Green Up Day participation.

Sincerely,

Bernard Paquette

Why are we tolerant of trash?

2011-04-12T08:28:00.008-04:00

Walk and see dirty, disgusting, degrading affronts to our city’s image.

Walk to work or walk around the block in your community neighborhood and challenge yourself to count the number of pieces of litter in a square block or even within one hundred feet. Look at the community’s highly shopped and respected storefronts and ask yourself why there is trash in front of some of these businesses.

Why are we tolerant of trash on our sidewalks, streets, parking lots, yards- our city? Much of the litter on the streets ends up in our waterways. This non-phosphorus pollution is polluting our cherished waterways and overall landscape. Our discarded plastic is killing birds, marine and other wildlife.

Everyone can easily participate in this cause. Everyone can pick up a piece every day. Consider carrying an empty grocery bag with you on neighborhood walks. Notify business owners of the opportunity to improve their business facade by removing trash from the parking lot. Businesses can create litter patrols whereby their crews periodically remove litter along the street where the business is located.

We can grow an attitude of intolerance for litter just as we can grow pride and activism for attributes like Lake Champlain.

If enough people join in on a regular basis, well to quote Arlo Guthrie in Alice's Restaurant song, "And friends they may think it's a movement."

Everyone can make a direct impact on litter prevention and clean up.

How will you help?

News Release: Green Up Day - May 7, 2011

2011-04-02T09:10:00.010-04:00

Vermont’s Green Up Day, first launched in 1970 by Governor Deane Davis, is a special day when thousands of volunteers come out in their communities statewide to clean up litter from roadsides and public places, for the community of Vermont. Always the first Saturday in May, Green Up Day is May 7^th 2011. Everyone is welcome to take part in this tradition unique to Vermont. For more information call Green Up Vermont, the non-profit organization responsible for Green Up Day, at 802-229-4586 or visit www.greenupvermont.org.

Green Up Day T-shirts Feature Vermont Woodland Back Road

Montpelier: Green Up Vermont announces availability of 2011 Green Up Day T-shirts featuring student art work of a serene Vermont woodland back road with a batch of white Birch beckoning. Each year Green Up Vermont hosts a student poster design project for artwork for the Green Up Day promotional poster distributed statewide. Willis Page, 9^th grader from Blue Mountain Union School created this year’s design.

To order T-shirts call 877-388-8250 or visit Green Up’s website at www.greenupvermont.org.
Deadline for ordering is April 14^th.

Contact person: Melinda Vieux, President Green Up Vermont 802-229-4586 greenup@greenupvermont.org

Vermont Files for Spring IPO

2011-03-11T16:05:00.024-05:00

Vermont is hoping to warm the hearts and bodies of winter weary residents.

The Green Mountains State known for its skiing, snowboarding and long winters as well as maple syrup, filed a prospectus for an initial public offering on Friday, becoming the first state in the Northeast to seek a public listing for an early spring.

Driven by a growing restlessness, and yearning for spring and all things green including a green budget VS a budget in the red, the state is seeking to go public with an early spring to raise spirits and have bragging rights over New York. New York State, stole much of the winterly headlines this season with snow, snow and more snow. Vermont aims to retain its cold hearty resident’s status while capturing a flower loving following in early April.

Photo by BLPaquette

The climate is ripe. Those suspicious of global warming predictions might re-think their views upon seeing yellow daffodils blooming on lawns from Southern to Central to Northern Vermont on April 1.

Now the handling of the IPO is a delicate process requiring the utmost care. Introducing spring too abruptly will have a devastating impact on maple sugaring, as the sap flow will end too quickly. A sudden spring without the usual March thawing and freezing and sixty degree temperatures followed by two feet of wet snow could be shocking. Imagine going from picturesque white snow covered streets and sidewalks to clear roads and pathways in less than two months.

OK that might not be so bad, except that without some time for transition, the “yuck” factor might have us wanting the snow back. Abruptly we will see the accumulated litter- previously covered by snow. With Green Up Day months away- What would Vermonters do?

The filing does show increasing numbers of residents concerned with keeping Vermont clean year round. Along with continuing strong participation in Green Up Day on the first Saturday in May, Vermonters are taking up the call to “Pick up a piece every day”. While walking, paddling, even bicycle riding more people are carrying a small grocery bag to capture found trash along the streets, sidewalks and waterways in their communities.

The Vermont prospectus shows a fast growing pride in what people feel about their clean and green towns, cities, and state. This is not New York. Vermonters do not need headlines to decry a few feet of snow, nor days on end of below zero temperatures. Yet who would mind waking up with “The Burlington Free Press” and reading headlines stating: “Spring has Sprung Early- “The IPO was a Success!”? Who would mind? Time for Vermont to capture bragging rights in the headlines again.

At the same time, why not captivate our audience with activism that drives headlines declaring, “Vermonters Eradicate Litter Year-Round”, “Vermont Investors Rally for a Clean Venture”. Now that is an IPO worth investing in.

(*An IPO is the first sale of shares in a company to the public. Once an IPO occurs, a company will be listed on a major stock exchange, and shares will begin to trade immediately.)

Photo by BLPaquette

Snowstorm buries Vermont-March 2011

2011-03-07T14:51:00.032-05:00

March 2011 Vermont Snowstorm buries trash/litter and cars, and houses, and just about everything! For once little to no trash, litter in view.

• Shoveling for hours...hit something hard...might be the car roof..or maybe only the house roof.

Photo by BLPaquette
• Last snowstorm I shoveled three feet off the roof and threw it down to the ground. This snowstorm I may have to shovel the roof and throw the snow UP to the snow banks.

• Still snowing.... snowshoes needed an extension.... attached a stepladder to the bottom of the snowshoes...am only sinking in up to my neck now...but it is sloooow walking. Send straws ... if it keeps snowing Im going to need them

• Still snowing.... send yardsticks...running out.....can’t reach ground......

• First the hardware stores run out of roof rakes, now they are running out of yardsticks.

• Holy snow blizzard are you getting this? Hey man its the National Guard. How'd they get here so quick?

• Your house is the third snow mountain on the right. Lift tickets are $1.

• Sorry my mistake. Your house is the third mountain on the left. The one on the right is the tree top ridgeline. By the way the birds here are baffled-where did the trees go?

GREAT DAY TO SEE HOW EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL VERMONT COULD BE WITHOUT ANY TRASH, LITTER!

Vermont man lost in Minnesota

2011-02-18T21:48:00.006-05:00

After nine days indoors in Isanti, Minnesota, I decided I needed some vitamin D in the form of sunshine; frigid temperatures notwithstanding it looked like a good day for a walk. Our three-year-old host/grandson Gavin wrote a letter to his great grandmother in California, which needed to get to the post office. The post office was a mere two miles away according to MapQuest. Sliding the envelope into my coat pocket with a mental notation of the directions I started crunching over the snow and ice covered sidewalk.

Two blocks later two seemingly large dogs barked fiercely upon my approach. As they ran toward the sidewalk, I anticipated a chain or leash to go taut and hold them back; no such luck. I quickly reached for a rubber dog toy and threw it as hard as I could back into the dog's yard. I hurriedly continued on my way missing the right turn I should have made just past where the dogs startled me.

A Minnesota police officer politely re-directed me towards the post office. (Always be polite to police officers, you never know when you may need their help like if you get lost and are freezing to death.) Having already walked two miles, backtracking was humbling but I figured I still had time to be at Gavin’s home by supper and before dark. I did find the post office. One small problem; I had lost my three-year-old grandson's letter.

Would it remain under snow and ice until spring, which as I have come to understand does not arrive in Minnesota around June every year like in Vermont, but only comes to Minnesota once every 5 years? Would some litter picker find it, pick it up and throw it away assuming it was trash?

