July 23, 2001
Elmer and Jim paddled Pettiford Creek which flows into the White Oak river.
It is a beautiful peaceful place. We paddled across one beaver dam.
Elmer got out and walked across a bigger one.
I did not follow there.
On the way bank Elmer took apart some of the smaller beaver dam to
make it easier to paddle through.
There were an abundance of flowers along the bank and coastal junipers.
We cleaned up the trash at the put in.
Yesterday, Jim Crownover and I ventured down Dixon Field road.
It was like driving into the wilderness!
We couldn't turn back as there was no place to turn around.
It was a true adventure and very well worth it.
We finally reached the river.
I thought it must be Black Swamp Creek as we went so far.
We put in and went down stream and I began to realize we must
have found the right road after all and that we really were on the White Oak River.
When we hit the power line I knew for sure where we were.
We paddled back up and headed for Scott Grafton, at Boon Docks.
Scott and I were to check out Hunters Creek for a clean out by a group from IWLA,
but we had to cancel it.
Hopefully we can do it later.
We are pleased to report that there was almost no trash in the river.
We picked up three items in the river. At the put-in and along the river there,
we picked up all which went into a grocery bag.
So Dixon Field Road and the put-in area is clean.
Wish we had one of those new signs to leave behind.
Jim is a new member of Crystal Coast Canoe & Kayak Club.
He is on vacation and has helped clean every area we have paddled this week
including Dixon Field and the new access at Pettiford Creek.
Elmer, The White Oak River Trash Man!!
August 3, 2001
I am here at Elmer's house.
We paddled from his development down the White Oak to Swansboro,
then on out to Hammocks Beach State Park and back to the mainland
at the place were the ferry starts out.
We are thinking about doing Carrot Island tomorrow.
Jim
THE TRASHING OF AMERICA
Our goal, at the outset was to clean up the White Oak River.
Then the New Five Year Plan for our entire White Oak River Basin came into the picture.
The deadline for in-put to be considered in this new five plan was August 10th.
We hope we were successful in getting Trash and Litter included in the new plan.
If it is, "WE, THE PEOPLE", will have a better chance of stopping this bad habit we Americans have of discarding everything, immediately on the spot, wherever we might be.
Now," WE THE PEOPLE" look forward to The North Carolina Big Sweep 2001 coming up in September.
Those of us who care, that is,16,104 volunteers, picked up 596,477 pounds of trash last year. Everyone was pleased with the success of Big Sweep. We got more that we did in 1999!
Is this really a success story? Do we really want to get more trash this year?
"WE THE PEOPLE" should think very hard about this.
Shouldn’t our goal be to STOP littering?
If there was no litter, Clean Sweep would not be necessary twice a year and we wouldn’t have the ugly stuff to look at in between Clean Sweeps.
Operation "Clean Sweep" is excellent as far as it goes.
It is impossible for "Clean Sweep" to get it all.
The point is our goal should be to have less trash to pick up.
Our goal should be to stop littering and trashing of our rivers and lands altogether!
Izaak Walton League of America picks up trash along Highway 58 regularly and frequently as it accumulates rapidly.
If trash and litter were liquid, it would be comparable to an open faucet running all the time.
Before they get back to pick up their bags there is more fresh litter in the area they just cleaned.
This is frustrating.
"WE THE PEOPLE" have got to stop this. Only "we" can do it!
It is estimated we will have 20,000 volunteers for Clean Sweep this year. We need the help of the rest of our population. To be more specific, "WE THE PEOPLE", the million to two million other able bodied other citizens,
who must be the ones who are doing the littering, we need them to just stop littering! It will not cost them a red cent!
Whereas, Clean Sweep costs beaucoup time and money for all people and organizations who participate.
And, Clean Sweep is only a drop in the bucket as far as costs are concerned.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is cleaning up trash everyday. So are every city and town everywhere.
NCDOT spent $5.5 million in 2,000 picking up litter.
Adopt-A--Highway volunteers picked up 4.3 million pounds of litter.
580,604 donated hours were used to clean up stretches of roadway four times a year. Yet the problem is getting worse every day!
The cost of this runs into millions. Let’s not kid ourselves, we are paying for this too.
"WE THE PEOPLE" have developed a very bad habit. WE are trashing our beloved land.
Our "Freedom" we are so proud of does not give us the right to trash and litter anywhere, on public or private property.
It is against the law. The fine in North Carolina has recently been increased from $500 to $1,000.
"WE THE PEOPLE"should join our "SWAT – A– LITTERBUG" program. This alone could stop littering if enough of us joined. It costs nothing to join. Call 1-800-331-5684.
You, "WE THE PEOPLE", could also purchase an "Anti-Litter Speciality License Plate". This will cost you $20. Part of this will go to anti-litter efforts.
Our North Carolina Department of Transportation has an excellent anti-litter program.
The above are only a small but very important part of it. Their program needs to be advertised more.
The general public, "WE THE PEOPLE", do not seem to aware of it and certainly are not taking full advantage of it to stop littering.
Our press, every newspaper, everyday should remind us all in bold letters: DO NOT LITTER TODAY.
We must break this bad habit! We need this constant reminder. Now is the time to do it.
Our Eastern North Carolina Congressman, Walter Jones just participated in a Forum with The Chamber of Commerce in Jacksonville.
He has done a wonderful job getting things done for us.
Folks are continuously asking him to do one thing or another and this meeting was no exception.
Now is the time for us to do something for him.
Let’s make his district, our district, a litter free district.
Let’s make it possible for him to tell his fellow Congressmen that he represents the cleanest district in the USA.
When we make it possible for him to say this, it certainly will make it easier for him to get all the other things we ask of him.
We can do this over the next five years if we all work at it. Everybody wants it. All we have to do is stop trashing and littering.
It is really and truly just as simple as that. If no one litters there will be no litter to pick up.
There will be no costs either. This will save millions!
But, the best reward of all will be our ability to enjoy trash free rivers and roads. "WE THE PEOPLE" can do it.
In fact, we, us, you and me, are the only ones who can do it.
Let’s just DO IT! Stop littering, that is.
Trash and Litter
Be a Quitter
Just, DON’T DO IT!
Elmer Eddy
|
