Guest Viewpoint for Saturday — January 17, 2004

• Concerning ‘Litter and Pick Up’

Concerning ‘Litter and Pick Up’

By CANDI LACOUR

This is in response to the very good letter written by Bud White, Jan. 6, 2004 concerning the Adopt a Highway Program. NO, I do NOT think that picking up rubbish once a month is too much to ask for volunteer groups who are getting two years of free advertisement. Bud White has been walking the North Shore highway for fourteen years, that I know of, and possibly more. He walks 4-10 miles daily for exercise, and as a Civic minded citizen, he picks up and bags litter, daily, along the way. I think we’ve all begun to take him for granted and forget to show the appreciation we should be giving him. How about a little more help?

In a perfect world, there would be no litter because we ALL would use trash cans for rubbish and teach our children accordingly! But it is not a perfect world. Therefore we, as citizens and caretakers of this beautiful island, should be diligent about picking up litter wherever we see it, and throw it in the nearest trash can, whether it be a Park trash can, ours, or some private trash can along side ANY road.

In addition to the volunteer groups cleaning the Highway more frequently, why not let our non-violent prisoners pay back to society by picking up litter along side the Highway and parks? They did this throughout the Nation when I was a child. It was not considered “cruel and unusual punishment” then, nor do I think it should be considered so today. It would help the County keep our Island pristine and beautiful, cut down on their boredom, and return something back to the Community.

Lets give this some serious thought and Bud White more help! We should all have enough dignity, pride and consideration of each other to keep our beautiful Kauai clean. It is ALL of our responsibility, not just the volunteers.

Candi Lacour is a Hanalei resident.