"My first letter I ever wrote was dropped like litter by my grandfather when I was three years old." Can you imagine? I had to find that letter!

I retraced my steps back to the post office, and then continued walking block after block reaching the dog's territory. There was no toy to throw this time. Sure enough, the stamped envelope holding my three-year-old grandson's letter was lying right there were the two large barking dogs initially confronted me. After snatching up the letter, I did not waste time leaving but did take the correct turn this time.

Past sunset, with very cold hands and feet, rumbling stomach, and no flashlight-I marched on to locate the post office via this new unfamiliar route. Much later my grandson Gavin was not interested in the remaining trials I faced before returning to his home. He only wanted my assurance I had mailed his letter and that great grandma would receive it soon.

Remember not all litter is trash – you never know what treasure you will find.

Vermonters care about how clean their state looks. Vermonters care about their sweethearts. I wish you and my wife a Happy Valentine's Day.

Local man spots trash

2011-01-13T22:21:00.007-05:00

     A single piece of litter doesn’t seem like a lot, does it? Well it was for me one very, very cold day in January. You know that kind of day that has gusty winds, low temperature and it is almost too cold to snow. Each step I took made sounds like breaking glass. Each breath hurt so much I did not want to exhale only to have to inhale again. Dress for the weather my mother always told me. I was dressed for the weather, enough so that I looked like the Michelin Man after he ate the Pillsbury dough character. I mean I had so many layers of clothes on that a bathroom call was going to require fifteen minutes of prep time.

     Empty grocery bag in mitten covered hand I waddled down the sidewalk. Wanting to get a clean start on the New Year, my journey began. I walked slowly, strolling, in no hurry even incapable of moving beyond ambling-see dressed for weather above. Once you accept feeling like a frozen piece of cow in a meat locker, being outdoors viewing nature is calming. You see and think things previously unexposed.

     I thought of Elizabeth Edwards’s dying message. "The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered," "We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human." But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful." Today, right now is as precious as any day we have.

     Finally I had nearly filled the bag with trash only needing one more piece to call it mission accomplished. The last piece, (it) being frozen in a snow bank required a bit of tugging. So much so that I fell over the snow bank tumbled down an embankment landing face down in powdery snow. Getting my well-dressed bumble-self upright took no small effort. I had to laugh at myself, given how I had gone to such great efforts to be “well dressed”, only to nearly succumb to my bulky wardrobe.

     Picking up a piece (of litter/trash) every day doesn’t seem like much, does it?

     But it is, in every month of the year.

     Believe it or not, every piece helps; Helps prevent harm to birds, fish and other wildlife, helps prevent water pollution, and helps remove the “yuck” factor from our streets…

…and helps keep the bumble from falling down!

Happy New Year!

New Years 2011 Greetings

2011-01-01T21:57:00.002-05:00

Bash trash in 2011. There are many slogans decrying litter and litterbugs. Yet litter persists. We need more than slogans to eradicate litter in our community. We need businesses and individuals to take ownership and responsibility by being part of the solutions. Success will require many ideas and actions to prevent litter, and to cleanup existing trash year round. How will you help?

Mark Your Territory

2010-12-09T17:11:00.005-05:00

Survey says, 79% of owners give their dogs holiday or birthday presents.

The new South Burlington dog park is not hard to find even if you miss the sign on the corner you will not miss the trail of litter in the nearby fields and along the road leading to the dog park. Litter left by people not dogs. Something unusual in the park really makes it stand out, for the dogs at least!

The community dog park next to the airport runway is about one acre enclosed by fencing with a double gate entry system. There are cleanup tools: covered garbage can, waste bags, and pooper scoop stations as well as seating with shade. The entrance sign list park hours and rules. There is also a real, presumably functioning shiny red fire hydrant inside the dog park.

Why locate a fire hydrant in a dog park? My guess is, because dogs like to mark their territory and fire hydrants are dog magnets in real dog life as well as in cartoons. With no buildings within hose range, one must assume the purpose of the shiny red hydrant is to draw dogs to a specific spot to mark their claim.

Some people leave their mark by choosing to indiscriminately drop or throw out litter. We fence in the dogs; maybe we could accommodate litterbugs the same way. Isolating and containing the litter drops might make cleanup easier to accomplish.

Dog owners are expected to clean up after their dogs. They apparently do, as the dog park is clean. Outside the park is another story. Some folks leave their mark as they drive to and from the dog park (as well as other areas in the city) by tossing garbage out the window of their car. Granted there are few public receptacles in the city greenbelt and no waste bag stations for people disposing cigarettes, fast food wrappers, drink containers and other trash. Looking for a clean and green place to walk and maybe sit at a picnic table-best bet may be with the dogs at the dog park.

Stake out a claim to your neighborhood or even the road leading to the dog park and make your mark on the environment by picking up a piece of litter every day. Let other people know that littering is not an acceptable behavior. Demonstrate your pride through frequent clean up actions that keep your sidewalks and city green spaces - green and clean. As a litter picker, you can establish yourself as a “South Burlington culture of clean” promoter and diminish the tolerance of those who would mark their territory with waste.

If all else fails, maybe the city can install more fire hydrants, paint them green and set up covered garbage cans and ash receptacles nearby. Who knows, maybe the litterbugs just need a magnet to encourage them to dispose of trash in a proper place where we WANT them to mark their spot.

Happy Holidays to you, your family, and your pets.

Intensive Care

2010-11-17T10:57:00.004-05:00

Persistence is the act of persisting or persevering, a continuing or repeating behavior. Eradicating litter will take long-term persistence.

Our grandson Gavin is alive due to love, faith, hope, advanced medical science, and persistent optimism and care. Gavin and his parents recently visited my wife and me. While Gavin was at our home, I played some bird songs and showed him the corresponding birds. Ask Gavin what a turkey sounds like and he will quickly respond with “gobble, gobble gobble”. Ask him what a chickadee sounds like and he will probably respond with “dee, dee, dee”. Those quickly learned responses warm grandpa’s heart. His even being here in this world with us after being born more than three months premature and fighting through a bees nest of medical issues is awe-inspiring.

Gavin spent 103 days in NICU (Neonatal intensive-care unit). Here is one excerpt from Gavin’s Caringbridge journal : “I got a new bed the other day -- that means that I am stable enough to move. It took a lot of people to move me though, someone to hold my tube, someone to hold my head, someone to hold my body, someone to hold all my sensor and IV lines, and a couple people to switch out the bed units.” Gavin weighed 1 pound 12 ounces at the time.

Being in an Army family our grandson often lives far away. Visits are sweet but all too short. Mom and Dad keep Gavin in our lives on a daily basis through “Facebook” entries and phone calls. Those Facebook entries and calls remind us not only how special Gavin is to us but also how much daily care his parents and the medical community continue to provide on his behalf. Gavin and his parents have faced many seemingly overwhelming challenges and disappointing setbacks along with a progression of healthy developments. Now nearly three years old, Gavin is a living testimony to the value of community-many hands supplying intensive and persistent daily care.

Every one of us receives Thanksgiving blessings bestowed in a variety of forms. Some of these blessings come through the work and actions of others. Our ability to take action to make the world a better place for others and ourselves is also a blessing.

In a thankful and giving spirit help keep our environment, and your neighborhood, clean and green by persistently picking up a piece of litter every day. Our family wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

The Power in Numbers

2010-10-22T10:49:00.009-04:00

     People under age 15 are least likely to litter; people under the age of 25 are most likely to litter when in a group; and, people over the age of 25 are most likely to litter when alone.

