The snow is finally melting, thawing and resolving itself into a dew. Perhaps this past winter has been so drawn out and protracted because a certain eastern NHL team is in the playoffs and a certain four letter place is freezing over? Perhaps as we hear in the spellbinding Game of Thrones series: Winter is coming? Alas, with flurries still in the air and the lack of any real signs of spring I have had to rewrite the old April Showers poem into: April snow brings May snow. But, as the snow goes and reveals the various potholes ranging in size from dinner plate to moon crater, it also reveals the ugly side of St. Albert, a.k.a. the vast quantities of litter on our streets.
A skiff of snow can hide a lot. Now that it is going, albeit all too slowly, one can easily see the coffee cups, wrappers, cardboard containers and a host of other untidy bits and pieces that line walkways and roadsides. It truly is disgusting to see that much garbage lining our public places. It is quite frankly, embarrassing, especially when touring visitors around. When in one breath we mention that St. Albert is one of the best cities in which to live, and then get the eyesore of rubbish strewn hither and yon, it detracts from the true beauty of our city.
I believe our city caretakers do a great job in maintaining our park spaces, trails and other recreational areas. There are ample waste cans dispersed throughout St. Albert, particularly in commonly used areas. Why is it that some people cannot figure out this technology? Often the litter makes it very close to the proper disposal container but somehow falls short, only to blow onto my lawn or sidewalk. Is the extra few steps really that much of a stretch?
The next time you come to a stop at a red light, take a good look at the curb area. I am unpleasantly surprised by the number of cigarette butts that meet the eye. It is beyond ridiculous. Why some smokers feel that they can flick the butt out their window onto a public street simply speaks to a lack of care and concern for the environment. Last I checked vehicles are still fitted with ashtrays. What’s that? You don’t want to dirty your car or truck with butts or ashes … but it’s okay to throw in onto our streets? I wish there were fewer photo radar vans and maybe a few more photo anti-littering vans on patrol.
Then there are those who feel it is not our citizens who litter. How could any decent citizen defile our own public areas with trash? Perhaps people from Sturgeon County sneak into the city at night and secretly dispose of their unwanted refuse? It’s not like anyone here would ever go randomly dump stuff on remote country roads, after all.
We want to take pride in our community and ensure our neighborhoods reflect a high degree of cleanliness and stewardship. There are many great folks who volunteer time, talent and energy in spring clean-up initiatives. Having participated in some of these ventures myself, it is a great way to give back to the community. I routinely clean up after others who jettison their junk on my lawn, sidewalk and adjoining areas in my neighbourhood. When I go out for a stroll, I stop to pick up trash. I only wish that those who litter mindlessly, and those whose sense of entitlement is bigger than a moon crater, would grow up and take the responsibility to clean up after themselves. Kindergarten kids can, so why not you?
Let’s can the trash talk and all resolve to work hard to keep St. Albert beautiful. Sure, springtime can be ugly at first but eventually everything greens up. St. Albert is a clean and vibrant community. Butt flickers and litterers beware … because St. Albert citizens will become butt kickers when it comes to keeping our city clean!
Tim Cusack is an educator, writer and member of the naval reserve.
