Through Our Eyes

Eye Help Animals – First Trash Pick-up

Today we did our first 2-miles on our road trash pick-up commitment for Eye Help Animals. It took us about 5 hours and we collected 23 bags of trash. The weather cooperated and the black flies made their spring appearance to show their support for our efforts.

Jim took one side of the road and I took the other. We’ve committed to repeat this process three more times this year. I imagine it won’t take as long or be as strenuous and we will have members of the Appalachian Mountain Teen Project helping us.  I think this time was the hardest because we picked up trash on sections of the road where, very possibly, trash had never been picked up before.

One thing I thought about during those long 5 hours was how it seens to me that the people who don’t litter are the ones who are picking it up.  I guess because it bothers us and we respect and love our planet and believe it should be clean and cared for.  I imagine if litter bothered the people who do it, they wouldn’t do it!  Even as we were picking up the trash, people littered where we had just picked up!  We had signs clearly posted, so to witness that behavior is sad and I can only pity them and hope one day they will come to value this one planet that we have.

Needless to say we were exhausted when we finished and couldn’t wait to take showers.  I can’t say I’m looking forward to the next time, but I do drive down the road with a great sense of pride in a job well done!