     A group of young men racing into Lake Champlain then standing in a circle listening to the group’s leader drew some attention at North Beach recently. Forming a line in waist high water they began to run in straight-line formation and cheer as they went. In swift revolutions and short intervals, the person in the back stepped out of the line and with encouragement from the others raced forward past the row of men still running in line, to reach the front and become the new leader. At the same time, the previous leader dropped to the back of the line. Running behind others and not falling behind must have been tough enough. Stepping out of the draft and pushing through the waves alone at a faster pace than the rest of the men to take the leader position must have required a great deal of stamina and raw energy.

     What a wonderful model of a group of people working together, sharing the burden and reward of leadership, of follower, of being one encouraged, and being one encouraging others. Watching them one could almost feel the current and swirl of water created by their combined movement. Yet the water quickly covered their wake as if they had never been there as soon as the last man in line stepped forward. Nothing behind them looked different than before they passed.

     For these men the reward is in renewed and increased strength through frequent physical exercise. Another gain is in each individual’s sense of accomplishment, sense of belonging, sense of being a part of a group pursuing common goals. Encouragement and support are sometimes necessary components in keeping a group of people motivated to continue to move forward in the face of adversity and challenge particularly when the results of much hard work seem transitory at best.

     One reason our spring Green Up Day is successful is the single day focus and shared workload by many volunteers working together. Many attest to the reward of not only seeing the difference their work accomplished but also the camaraderie of working with others on a common goal. Fall is also a great time to remember the green up spirit and remind ourselves we do not live in a trashcan.

"Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festival season
When nature is all aglow."
- Author Unknown

     Litter takes away from that glow.

     Consider taking your turn in front of the line, moving through your neighborhood picking up litter one day or more a week. Maybe someone will watch and be encouraged to join you; they might follow you and even rotate the lead role with you. Soon there may be a string of folks walking and running through the streets, bag in hand picking up litter, enjoying exercise and sharing encouragement with one another in a common goal of servicing their community one piece at a time.

Halloween Menu

2010-10-12T03:22:00.001-04:00

Trick or treaters beware;

on Halloween, ghost and goblins

are everywhere.

They make their fare (dinner)

from litter:

candy wrappers

dropped on the ground

by those who do not care.

If you hear

screeching and howling-

it’s because

even more than litter

they like litterers (litterbugs)

and they like them rare.

So when trick or treating

on Halloween

do have fun, and do not be

scared

unless you drop litter.

In witch case

we will think of you

when we hear

your howls and screams

as the ghost and goblins

dine on litter,

and litterers rare-

their most favorite fare.

Who is responsible for this mess?

2010-09-09T14:17:00.001-04:00

Who is driving the RV? The question goes un-asked in the recent Orville Redenbacher popcorn commercial whereby a family is sitting in the back of an RV while eating popcorn. The dad joins the family for popcorn while the RV cruises down the highway driverless. Only when the vehicle begins to swerve wildly, does the designated driver, the dad, and the family recognize something is in disarray.

We indeed live in a society that throws a multitude of responsibilities, items of interest, a barrage of “look at me” events at us. Thankfully, in South Burlington, billboards are lacking and roadside signs down sized. So other than popcorn and cell phones and the kids and pets in our vehicles we manage to pay attention at the wheel.

We have rules, regulations, laws, and common expectations on how we all behave on the road, at work, and even while at leisure activities. Most of the time, most of the people are successful in abiding by these expectations which in turn keeps things from getting in disarray. We have an open society that allows us all to look out the window from time to time and to alert the driver if our vehicle ventures off course.

Sometimes too few eyes are periodically smelling the breeze or watching the road signs, or just plain checking on the condition of the operation. Even with good regulations, and even with the expectation that someone else is qualified and in charge -responsibility along with the effect of actions taken or not taken come to rest on top of the whole party, as in all of us.

Should the driver stay at the wheel even when the family is enjoying popcorn in the back of the RV? Yes, of course. Should we be putting our trust in the regulations of the road and in the qualifications of the licensed driver? Yes again. However, does that mean that we should not be looking and raising the alert when it looks like things are in disarray? No, even if we expect the responsibility to be on others shoulders. For in the end if the RV plummets without course correction, we will all have less popcorn to eat and have a real mess on our hands.

First, we need to have good regulations and procedures. Second, we need to be observant in monitoring the results on a regular basis, and take action when we see deviations from the expected results.

Litter on our streets is a sign someone has behaved differently than society expects of them. If we do not observe this shortfall (litter on the street) and take action, we risk an underfunded urban environment and quality of life over time. While we wish for no one to let us down by being a litterbug, it is also all our responsibilities to course correct.

Pick up a piece every day. Then sit back and enjoy some popcorn!

The Dog Days of Summer in Vermont

2010-08-12T18:22:00.004-04:00

Our dogs are great alarm clocks; not that they wake me up at the same time every day, but they are persistent when it is time to go! From doggy whining to jumping up on the bed and licking my face to jumping up and down in place, they let me know there is a job to do and it needs doing now. Shutting the door so I cannot see them does no good, they just scratch at the door to remind me that closing my eyes to the impending mess is a self-defeating alternative.

So if you see some tall skinny bearded person wearing a baseball hat carrying a plastic shopping bag (to put litter in) being pulled by two small Beagle/Pekingese/Border Collie/ Bernese Mountain dogs-do not become alarmed. Rest assured, if I step on your lawn I do so only to pick up some litter, and the dogs will only lick you with affection.

One might envision this combination of picking up litter while walking the dogs (multi-tasking) is easy enough to handle. Yes, the dogs enjoy walking, though sometimes they enjoy running more. We like to see who is going to tire out whom first. The dogs are somewhat trained to stop and wait while I pick up a piece of litter when I call out their “stay” command. What is not so easy is keeping the dogs on task. They have keen senses, which easily pick up the trail of squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and other dogs. They are less adept at litter patrol. Alas, litter is easy for me, and anyone, to spot along the sidewalks, city greenbelt and roadways.

Sometimes someone will call out “Thanks for cleaning up”. The thanks should really go to the dogs who remind me so persistently that closing my eyes to the litter is a self-defeating alternative and cleaning up just once a year leaves a lot of crap for people to walk over and around during the remaining days of the year.

Until I find a snooze command for the dogs, I will be getting up early every morning and going for a walk with them. Moreover, unless the dogs grow opposable thumbs, I will continue picking up litter while we walk. Even in the dog days of summer, every day can be Green Up Day.

Sleuthing in South Burlinton, Vermont

2010-07-14T09:18:00.004-04:00

I found the trail littered with evidence activating a desire within me to help solve the not so victimless crime. At first, the South Burlington, Vermont community neighborhood was quiet with only a few people walking on the sidewalk in the early morning as I was. The birds gave no indication of alarm as they continued chirping and singing. Two blue jays perched above, a cardinal and mourning doves pecking at the ground unaware of anything amiss. A rabbit froze still and watched me as I approached. Its ears straight up, its large eyes focused intently at the visitor on two legs carrying an empty plastic grocery bag.

The beauty of maples casting their branches out and over the road, birch white and elegant, pine sweet smelling, immense old oak offering the wisdom of patience and strong character, and the flowering crabapples with their low canopies providing a warm friendly scenic urban fare over the walkway, often bring a sense of comfort and serenity. Yet the freshly cut grasses, and the roses, and lilacs, and the flower beds of reds and yellows and purple, sometimes capture evidence of a vice, a broken trust creating a blemish.

As I walked amidst the comfort of nature within the city, the trail of evidence lay before me. I could have easily missed or ignored the first piece. Nevertheless, like a blood trail, the following identical pieces of Trident chewing gum wrappers a few hundred feet apart gave increasing awareness of the crime pattern. A cigarette package in between the intermittent display of chewing gum wrappers shed light on the enigma.

The bagged evidence suggested the culprit was alternating between chewing gum and smoking; out for a walk fighting the nicotine demon only to in the end succumb to the litterbug demon. One can often piece together the story behind litter. The order a meal was consumed can often be determined by following fast food wrappers as first the fries box, than the hamburger wrapper, than the drink container litter the path. A single shoe, a key, a scattering of coins, unopened mail, and many other items leave a waiting story to tell on our city streets every day.

