"ScrAPES #14- Roadside Litter Piling Up: Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute"

Article- Roadside Litter Piling Up: Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute, Kevin Proft, November 24, 2015, http://www.ecori.org/pollution-contamination/2015/11/24/roadside-litter-piling-up-give-a-hoot-dont-pollute

Topic: Land pollution 

Summary: 
    The region's DOT employees, litter removers, are responsible for cleaning and keeping the roadsides neat; however, it is taking a lot out of them. The on going problem is that trash is continuing to be thrown out of cars window on the side of highways. The types of trash that are found are coffee cups, cigarette butts, plastic bags, hypodermic needles, bottles with urine, mattresses, etc. In Connecticut, $2 million annually is spent on litter and graffiti removal; MassDOT increased the roadside litter removal budget to $1.3 million annually, and RIDOT spends $1 million annually in roadside litter removal as well. With a total of $4.3 million used in removing trash that other people have caused. The price went higher due to the restriction of only cleaning state owned roads. Consequences are building up as the action of littering continues. DOT workers are being killed as they pick up trash on the roadside; the trash that is left behind are clogging storm drains that are leading to flooding issues and other environmental problems. The major issue now is making people understand that throwing trash on the ground is wrong and has to stop. 
     I chose this article because I agree that land pollution, especially on roadsides, must stop. What I found interesting is the cost of clean up; I did not imagine the price being that high. Also, finding out the kind of trash that is thrown out of cars window was interesting plus disgusting.
     This article is important to environmental science because all the trash that is building up is creating major issues in the environment and to people's lives. The next step is to continue cleaning, but to also start preventing people from throwing trash on the ground; to spread the word of the damage being done. The DOTs are now creating methods in teaching people about the consequences of their actions and increasing prevention methods.