A brighter future

Autumn's beauty is something that can be appreciated without major expense or time. Driving to work or to shop offers golden hues accented by the brilliant reds of some leaves. And nothing spoils the beauty of the season quicker than to see it framed with litter.

Of course, litter abuses our scenery year-round, not just in the fall. But the good news is that there will continue to be a concerted effort in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson-Scott City area to beautify our streets and byways and educate current and future generations about the negative impact littering has on the place we call home and the positive impact a beautified community can have.

To that end, a group of concerned anti-litter residents gathered again recently to catch up on the vigorous campaign that kicked off earlier this year and led to a pledge to be "litter free" by Fourth of July. Without a doubt our area was cleaner by Independence Day. And dozens, if not hundreds, of individuals had enrolled in the anti-litter effort.

While projects to prevent littering, remove trash and beautify our towns have had a significant impact, everyone involved understands the effort to reduce littering to a minimum and keep our area sparkling is a project that, in order to be successful, has to last forever.

The next big step in this campaign will be affiliation, probably before the end of the year, with the nationwide Keep America Beautiful program. Thanks to generous donations, the fee to join the program has been raised. Sometime early next year, those who have been active in cleanup projects and any other interested volunteers will be invited to participate in planning sessions for a Keep America Beautiful organization here.

The mayors of both Cape Girardeau and Jackson have pledged oversight by their respective public works departments to provide some structure and guidance as future Keep American Beautiful planning unfolds.

This is the kind of cooperation that is bound to have desired and fruitful results. As more and more individuals and organizations make a commitment to a long-term effort to make this area the most attractive to be found anywhere, the results will be even better.