A few days later in nearly the same area where I had picked up the gum wrappers and cigarette package, I once again found a trail of Trident gum wrappers. However, no cigarette package this time. Kicking the habit sometimes means less litter. Yet the trail is not yet cold for the sleuth who is intolerant of litter and the way litter defiles nature’s beauty.

Pick up a piece every day and discover a world of mysteries while helping to keep Vermont green and clean-litter free year round.

Terra Firma - Vermont pays tribute on Mothers Day May 2010

2010-06-24T08:21:00.005-04:00

She has been there for us since our first days. She gets up every day before most of us and upon nightfall insures twinkling lights keep vigilant watch over us. Not one to pamper she motivates us to button up our sweaters and coats in the winter, and wear raincoats and use umbrellas in the spring. She rewards us in summer by offering allowance of at least a few weeks to wear our shorts, skirts, tank tops and flip-flops.

A special day in May acclaims her honor. However, often she brings us flowers and a warm fragrant wrap of love. If she were to ask for anything, her wish would be simple and easy to fulfill, like please keep our living space clean.

Do you remember your mom ever saying, “All I do is follow you around, picking up after you like some maid”? For some of us who are even less shall we say organized our moms were heard telling us “I can't believe you can sleep in this filth!” Finally dropping all pretension of passivity some moms laid it on the line: “I didn't ask who put it there, I said, "Pick it up!" Not to put too fine a point to it some mothers posed this rhetorical question: “If you don't do it NOW, then when are you going to do it? Put a smile on your mothers face by keeping your room clean. Put a smile on Mother Earth’s face by “Picking up a piece (of litter) every day.”

I wish a Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and every other mom and to “Terra Firma”, i.e. Mother Earth. There is no other mother like yours, no other Terra Firma like ours. Remember to honor your mom by telling her how much she means to you, how important she is to you. Remember to honor our Terra Firma-earth, by keeping our living space green and clean-litter free. Then, follow another piece of advice from many a mom: Go play outside! It is a beautiful day!

P.S. MOM, Thank you for singing and playing “This land is your land” for me when I was a child. The song and the message resonate with me still today.

Walking Home - to Dad from Vermont June 2010

2010-06-24T08:21:00.003-04:00

When I was young, I heard stories of walking miles to school and only after doing chores in the garden or around the house. I only had to walk less than one mile to get to school and my chores were minimal mainly consisting of keeping my room clean. In the middle of my career and raising a family, I walked a little more than one mile to catch a bus, which carried me another five miles to work. We did have a car- just not two cars. This lasted only a few years before we bought a second car.

I knew a man who drove his last car when his youngest son was born and did not drive or own a car for eighteen years. This man walked to work every day throughout the year, Monday through Friday and sometimes on Saturday. He walked in the rain, in the sun, in the snow and the hail, and he walked in the mud. He walked past freshly painted houses, and again as the paint dried, and walked by as the weather bleached and faded the paint, and he continued to walk past the houses as the paint slowly peeled from their sides as the days moved by. He walked to the grocery store and carried home the groceries in his Hercules like arms. He walked wherever and whenever he was needed anywhere away from home.

If his family needed to go somewhere, they took the bus or in a few precious exceptions dipped into the grocery fund to pay for a cab ride. When his children wanted to go to the beach or to visit a friend they found no sympathy when they complained of the distance and time required. Any belly aching only brought back the stories of walking miles to school and the chores both before and after school.

Following this man from work to home was not walking, at least not by a child’s standard. Years of walking with purpose, with steadfast pace, had toned the man-racehorse for one pace and one pace only-F-A-S-T.

When one of his children met him at work, their adrenalin would flow while waiting for the shop whistle to blow. The whistle not only signified the end of the workday but also the beginning of the race home, the race to keep up with daddy. Sometimes he would carry them with one hand holding them up in the air, as little legs would run in the wind without touching ground. Those big strong hands and muscle bound arms would twirl us around as he walked his stride unabated.

In his last days when the hospice people remarked how surprised they were that his heart was so strong, I remembered how he walked, and walked and walked for each of us, my brothers and sisters and my mom. Yes, he had a strong heart from years of walking. He walked for years because he had such a good, caring, and responsible heart.

I hope all dads find a way to demonstrate responsibility to their family and to their communities as an example to the next generation. Picking up a piece (of litter) every day is one way to leave footprints driven by a caring heart. Happy Fathers day dad-may the streets where you now walk always be green and clean.

Vermont TRADITION Apr 2010

2010-06-24T08:20:00.002-04:00

Spring traditions include cruising on a Sunday afternoon, the first ice cream at Al’s after the kids’ game, Easter egg hunts, spring fever-shorts on a brisk but sunny fifty–eight degree day. And of course that first bike ride lesson, with the wheels wobbly, Mom or Dad’s hands tentatively letting go, and the laughter and joy from all – a moment in time together to be cherished. Spring, it is the dawn of a new beginning, a clean sweep, a time of renewal. Another one of our spring traditions reflecting nature’s resurgence is Green Up Day.

Celebrate Vermont’s 40- year Green Up Day tradition May 1, 2010. Visit the Green Up Vermont nonprofit organization’s web site at http://www.greenupvermont.org/index.php. Reflect on a Vermont tradition now as established as Maple sugaring. Check out the picture of than Governor Deane Davis with a troop of scouts taken on April 18, 1970 on the first Green Up Day. Read the history how a single idea from a reporter who became appalled at the unsightly litter revealed after the snow melt, became the genesis of a movement. That idea involved engaging groups of volunteer citizens; families, friends, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, fellow employees, bridge card club members, students, and many others to clean the highways of the state. Over 70,000 Vermonters joined in that up and coming to be tradition: the first Saturday in May Green Up Day clean up of our roads and streams, sidewalks, and storefronts and other byways.

The enthusiasm, the excitement generated each year is I think, partly due to Vermonters wanting to have a reason to get out and urge spring on, and partly due to Vermonters environmental consciousness. However, I think, mostly the tradition of Green Up Day is due to the coming together of groups of people to share a feel good accomplishment that all ages can participate in while having fun. Green Up day is a conduit joining unified people together. Green Up Day is a special tradition for a special place.

Remember as Green Up Vermont advises: “Green Up can occur at any time, at any place. Together we share the goal of keeping Vermont a clean, safe, beautiful place to live, visit and enjoy.”

I encourage you to visit the web site and view the blogs, pictures, history, and more, and of course join in and “Pick up a piece every day” as well as on Green Up Day- make it a tradition!

Green Up Vermont website: http://www.greenupvermont.org/index.php

Beware the Ides of March in South Burlington, Vermont

2010-06-24T08:19:00.004-04:00

In William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, Caesar is warned to "beware the Ides of March." According to National Geographic News, “The phrase came to represent a specific day of abrupt change that set off a ripple of repercussions throughout Roman society and beyond.”

In South Burlington’s Green and Clean Business Journal, local businesses –be warned snow will not provide a pleasant uniform landscape for much longer. Beneath the March meltdown amidst sleeping flower bulbs and dormant flower bushes and grasses are multitudes and scatterings of accumulated litter. Although frigid temperatures may forestall attending to landscape plantings, picking up coffee cups, shreds of paper, and other trash require no particular temperature. The best response to seeing litter is to pick it up and dispose it.

Can South Burlington businesses build a March Madness legacy by organizing each their teams to slam dump the promotion of environment and avoid community degradation – can they clean up the outside as well as the inside of their establishments?

A call to action on the Ides of March may not be able to alter mud season, but could change how we view our environment and our storefronts. Cleaning up our businesses parking lots, greenery spaces, and sidewalk areas promptly after snowmelts in March could set off repercussions throughout our community making for a more inviting place to visit and shop.

