Keeping beautiful

Area residents and officials interested in beautification and anti-litter efforts took a major step this week when the formal process for affiliating with Keep America Beautiful Inc. began.

At a workshop led by KAB's enthusiastic and inspiring national trainer, Sue Smith, volunteers packed a meeting room at the Osage Community Centre to hear what needed to be done. If the turnout for the meeting is any indication, there is strong interest in addressing the ways to change the culture regarding litter and to make the area more pleasing to the eye.

Representatives from Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Jackson, Scott City and Southeast Missouri State University -- along with others from groups, organizations and major employers with a special interest in litter prevention and beautification -- got a taste of the KAB approach.

With many years invested in successful programs and techniques to change the way people think about litter, KAB has developed dozens of plans of action. Each year, KAB recognizes affiliates who have developed new projects that are made available to any interested community.

The KAB approach leans toward prevention rather than cleanup. To change a community's attitudes toward litter requires considerable education, and many of KAB's programs are aimed at schoolchildren.

Perhaps one of the most critical points made by Smith during her presentation was the fact that KAB stresses measurable goals and outcomes. This means each affiliate community must develop what is called a litter index to assess the existing litter problem so that the impact of future efforts can be quantified.

As expected, Smith also emphasized that KAB's programs address the long term, not a one-shot cleanup campaign.

This area's affiliation with KAB marks a significant milestone. Interest levels are high, and with the broad support of the various governmental entities and other groups -- something that's rather unusual for KAB affiliates -- this effort appears headed for solid successes.