Fireworks cleanup

There will always be special events and activities that pose challenges regarding litter.

Parades, festivals, air shows, fairs, picnics, outdoor concerts and even family get-togethers are just a few of the occasions when litter is likely to be left behind.

It would be nice to think that people attending these events would be more mindful of litter and the consequences of tossing a foam cup there or a sandwich wrapper here or a cigarette butt wherever they happen to be at the moment.

But the sad reality is that crowds usually generate a good deal of litter.

After the estimated 5,000 people left Cape Girardeau's downtown after the Fourth of July fireworks display, there was the usual litter left behind. Cleanup crews went to work to remove the debris, and downtown was spruced up by early the next morning. Similar litter situations and cleanup efforts occurred all around the area as area residents celebrated Independence Day.

On a different scale is the neighborhood residue of family fireworks displays. The mess the next morning can be daunting. Fortunately, many families and their neighbors address the fireworks litter right away, and soon the tree-lined streets and manicured lawns are restored to order.

But other areas are not so fortunate. Some neighborhoods still have the shredded paper remains of fireworks scattered over large areas.

Cities in this area continue to allow personal fireworks, unlike some municipalities -- and even some states -- that ban all but professional fireworks displays. With this privilege of shooting off fireworks comes the responsibility of cleaning up afterward.

Revelers who enjoyed a night of colorful explosions now owe their neighbors and their communities a decent cleanup effort.