Beware the ugliness of big city indifference. Make your business Green and Clean and litter free from the sidewalk right up to the front door of your establishment.

Green and Clean ways to celebrate Valentin's Day in Vermont. Feb 2010

2010-06-24T08:18:00.003-04:00

From Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, come the 12 days of Green and Clean Valentine’s Day romance.

Day 1 - one balloon that says, “Litter away!”

Day 2 - two coupons for coffee refills when you bring in your refillable cup.

Day 3 - three love songs that express your sentiment about a tree, shrub and flower filled and

litter free urban environment.

Day 4- four love poems, on scenic Vermont postcards mailed to those you love.

Day 5 - five terms of endearment to those businesses that incorporate Green and Clean into

their business mission.

Day 6 - six chocolate candy hearts to sweeten the reward for a job well done after you and your

walking partner finish picking up litter on the street while you walk.

Day 7 - seven potted flowers to color your house interior. Transplant them outside in the spring.

Day 8 - eight heart shaped cookies to your loved one who recently quit smoking.

Day 9 - nine support message heart candies, to your loved one who is trying to quit smoking.

Day 10 - ten reasons for loving a Green and Clean sidewalk, city street, park, bike path, and

neighborhood.

Day 11 - eleven Hershey's hugs and kisses for your children when they carry a wrapper home

and dispose of it in the garbage instead of littering the street.

Day 12 (Valentine's Day) - twelve ways to say "I Love You" to those who help maintain a green

and clean community here and those who are in distant lands helping to keep our

treasured lands free.

The 12 green and clean days were inspired by the “12 days of Romance” by Katie Sparrow @ http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines13.htm.

January 2010 New Years Salute and Greetings from Vermont

2010-06-24T08:17:00.005-04:00

Raise your hands if you like Litter. No hands, that was easy! Let us take a pledge to refuse to look down on litter unless we are willing to help pick it up. South Burlington: Green and Clean, and Litter Free in 2010!

Will we throw it all away? (in Vermont and elsewhere) Jan 2010

2010-06-24T08:17:00.004-04:00

Maybe we will throw it all away because at a cultural level we are a throwaway society. From little Johnny’s red fire engine received on Christmas Eve to the puppy or kitten little Sarah adorned on Christmas morn. Desires filled as quickly as they developed, yet sometimes the object of such desire is soon -abandoned in a corner as though already set to expire.

A broken headlight, the cuteness allure diminished by puppy mischief amongst the freshly discarded wrapping paper and soon the fire engine is flashing its red lights aside the trash can at curbside. The now lonely puppy or kitten (no sooner adopted into the family), is relinquished to a lonely shelter like yesterday’s newspaper. Moreover, it is only mid January.

As adults, many of us no longer even expect toasters, cell phones, refrigerators, and computers or much of anything we buy to last more than a few years. Some of us can still remember growing up with the same telephone, same appliances our parents had forever. Some can remember and a few still do, fixing broken items instead of discarding and replacing them with new ones.

Even marriages seem easier to dissolve than to repair through reconciliation (if we are to believe the rate of divorce statistics). We have processes that facilitate even streamline no fault divorce with seemingly little if any attention or support for fixing and saving what the parties once so greatly desired.

Has it become too easy to throw away, to easy to create and accept the notion of waste? Have we as a society become so tolerant of, so accepting of waste that we even expect waste as part of our daily lives, our environment, part of our human footprint?

Yes, we should pick up litter and strive for green to achieve a Green and Clean environment. Yet what are the cultural causes at the root of littering behaviors? Might we ponder the question historians may dwell on? Have we become a throwaway society, our culture here only for the short term? In addition, what might the impact be in the long term from our being so accepting of a “just toss it out” attitude? Will we bury our two hundred year legacy in waste and trash? Alternatively, will we recognize nature’s examples by valuing all resources and therein extending the life of all that we cherish? Maybe, maybe if, IF we do not throw it all away.

Happy New Year

Vermont Christmas Wishes

2010-06-24T08:16:00.004-04:00

I would rather hear Jingle bells from Santa's reindeer-powered sleigh than honking horns from automobiles, but since Santa only drives by once a year let his snow or mush, or icy path be clear and free of litter.

I'd rather bike and walk to local stores for groceries and takeout food as well as holiday gifts, but if flooded or iced or snow bound sidewalks deter me at least let my drive be along tree lined streets.

I would rather not have to pay taxes to eradicate urban litter. Thankfully, a score of people volunteer to pick up litter on Green Up Day and some pick up a piece every day. I ask that each of these folks may receive overflowing Christmas stockings.

I would rather most Christmas gifts be acts of kindness: a friendly visit, a helping hand, even a phone call to someone in despair or to someone who is ill. Janis Joplin once sang that we all want the same thing: Someone to listen to you, talk to you, hear you, want you, need you, hold you.

Let many of those material gifts consist of locally grown, crafted, designed, built and sold. Let them be minimally packaged and built with quality to lasts a long time before expiring and entering our landfill.

I would rather there were neither homeless nor hungry people in our community, nor lonely or depressed people in unattended need. I wish for us all to not be shy about saying a sincere “Thank You”, and “Can I help you with that?”, while extending a warm handshake or hug in season and neighborly greetings to acquaintances and strangers alike.

I would rather we could slow the clock to find more time to actively participate in local government, and keep abreast of community activities. At least let us recognize the 'power of one' to influence good behavior, shared responsibility, and to spread a 'one for all and all for one' community philosophy.

Santa, I wish for community organizations, businesses, neighborhood groups, and individuals to take up Green & Clean activism by promoting and demanding more green (trees, shrubs, flowers) along our streets and parks. In addition, I wish for a Fall Litter Harvest Day to compliment our spring Green Up Day.

Finally, Santa, I wish for South Burlington to become an urban community where the only paper on the streets is white birch bark. And, where the only clean up required on Green Up Day consists of raking leaves and preparing flowerbeds. Where litter is so rare, so unthinkable, so distasteful that even squirrels no longer leave their nut shells behind after feasting.

I would rather Christmas spirit shine from each of us all year long. I would rather the streets be Green & Clean all year long. With our help Santa, I think my wishes can come true, Merry Christmas!

December 2009

The Importance of a Green and Clean Main Street -Vermont Oct 2009

2010-06-24T08:15:00.004-04:00

Successful downtowns are built on many steps, from unique character like Burlington's bricked pedestrian-only Church Street, to Brattleboro's diverse mix of eateries and local shops. After all the brick and mortar is in, businesses established, trees and flowers planted, maintenance is required.

Keeping the downtown litter free is no small part of providing pleasurable aesthetics as part of the downtown community experience. South Burlington might consider following Burlington, Brattleboro and other Vermont towns in placing trash receptacles along the South Burlington downtown district(s) and arrange to have them serviced at regular intervals. As Brattleboro's web site says, “The commercial district is a reflection of community image, pride, prosperity, and level of investment-critical factors in business retention and recruitment efforts.” Our South Burlington “Main Street” and all our streets can be kept Green and Clean to help “reinforce our intangible sense of community” as Brattleboro proclaims of its' Main Street.

How can we meet and support the South Burlington community's changing cultural and public policy expectations on litter- a community intolerant of littering behavior? In addition, how can businesses as well as individuals be leaders in promoting an attitude that it is not acceptable to walk past litter?

One way is to establish public trash receptacles and service at high traffic transition points where there is consistent litter accumulation. Two of the reasons people litter on the public domain are:

• Litter has already accumulated. The more litter present the more people are inclined to litter.

• Number, placement and appearance of disposal containers at or near the site is inadequate.

