Thumbs up to those who pick up the litter, Thumbs down to the slobs who drop the litter
Editorial

We can't help being impressed by both those who organize community clean-ups and those who actually devote a couple of free hours to actually donning gloves and vests, and bend their backs to pick up the trash from the sides of roads, parks, parking lots and any place else where this garbage accumulates.

So yes, on behalf of the community, we offer our thanks to the people who are trying to get the litter off the ground and into areas where it belongs.

And let us all think harsh thoughts about the slobs who are responsible for the mess in the first place.

We don't mean to come off sounding holier than thou on this. Few among us could honestly say we have never littered. True, for the most part, we try to avoid leaving our garbage lying out in the open where all can see it, but we all make mistakes. We all drop things from time to time. Or we might toss something toward a trash bin, and in our haste fail to notice that we missed. In our daily lives, filled with certain amounts of stress and preoccupation, we might just forget the basic rules and drop some garbage that we shouldn't.

But even granting the benefit of the doubt to some litterbugs, that can't completely explain all the garbage on the streets, in the parks, and at all the places where people hang around.

Maybe they just don't care, or they're too lazy to pick up after themselves, or they figure someone else will do the job for them.

And the problem seems to be getting worse.

Teams of volunteers were out picking up trash at a couple of locations in King Township Saturday. Workers commented the litter volume seemed to be a lot higher than in previous years.

Could the harsh winter we've just put behind us have something to do with that, or are we dealing with the fact there are more inconsiderate people out there making bigger messes than before?

It's heartening to know there are people out there willing to pitch in and pick up. But it is also, alas, a sad reality that we have to depend on these people, because those really responsible for the problem are doing basically little to solve it. They leave the mess for someone else.

Disgraceful!

In Caledon, there are a couple of events coming up for those interested in really being part of the solution.

The Downtown Bolton Business Improvement Area is organizing a clean-up this Sunday (April 27) from 10:30 a.m. until 12;30 p.m. People will be gathering at Prudential Select Real Estate at 23 Mill St.

The Humber River Shakespeare Co. is sponsoring a Community Park Clean-Up to help make the spaces in which they perform (and others play) green and beautiful, also Sunday, from 9 a.m. until noon at Dick's Dam Park on Glasgow Road in Bolton.

The Peel 4H Conservation Club, in partnership with the Town of Caledon, Caledon Chamber of Commerce and Tim Hortons, is holding a community clean-up day in Palgrave, from 9:30 a.m. until noon.

Tim Hortons, the Chamber and the Town are also getting together to host a corporate and business challenge May 9 and a community clean-up day May 10.

The reality is officially organized and sanctioned clean-up events aren't really needed. Just look around. Due to all the litter bugs, there's a lot to be picked up, and it's not hard to find.

And please accept our thanks in advance.