Its that time of year....

Time for Litter Sweep!

Litter Sweep sponsored by the NC DOT runs April 18 - May 2 this spring. Organize a group to pick up litter somewhere. Any sort of group is ok and any location that needs a little TLC is a good choice. You can pick up trash bags, vests, and gloves from the NC DOT Maintenance Office or from Kelly at the Agricultural Resources Center (call first to make sure our supply isn't gone).

If these next two weeks are too soon for you to get a group together.... no worries! The Great American Cleanup sponsored by Keep America Beautiful runs til the end of May. That gives you 6 weeks to organize and have a cleanup.

If you do plan a cleanup event, we would like to know about it. We keep track of clean up efforts in Catawba County. Lets hope for a long list of cleanups this spring! No experience necessary. It just takes someone willing to make a difference in the community!

For more information about either of these two programs, contact Kelly: kgroves@catawbacountync.gov

Re-think your fast food

When you eat out do you think about all the "disposable" stuff you use? Eating out is convenient, but it often generates a lot of waste.

Here are some ways you can reduce the amount of waste you generate when you eat out:

• Skip the straw and drink lid. You don't use them at home, so you can skip them when you eat out. (If you are getting your food to go, you probably still need the lid so you don't make a mess in the car)
• Choose things from the menu that have less packaging. Sandwiches are often wrapped in one simple paper wrap. Salads have a lot of packaging: the salad container, dressing, croutons, fork and all the other extra stuff.
• Use condiments from the large pump containers rather than asking for individually packaged ones.

What other ways can you think of to reduce waste when you eat out?