Most folks do not want to litter. By providing servicing of receptacles at these,
transition points a local trash haulers image could be united with the beautification of South Burlington's urban environment.

The South Burlington city manager has expressed interest in this idea and suggested the city might consider a request to purchase a limited number of trash receptacles (with grates that prevent wholesale dumping of household trash into them), provided a company would sign up for servicing the containers without charge to the City. If a trial run proved successful, we could consider expanding the program coverage by soliciting local businesses support (paying for cost of servicing) at their locations.

Please take a moment to ask your local trash hauler to consider this trial program as a way to enhance South Burlington's urban environment and community through in-kind servicing of public trash receptacles. I can arrange for a meeting with the South Burlington city manager and a trash hauler representative and myself to work out the detailed application / agreement.

Giving Thanks in Vermont Nov 2009

2010-06-24T08:15:00.003-04:00

I spoke to a South Burlington acquaintance recently who is a science teacher at Winooski High School. We seldom run in to each other but seem to share some ideas and opinions about how pride of community develops. My fellow South Burlington resident (albeit from the South end!) talked about how the pride in the city of Winooski seems to be growing stronger than in earlier years through many students as well as adults becoming active in small ways inside their community.

Here in South Burlington I also sense a growing number of people taking an active role inside our community. There is an easily recognizable interest in small neighborhood coalitions within the spirit and community of the widespread city, which is overall looking for a center- both in physical location as well as in a metaphysical tie, to bind us (residents) together with common bonds, purpose, and pride.

Folks attending a recently held South Burlington workshop (Cars to People) expressed interest in safely utilizing high traffic transportation avenues such as Shelburne road and Williston road for biking, walking, and jogging as well as driving. The desire to commute whether it be to get to work, shop local stores, exercise or meet with and visit others without a car, within a safe and aesthetically pleasing pathway was unleashed in a flurry of ideas passed on to the committee. The committee is exploring how these car centric areas might be made a more two legged friendly shared resource. Suggestions included adding more bike racks, more cross-walks, and more large trees to reach out over the road like Burlington has near UVM and down its' Main street. One seemingly simple approach to the aesthetics challenge was to place and service public trash containers (multiple use- to include cigarette butt disposal). The group gave the development board and Cars to People committee many recommendations as working fodder.

Building a sense of community takes many hands, many ideas, and many actions. With Thanksgiving approaching, what better time than now to Thank all the South Burlington residents as well as visitors and business employees who “pick up a piece” (of litter) every day or periodically as part of their active role in making South Burlington a community to be proud of. And I dare not forget (lest the goblins and ghost leave no candy for me next Halloween) Thank You to all the trick or treat folks of all ages who enjoyed the treats of Halloween from their neighbors while respecting our private and public properties by disposing of candy wrappers in the appropriate containers for disposal.

Small efforts especially when multiplied over many hands can result in large impacts. From noticing litter and taking the responsibility of picking it up for proper disposal to promoting safer and more aesthetically pleasing tree lined streets, we can grow what it means to be destination South Burlington as well as South Burlington-our Home.

Thank You all for expressing your pride in our city through activities aimed at making the city Green and Clean all year long.

Happy Thanksgiving

Back To School-A field guide to Litter - Vermont edition Sept 2009

2010-06-24T08:14:00.004-04:00

Green and Clean readers learn more about the litter found in our community in the South Burlington edition of A Field Guide to Litter. Note to teachers: guide is appropriate for ages 4-99. Recommended reading for those seeking Detritus Debris Degree.

This field guide is an introduction to familiar species of urban trash found on city streets, sidewalks, lawns, stream banks, and hanging from trees.

Note: Common name is followed by (semi-scientific name).

A Field Guide to Litter

1. Redeemable bottle or can (Lost Nickel Wrap).

Cans often rusty, crushed, flattened, or otherwise mangled. Bottles may be broken; handle with care-gloves recommended. The occasional mouse or other small creature could be expired inside the container. To avoid gross odors, seal container in plastic garbage bag and dispose of properly as soon as possible.

2. Non-Redeemable bottle or can including water bottles (High Profit Water). Bottled water is much more expensive than tap water. The quality may be poorer. Than to add, injury to insult the plastic bottle becomes litter.

3. Take-out food wrappers or drink containers (Fast Wrap). Urban litter is often high in food wrappings (coffee and drink cups, burger wrappers, chip bags etc.). Fast food does not have to equal fast litter.

4. Plastic non-food packaging (Oil Wrap) Manufacturing of plastic requires oil. If we leave, pieces of plastic on the ground long enough will it turn back to oil, seep into the ground and diminish our oil crisis?

5. Cardboard or paper non-food packaging (Tree Wrap) My theory is someone witnessed cardboard flying then sailing off the back of a truck hauling uncovered waste or spilling from an uncovered recycle bin and then came up with the idea of the Frisbee.

6. Cigarette package (Iron Lung Wrap). Here is where one can have some empathy or at least understanding of an act of littering. A smoker likely has lung damage that affects their ability to carry themselves about. It is probably difficult for them to carry their empty cigarette package to a trashcan.

7. Automobile parts, including tires (Heavy Trash). Johnny Cash could have filled his lunch box with one piece at a time by picking up heavy trash and then building himself that 59, 60, 69, 70 Cadillac from the car parts littered on stream banks and in wooded areas.

8. Clothing and any cloth material (People Wrap) If the Salvation Army ever runs out of unmatched shoes, pink bras, as well as sweaters, shirts, and other apparel they need only join a Green and Clean litter brigade to gather materials to replenish their stockpile.

9. Cigarette butts (Toxic Time Bombs). At busy intersections, accumulations of butts make the road an ashtray. Not only aesthetically putrid, but these chemical dispensing filters keep on giving for years releasing their nasty elements into the environment-air and water- and sometimes are ingested by fish and other aquatic life.

10. This line Open for your entry. Hurry, deadline for national publication of “A Field Guide to Litter” is quickly approaching. Send your litter common and scientific name and descriptions to be included in this repugnant yet educational litter guide to bernie.paquette@yahoo.com.

Finding Hot Spots, South Burlington Vermont Aug 2009

2010-06-24T08:13:00.001-04:00

How do you sustain and maintain Green Mountains? It takes lots of rain and sunshine. Our rain quota filled in July (and then some). Now we need some Sun! How do we keep South Burlington Clean as well as Green? Litter prevention and litter round up is the Vermont way. Volunteers picked up tons of trash on Green Up Day filling their quota (and then some). Now we need prevention measures to keep our neighborhoods, city streets, and streams Green and Clean. Keeping a small trash bag in the car is one way to reduce the likelihood of trash thrown out the window.

As much as we want August, September, October, and beyond to be sunny, we know, we need rain periodically to keep our beautiful scenery green. So it is with maintaining and sustaining a clean urban environment-pleasant to view, safe for nature’s outdoor creatures and us. Eleven ecologically sensitive stream areas cleaned up on Green Up Day now, only two months later show the need for litter prevention diligence and a pick up a piece every day attitude.

These eleven ecologically sensitive sights today average 14 pieces of litter per a 50 linear foot walk with some areas as high as 24 pieces of trash per 50 linear feet; much improved over the pre-Green Up Day defamation but worse than the pristine condition immediately following the volunteers cleanup effort in May. What has since accumulated may suggest to us where to focus our prevention work.

Heavy trash (tires, barrels, shopping carts, 55-gallon drums) were evident in May but not so now. The break out of trash at these sites in July was as follows: Takeout food or drink wrappers/containers (40%), non redeemable bottles or cans-predominately water bottles (16%), plastic-non food packaging ( 15%), cardboard or paper-non food packaging (10%), redeemable bottles or cans (9%), cigarette packaging (3%), automobile parts (2%), clothing/cloth (1%), miscellaneous (5%).

