In reality, North America has become a giant trash dump. If you travel through the South, you will see countless plastic bags tossed alongside the country roads, rivers and highways. You'll see old homes and mobile homes rotting everywhere along with the highways and river banks. You'll see dumps in old towns along the highway. You'll see homes with trash piled up in their yards. I've pedaled my bicycle three times across the south and quite frankly, it's sickening--especially at 15 miles per hour and endless miles of junk laying everywhere along the routes I traveled.
But don't let the Northeast, Northwest or Southwest think their citizens are any better. West Virginia suffers horrible trash and cars tossed over the river banks and everywhere in those beautiful mountains. Fast food cups, spoons, tissues, wrappers and plastic bags from every McDonalds, Subways, Domino's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Jack in the Box and so many more dot the landscape in every corner of America.
It's like everyone "looks" beyond the abandoned oil derricks, old tractors, burned out houses and empty mobile homes. In many towns in New Mexico, junk lines the main street as old tractors, burned out cars and worse. I would mutter to myself, "How can people live like this?" One man I asked said, "They're just used to it."
In this series, you're going to see the ugliness of American citizens, corporate leaders, fast food corporations, oil companies and above all--beverage companies. You'll find out that they don't care about the trashing of America and you'll find out how Peter Coors of Coors Beer undermined Colorado voters to stop the recycling laws. He's not alone.
You will find out how the lone state of Michigan provides the best leadership with 10 cent deposit laws (5 cents doesn't cut it in ME, NH, CN, OR and WA because it's not enough financial incentive) and how the Wolverine State became the finest state in the Union to keep its containers from littering the land.
Additionally, you're invited to visit www.pickupamerica.com on their two year 3,600 mile trash picking journey across America. Please donate your time or money in their efforts as they speak to communities, schools and church groups to educate our youth and all citizens.
Pick Up America is the brainchild of 25-year-old Jeff Chen and 26-year-old Davey Rogner who are self-proclaimed "pick up artists." Thus far, their crews along with volunteers have picked up 132,000 pounds of trash. Please realize that they are picking up trash on only one road across America.
"Baltimore, there was a lot of liquor bottles ... you notice these trends," said Chen. "The Eastern Shore of Maryland is always going to be known to us as the home of Natty Light drinkers. The Western Shore of Maryland is ... Bud Light drinkers."
"You notice people drink lots of Pepsi and Coke products," Rogner said. "In Virginia, it's all Mountain Dew; that continued pretty much through Ohio."
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