Volunteer Litter Crew

A

Aunt Mavis

I have met the enemy and he is us. Pogo
I passed a crew picking up garbage on the freeway and one volunteer was on his cell phone, outrageous! He’s there to pick up garbage not to yak on his cell phone. I hollered “off the phone” as I drove by. Sheesh.
 

You’d think America wouldn’t need litter crews but nah, more than ever. This is why I’m a stickler when it comes to the volunteers working hard and staying off their cell phones.
 
I’d like to see them start their day a bit earlier but beggars can’t be choosers, perhaps reward them a touch by the amount they pick up.
 
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When we first moved here, the county prison often had the inmates out picking up the trash along the highways....it gave the non-violent offenders something constructive to do, rather than just sitting in jail all day. A few years ago, someone made a lawsuit against this "forced labor" and how it violated the criminals "civil rights". Now, it's hard to drive a mile without seeing some trash along the roads. Dumb Move, IMO.
 
Aunt Mavis said:
I passed a crew picking up garbage on the freeway and one volunteer was on his cell phone, outrageous! He’s there to pick up garbage not to yak on his cell phone. I hollered “off the phone” as I drove by. Sheesh.
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Usually I'm on the same page with you, but not this time.

I'm mystified why you'd take it upon yourself to scold a volunteer for being on a cell phone. Your observation of this person was likely less than 10 seconds so you have no idea how long he'd been on the phone and are clueless as to his purpose. He could have been giving directions to others who wanted to join the crew, or was calling for more bags, supplies or a bag pickup, or perhaps needed to update a family member about when he'd be home. There are dozens of legitimate reasons to make a call.

Drivers hollering at litter removal volunteers (for reasons other than their own or passersby safety) is out of line in my book. It sure won't encourage them to sign up for another stint.
 
Don M. said:
When we first moved here, the county prison often had the inmates out picking up the trash along the highways....it gave the non-violent offenders something constructive to do, rather than just sitting in jail all day. A few years ago, someone made a lawsuit against this "forced labor" and how it violated the criminals "civil rights". Now, it's hard to drive a mile without seeing some trash along the roads. Dumb Move, IMO.
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I remember that also. What a stupid and frivilous lawsuit! I'm sure some of the inmates were glad to get outside and do something.

We have volunteer trash pick up groups around here. Still plenty of trash.
 
StarSong said:
Usually I'm on the same page with you, but not this time.

I'm mystified why you'd take it upon yourself to scold a volunteer for being on a cell phone. Your observation of this person was likely less than 10 seconds so you have no idea how long he'd been on the phone and are clueless as to his purpose. He could have been giving directions to others who wanted to join the crew, or was calling for more bags, supplies or a bag pickup, or perhaps needed to update a family member about when he'd be home. There are dozens of legitimate reasons to make a call.

Drivers hollering at litter removal volunteers (for reasons other than their own or passersby safety) is out of line in my book. It sure won't encourage them to sign up for another stint.
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I agree with StarSong. What if we assumed the Best and not theWorst?

Imagine if we all picked up a little bit ‘o litter without fussing?

“Back in the day” (1950s) when my family drove from AZ to Southern California for summer vacation, we kids in the back seats would toss our cans and bottles out the window. The desert seemed so vast. So I figure I’m just picking up after myself when I gather cans and bottles and ciggy buts along the road.
 
If they are, in fact, volunteers, then I see no problem with cell phones. I mean, it’s their own time. If they’re paid workers, then I agree they should be tending to business. Could be the supervisor was calling to let them know what to do next. I’ve got better things to do that criticize litter crews.
 
Premie said:
Imagine if we all picked up a little bit ‘o litter without fussing?
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Imagine no one littered. But they do, right?

I don't know about other states, but in Calif, people serving time in jail or who are doing community service due to violating social rules pick up trash along our state highways. This seems just, since it's easy to assume they probably didn't mind contributing to the problem of littering. But maybe - maybe having to pick up huge bags of litter for 4 or 5 hours every week for 2 to 10 years can convince them that people shouldn't litter.
 
There’s too much litter for slackers on a crew.
 

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