Good news: all that rain in July has assured tall green growth in these areas hiding for now much of the litter. The absence of heavy trash is also good news. On the not so good side at least one site (Market Street) was laden with five large partially torn garbage bags of household trash. In addition, another location, (Bartlett Bay road) had litter directly in a stream. Also remember where the litter may be hidden now, it may be in view later in the year, either due to seasonal vegetation die off or lawn mower hits (multiplying the littered effect) or due to the wind transporting the litter to our sidewalks, streets and yards.

Like the sun finding its way through the clouds, each of us can be lookouts for litter hot spots. Then individually or as community groups, we can pick up a piece every day, or at least not wait until next May to maintain and sustain our Green and Clean urban environment. Is your neighborhood litter free?

Please send me an email at bernie.paquette@yahoo.com if you would like to raise the call for help to clean up a particular area of South Burlington or share with the community the Green and Clean actions you are taking this summer.

With Freedom Comes Responsibility. With pride from Vermont. July 2009

2010-06-24T08:03:00.002-04:00

As the fighter jets thundered one after another momentarily disrupting my backyard fourth of July barbecue outing I gave thanks to the air guard members who fly in practice runs week in and week out. I know that 'free and secure' comes about from consistent year round effort not just Fourth of July fly over’s.

The fourth of July brings us marching soldiers, hot dogs and popcorn, ice cream and cold lemonade, and fireworks streaming in the sky highlighting and celebrating our incredulous spirit and love of freedom.

With freedom comes responsibility and hard work. To those who secure our freedom every day we owe honor – to them and to our country. Honor and respect not just for the flag but also for our community, our parks, our beaches, and even our sidewalks and urban streets. Our veterans work to keep America free. Let us work to keep the America they fought for and fight for-beautiful and clean.

The next time you hear the thundering jets overhead or meet a veteran, remember we have a responsibility to keep our homeland green and clean in honor and respect of those men and women that protect our Nation.

Our veterans work every day for the security of our nation of communities. We can work every day to keep our communities litter free by visiting parks, beaches, by walking sidewalks and trails- leaving nothing behind but our footprints. Green and clean litter prevention and clean up requires constant vigilance just as freedom does.

So when the jets fly by or the fireworks sparkle across the sky this summer, let us be proud of our freedom, our nation, our communities. Let us show respect by maintaining our environment. When we enjoy the liberties that freedom offers: biking, hiking, walking or riding, let us be vigilant in our intolerance of litter. Let us keep America the land of the free- litter free.

Let freedom reign and our accepted responsibility proclaim 'of litter we refrain'.

Happy Fourth of July and warm summer wishes to all

Misconceptions about cigarette butts. Cig butts top Vermont's litter list. June 2009

2010-06-24T08:02:00.002-04:00

Six-year-old Francine Able of South Burlington recalled when her dad challenged her to count the fireflies in the back yard one early summer night. At first, it was easy- for just one or two burning lights flew about. However, as others joined in the fray, hundreds if not thousands of the small insects infiltrated the Spartan sky. The following year when spring and Green Up day arrived, Mr. Able challenged Francine to count all the pieces of litter they would find and dispose. Francine was sure success would be hers this time. However, to Francine's surprise litter splattered the area they had cleaned up last Green Up day, imposing another daunting math problem.

Stalling, Francine asked her dad, “why do people litter?” to which he responded:

• Lack of knowledge of the environmental effects of littering.

• Litter has already accumulated. The more litter present the more people are inclined to litter.

• Lack of social pressure to do the right thing.

• Number, placement and appearance of disposal containers at or near the site are inadequate.

• People who litter often feel no sense of pride in the areas they are littering.

• They do not view the item as litter. That is often the case with cigarette butts.

Given the enormity of the pending count, Francine decided to try to improve her odds of success. “Cigarettes butts are small and inconsequential so I don't need to count them,” she suggested.

To which Mr. Able responded, “Cigarettes may be small but they are more harmful to our environment than first meets the eye. Think of the volumes of cigarettes tossed on our streets many of which end up in our streams, rivers, and lakes. In addition, remember:

• Cigarette butts are not biodegradable (Most filters are made of plastic-like cellulose acetate.)

• The chemicals that leach out of the filters may harm aquatic life at the bottom of the food chain.

• Fish and other marine creatures as well as birds may ingest cigarettes mistaking them for food.”

As you can see here and especially at the outside entrances to public buildings, many people do not believe they are, littering when they throw their cigarette butts on the ground. We need to get the message out that cigarette butts are litter, in order to change the behavior that contaminates our urban landscape, harms wildlife, pollutes our waters, and creates a gargantuan mathematical challenge for you Francine.

Looking on the bright side Francine calculated that the day's Green Up haul of litter larger than a cigarette were down from last year. “Dad, now we need to get as strong a message out to folks about the harmful impacts of cigarette litter. If we do that do you think cigarette littering behavior will change and next year I won't need a calculator when we come back here next Green UP day?”

Mr. Able replied, “Francine, you can count on that!”

References: Bulleted litter facts from Prince Edward Islands web site:

http://www.gov.pe.ca/enveng/litter/index.php3?number=61866&lang=E

*Fictional story and characters. No intention to represent any real individual.

JUNE 2009

Litter Prevention in Vermont May 2009

2010-06-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

Litter prevention starts with changing individuals and businesses behavior and attitude about litter. South Burlington residents and businesses demonstrated their distaste for litter on Green Up Day with a once a year clean up of sidewalks, roadsides, streams, storefronts and neighborhood lots. Sustaining the cleanup effort while focusing on litter prevention on a daily basis can make South Burlington a city representative of America the beautiful.

How businesses and the City government, and non profits can help.

• Give out cigarette receptacles and trash bags routinely.

◦ Cigarette companies may be a supply source for small cigarette receptacles.

• Establish and maintain trash receptacles in transition and high traffic areas.

◦ Trashcans are available with grates to prevent large volumes of illegal trash

dumping. The city of Winooski has placed such receptacles.

◦ Opportunity for a joint City/trash hauling business cooperative endeavor.

• Add to job expectations that employees will pick up trash on and around the place

of business. (Some like a Vermont products business and a computer business in

the heart of South Burlington have already adopted this tactic.)

• Sponsor summer jobs for youth litter patrols.

• Fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and other businesses can help educate

customers about litter prevention.

• Trucks need to have their loads covered while on roads and highways.

• Dumpster covers should be kept closed and all materials placed inside should be

in tied bags.

How individuals can help.

• Set an example by using trash receptacles.

• Keep and use a litterbag and (if you smoke) an ashtray in your car.

• Carry a litterbag with you when you walk or bicycle for your own trash as well as

to pick up trash along your excursion.

• Insure your home exterior trash cans and recycling containers are covered.

◦ If you are, using blue bins consider using a board as a cover.

• Adopt a neighborhood block or other targeted area to maintain as litter

free throughout the year.

• Pick up after pets and dispose of the waste appropriately.

• Compliment businesses that maintain a litter free establishment.

• Provide comments to businesses whose property is scarred by litter.

Please feel free to cut out the template below and leave it with any littered business to address the importance of prompt and regular remedial Green Up action.

To my community business owner, manager, and employees,

I encourage you walk around your establishment grounds, parking lot, as well as the adjoining sidewalk and public green space on a daily basis, whereupon maintaining a litter free welcoming mat into your business. It seems an oversight to spend dollars on advertising and building face-lifts only to neglect simple maintenance like grounds (litter) clean up. Thank You for your expected renewed - regular attention to business and community beautification.

“Let us all develop an attitude that it is not acceptable to walk past litter.”

“We as a community can become intolerant of littering behavior.” Author unknown.

