The City of Auburn Environmental services Department, along with the Keep Auburn Beautiful Committee, is hosting the “March for Clean” Litter-Free Campaign. The campaign will include several litter stops in areas of Auburn with high incidences of litter.

The organizers of the campaign plan to distribute litter bags for cars as well as flower seed packets. The City of Auburn Public Safety Department-Police Division is assisting with this endeavor. The City is asking residents to utilize their litter-bags in their cars, which in turn will help keep the streets and sidewalks of Auburn clean. The flower seeds are being used as an incentive to enhance the beauty of Auburn. In replace of the litter, citizens are encouraged to plant the seeds in their yards and help Keep Auburn Beautiful.

There will be several spots that profile high areas of trash and litter. Litter stops will be help in the following locations each day, March 9 at Pumphrey Avenue near Webster Road, March 10 at Bedell Avenue near Foster Street, March 11 at West Veterans Boulevard, march 12 at Wrights Mill Road and Ogletree Road and March 13 at East Longleaf Drive.

This weeklong campaign project is a proactive way for members of the Auburn community to help their city. Because Auburn is a college town, the amount of litter can become an issue. College students may be under the impression the others are picking up after them, which is not the case at all. This campaign is bringing awareness and a prevention process to make Auburn the most beautiful that it can be.

This is a time when our environment is suffering because of human laziness and disrespect, making the efforts of the Auburn community that much more important. Litter and any illegally dumped waste is a threat to our own health as well as the environment and wild animals. Toxins get into the food web, water and the soil making this a serious threat to our living condition.

Additionally, litter in the auburn area reflects the people that live here. Litter spoils the visual appeal of the area and campus, and makes it look untidy and neglected.

Combating this problem through education and litter campaigns is the solution. People first need to be aware of the problems that littering causes, and then learn the preventative steps in which they can take to help.

Michelle Price, a senior at Auburn University and an avid environment enthusiast, encourages everyone to stop littering and help keep Auburn clean.

“ All the litter that we see in our environment is there because of someone else’s carelessness, disrespect and laziness. If everyone was aware and responsible enough to recycle and put away their trash there would be no issue at all. It really is that simple,” said Price.

It is now the responsibility of the Auburn community to join the “March for Clean” Litter-Free Campaign. As citizens of Auburn, it is our duty to make sure that the way Auburn looks reflects the caring attitude that we all feel for this city.