HOT PURSUIT

We’ve all heard about people adopting pets, but what about taking a liking to something that will have a direct impact on the environment.

With Earth Day taking place a few weeks ago, many people have a renewed focus on the environment. One way folks can get themselves involved in saving the environment is getting a little dirty and picking up trash. I know it doesn’t sound very glamourous, but it’s needed to keep our earth clean.

It never ceases to amaze me how much litter accumulates in the ditches and roadsides. The number of alcoholic containers is staggering. Food wrappers and boxes is just as appalling. I’m not sure why people think dumping stuff along the roads is the cool thing to do.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is putting out a call for volunteers to join the popular Adopt a Highway program that has been a regular part of MnDOT’s maintenance operations for the past 35 years.

Last year alone almost 29,000 bags of trash were removed from Minnesota highways and rest areas, according to MnDOT. In order to accomplish such a big task, MnDOT works with more than 1,680 volunteer groups statewide, collectively those groups volunteered more than 80,000 hours to pluck trash from places it shouldn’t be.

There are currently at least 1,000 sections available for adoption across Minnesota. MnDOT welcomes more groups to volunteer by reaching out to a Adopt a Highway coordinator. In the Rochester district, which includes Steele County and surrounding counties, the contact is Matthew Dodge at AAHD6.dot@state.mn.us or 507-286-7500.

Volunteers are asked to commit to the program for at least two years and are encouraged to pick up litter from both sides of their roadway section at least twice a year. The average length of an adopted highway is about two miles. MnDOT posts signs along adopted segments to recognize the name of volunteer groups cleaning that area.

MnDOT provides safety information, trash bags and safety vests to every volunteer. Highway crews pick up the filled bags of trash that volunteers leave along the side of the road.

Motorists are encouraged to slow down, move over and use caution whenever they see an Adopt a Highway volunteer group or maintenance crew picking up trash.

It’s our responsibility to keep the earth clean so that we can go in hot pursuit of preserving the environment for future generations.