Trash talk: Cape committee sees litter as a problem across city

Don't be trashy. That is the message from the Keep Cape Beautiful Committee which continues to tackle Cape Girardeau's litter problem.

Broken beer bottles, cigarette butts and discarded Styrofoam cups litter many roadways. Trash often can be found overflowing from Dumpsters at apartment complexes.

Committee chairman Brian Langlois, who operates a bed-and-breakfast place in the 300 block of Bellevue Street, said Tuesday he regularly picks up trash in his neighborhood. So do other members of the committee.

Langlois said he even has reported incidents of littering to police.

"I see people throw things out of their cars," he said. Langlois said he provides police with license-plate numbers when possible so they can track down the litterbugs.

Litter is seen Tuesday, March 29, 2016 along the Mississippi River floodwall in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

"The city tickets people for littering," he said.

Committee member Becky Mocherman, who lives in the Old Town Cape district, said she regularly picks up trash along downtown streets. She said the litter problem gets worse as one travels to Southeast Missouri State University.

Committee members, meeting at the Osage Centre, said litter is a constant problem along Sprigg Street leading to the university campus.

Committee member Kasie Essner said she picks up litter while running along downtown. She said empty cigarette packs are a common sight.

Empty beer bottles and broken glass regularly litter downtown sidewalks and streets, committee members said.

Litter is seen Tuesday, March 29, 2016 on South Frederick Street near the Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

Parks and Recreation director Julia Thompson said, "People become litter-blind."

Brock Davis, city parks division manager, said parks crews almost every Monday have to clean up a lot of bottles and glass in the downtown parking lots. He wondered aloud whether it would be possible to ban glass bottles in downtown.

"People dump their trash in our parks," he added.

Dumping household trash in the park Dumpsters is illegal, Thompson said. It's not just people who litter, she said. Squirrels routinely jump into the parks' trash cans and "drag out all manner of things," she told the committee.

Thompson said much of the litter problem is centered around rental property and tenants who aren't invested in keeping the area clean.

Langlois said before the meeting the committee has a handful of regular members in addition to city staff. He said he hopes the committee will continue to add members, including college-age residents.

Davis, the parks division manager, said there also has been a growing graffiti problem.

Langlois and his fellow committee members said they hope to encourage city officials to do some public-service announcements to encourage people not to litter.

Councilwoman Loretta Schneider, who serves on the committee, said she wants to encourage convenience stores, churches and other entities to pick up trash in their neighborhoods.

Committee members in the past have handed out cards to business owners that state: "If you care, please do your share!"

The committee toured the city last spring to determine what areas have the worst litter problem. Committee members concluded the litter problem was worse on the city's west and south sides.

This year, the committee is looking to do another survey in May or June.

For now, the committee is focused on Friends of the Park Day and the Great Cape Clean-Up, which will be Saturday, April 23. People and groups turn out to plant trees and flowers, rake leaves and pick up trash. The event typically draws 400 to 500 participants.

The Missouri Department of Conservation plans to have a crew clean up trash that litters Cape LaCroix Creek.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Capaha Park. Work projects will begin at 9 a.m. Schnucks will provide hot dogs, chips and beverages for participants.

Groups and people may volunteer by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department at (573) 339-6340.

Thompson said beautification efforts will kick off Friday with the celebration of Arbor Day. She added the parks department plans to plant at least 10 trees in an area of Arena Park along Hawthorne Road.

While this marks the 31st year of Friends of the Parks Day, the Keep Cape Beautiful Committee was established in 2012 as an affiliate of the national Keep America Beautiful organization, The committee took over from the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, which previously handled some beautification efforts in the community.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.