Marilyn Adams doesn’t drive down a street now without noticing litter.
“We’ve all become more aware of litter now and the management of waste and education,” Adams said.
Adams is chairman of the board of directors of Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful, a local organization certified as an affiliate of the national community action organization, Keep America Beautiful.
The goal is just as the name suggests — litter prevention, waste reduction and beautification.
Keep America Beautiful was established in 1953. The national organization started its affiliate program 35 years ago.
It now has a network of nearly 1,000 affiliates.
There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes just to get Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful going. A board of directors was appointed by the organization’s initial partners — the City of Dothan, Houston County, Fort Rucker, City of Ozark and the Town of Webb. A national representative of Keep America Beautiful came in to do training, and a litter survey of the community was done. With the affiliate certification officially granted this week, Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful is the 15th affiliate in Alabama.
Cecile Carson of Keep America Beautiful said the organization knows from behavioral scientists that simply picking up litter isn’t the answer to keeping communities clean and healthy.
“We can’t address litter by picking it up,” Carson said. “We have to address it by changing behavior.”
Carson said clean communities are more attractive, healthier and economically-viable. But getting there, she said, requires teaching the importance of a clean community to residents. Those involved in the local program, she said, set the example by being responsible citizens.
“We believe the way you get there is by individual responsibility,” Carson said.
Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful serves the county by keeping road sides clean, which helps county crews who maintain the rights of way. The partnership, he said, is another way the Wiregrass is working together regionally.
“We take care of the little piece of God’s earth we have here,” Culver said.
Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful is currently housed at the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center on the Ross Clark Circle in Dothan. Wiregrass Rehab’s development officer, Cynthia Green, is serving as the organization’s coordinator. The community organization has already received a $4,000 grant from the Wiregrass Resource Conservation & Development Council.
Adams said Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful will partner with more governments, civic groups, non-profits, businesses, educators and neighborhoods.
“We’re establishing value in our community,” Adams said during the recent certification ceremony. “When we establish value, we take better care.”
Want to know more?
Keep the Wiregrass Beautiful
Cynthia Green, coordinator
(334) 792-0022, ext. 308
cgreen@wrcjobs.com
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