New Year: Let's clean up in 2003

What a great time of year to clean up and get rid of extra garbage. Could be a methaphor for life today. If you don’t have the time to walk around your own neighborhood to pick up roadside litter; next time you pick up your mail or take your garbage can to the road you could check for litter lurking in front of your house. It would make a real difference.

Often we say or feel we can’t make a difference in our complex world. Well here is a chance to help preserve the natural beauty of our island community. It’s a beginning. I resolve to be more aware of the garbage I might be creating and to take the opportunity to be responsible for cleaning up my own messes in life.

Lately my neighborhood has been experiencing some new homes being built. Unfortunately for the neighborhood environment, the builders have omitted a very basic consideration. Where do all the excess packaging of building materials and workers’ lunches go? This garbage often litters the ground. The first wind sends these materials circulating the neighborhood like unwanted junk mail. A simple solution is to provide a garbage can per job site. If we work together we can all enjoy the beauty of our special place on the planet.

Let’s enjoy together the privilege of acting on our responsibility to clean up the messes we make. We can clean up in 2003!

Linda Edling

Oak Harbor

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