Volunteers in demand in Vermont attack on litter. March 2009

2010-06-24T07:59:00.003-04:00

Volunteer Job Postings:

VOLUNTEER: Supply Analyst: There is an immediate opening for an individual to figure out where all the South Burlington street litter is coming from. The applicant must be able to establish a litter forensics process to trace litter to its source. Squeamish folks should come with gloves and alcohol cleaning wipes. Your office will be in the field or more accurately in the streets of South Burlington where the crimes against the citizens of Green and Clean occur on a daily basis. Investigators must collect and catalog all evidence of litter along with date, and location. Skills with graphs and charts are a plus but pencil and crayon drawn poster boards are acceptable for visually describing percentages of each type of litter and its likely point of origin.

VOLUNTEER: Preventive maintenance position: This is a teaching position. Applicant should be versed in marketing, and enjoy teaching, motivating, and inspiring all ages, especially children. Please describe your vision for a city culture of people passionate about a Green and Litter Free Urban Environment. How will you inspire more people to recognize the dream of litter free streets with dense shrubbery and trees softening the utilitarian tar and concrete? How will you motivate more people to take frequent small actions to clean up litter, and prevent litter year round? What creative low cost ideas can you propose to keep litter off the streets? What promotions and fun activities will you organize to make this effort more visible, socially oriented and more fun? Please send your ideas to Bernie Paquette in care of THE OTHER PAPER.

VOLUNTEER: Beautification Sanitation Engineer: Like to get your hands dirty and seek immediate gratification. If yes, this job is for you. First, you get a great title to splash onto your business card and impress all your friends. Second, you get plenty of opportunities to play in the dirt; planting, mulching, watering and trimming trees, shrubs, and flowers. Also available are all season opportunities to pick up litter. Do not care to get dirty but enjoy seeing new plants being established and cared for; look no further. We also have a need for beautification designers, strategic planners, and replenishment trackers. The replenishment trackers help alert business owners and the overworked staff at City Hall of commercial sites were damaged or destroyed trees and shrubs have not been replaced. Work as a liaison between business owners and City Hall to meet the common objective of clean streets and business fronts. Time allowed for patronizing local establishments by sitting under their trees or enjoying their flower gardens while you purchase and enjoy their products. Please send your resume responses to bernie.paquette@yhaoo.com.

Want ADS:
WANTED

LITTER PATROL FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD:

Collect litter along sidewalks and roadways while walking and conversing with neighbors.

MUST SELL

LITTERED S.B. SIDEWALKS AND STREETS.

Will barter for clean litter free urban landscape. We can do it. Let’s all help keep S.B. a green and clean environment.

FOUND

Coins, credit card, keys, clothes, portable CD player, tools, stamped un-mailed letter, and more. Where: along the roadside and sidewalks of S.B. Start your weekly Green Up walk today – see what you find!

Bait in Styrofoam containers? Feb 2009

2010-06-24T07:57:00.001-04:00

Author’s note: There are countless ways to act on our disdain for litter in our urban environment and in our watersheds. Winter may not be the best time to find and pick up litter but it is a good time to, creatively plan how to reduce litters impact.

Fishing season for many has come to a close leaving behind a few less fish (the ones caught), a few fatter fish (the ones that got away), and a few too many Styrofoam bait containers along our mostly pristine shorelines. Like us, fish like their food fresh. They like their meat red and juicy. So by all means in whatever season you fish, check the expiration date on the bait containers in order to increase the chance of fattening up some fish and maybe even catching a few.

However, why, you might ask, are worms with a relatively short shelf life packed into Styrofoam containers that will resist decomposition for possibly hundreds of years? Of special concern are those Styrofoam containers that are accidently or purposely left on some stream, river, or lake –in or on the home of millions of fish and along our treasured and otherwise scenic shorelines.

With the new upcoming legislature facing many tough challengers, maybe we can offer a small challenge for them to tackle and mount. They can then tell their constituents about the one that did not get away. Consider passing a less littered waterway to your children, family, and friends by asking your local and state officials to support the following:

Hunters Anglers Trappers Association (HAT) has had a request in front of the legislative Fish & Wildlife Committee for two years requesting that terrestrial (worms and night crawlers) bait can only be sold in biodegradable (not Styrofoam) containers.

This is a request coming from sportsmen themselves. I suspect most willingly abide by a leave nothing (including litter) behind policy but we need some help from our legislature to close the gaps.

The total cost of the new recommended containers that HAT identified is .08 cents, roughly equivalent to the added costs we accept to keep cans and bottles off our highways.

Contact the Fish and Wildlife committee chairperson and or your local legislature to promote this recommendation.

Remember the shelf life of fish bait versus the container. Fish unlike humans, are not influenced by a product’s packaging. Fish do like their food fresh. The bait only stays fresh in a store for a few months at best no matter what it is packaged in. Why should we feel it necessary to have worms in a container that might end up on a waterway for the next two generations of humans?

Litter free is a challenge to fight on many fronts. Fish and those who seek to catch them need your help. Please consider sending a letter to your state representative today.

New Years resolutions from Vermont Jan 2009

2010-06-24T07:55:00.001-04:00

As a Vermont, USA, Earth resident concerned with our interaction with nature in an urban environment I write a monthly column titled "Green & Clean" or "Litter with stories to tell".

Vermont winter’s give us time to reflect and plan. It is so much easier to dream of all the things we are going to accomplish this year when actually doing the things is months away. Yet vision takes both dreams and action. Now is a great time to dream about a Green and Clean Litter Free City of South Burlington and to plan the actions that will fulfill that dream. So grab your walking stick, a package of flower seeds and some flower bulbs, maybe a bare root tree or two, and of course don’t forget to bring along a couple of small grocery bags to pick up any trash seen on the way. Come along to meander in my New Year’s Green and Clean resolutions.

My Green and Clean Litter Free New Year’s resolutions:

1. Rally for a November Fall Litter harvest day to mirror Green Up Day in May.

2. Write a litter nursery rhyme to help grow the Green Up spirit early.

3. Catalog all species of litter (field guide) before any of them become extinct.

4. Answer the question “Why do people litter?)

5. Combine Easter egg hunts with litter treasure hunts. Maybe hide a golden apple somewhere in the city litter.

6. Write an essay on litter-the man made invasive species.

7. Write an essay on how litter helped bring down ancient Rome.

8. Organize a litter anonymous chapter.

9. Organize a hooked on litter (removal) chapter.

10. Endorse ‘coffee for less’ on proprietary refillable cups. Think discounts at all participating coffee take out businesses in South Burlington.

11. Seek sponsorships for Saturday litter round ups. (Litter rodeos)

12. Plant shrubs and trees in our urban landscape.

13. Provide simple tree care tips for public and business use.

14. Design litter meters. Think red, amber, and green alerts.

15. Offer a litter clean up contest throughout the year recognizing: A. Most improved neighborhood or street. B. 10, 25 and 50-bag litter pick up pin awards.

16. Recognize and promote volunteers individuals, organizations, and businesses who find creative ways to green up and clean up our city year round.

17. Seek historical accounts from residents on topics like “Litter free America when I was a kid”.

18. Drive a petition to require one flower bulb planting for every ‘vote for me’ political sign. Imagine how beautiful the roads would be in the spring.

19. Begin a list of Green and Clean job (volunteer) opportunities.

20. Network with others also interested in developing a model of fun, socially oriented activities. The goal of which is maintaining a Green and Clean urban environment.

Do-Be, the Vermont way.

2010-06-24T07:40:00.001-04:00

“Do-Be.” That is what a neighbor called out as I stopped to pick up litter along my ‘around the block walk’.
Each week brings another full bag of litter from our suburban treadmill. Just like exercise must be consistent and constant so must our Green up efforts. Battling litter while exercising easily becomes a habit, so grab a grocery bag when starting out for your next walk and pick up litter while you drop off the pounds. Be what my neighbor describes as a person doing little things that help out- be a “do-be”.