The trash situation is not just a city problem. This is a regional issue. We can all point to the garbage in our own neighborhoods and lament its appearance. Dan Rodricks mentioned we haven’t had a consistent message in 40 years (“To reduce trash, from Baltimore to the Eastern Shore, start with a new, smart counter message; a lot of people missed the memo,” Aug. 16). Now is the time for that message.
I came across and old bag with Chesterpeake (the National Beer mascot) holding a broom asking us to “put litter in this bag, not in the bay.” The other side has an image of Commodore Frank Hennesey aboard the National Beer Skipjack. We can build on this.
I am proposing a new “commodore” — commodore of litter. Someone who could lend their image and be the face of keeping our state clean. We could call it “The Clean State.” With the commodore leading the charge there could be block captains who could organize their own cleaning parties. The commodore would have to be in the public media and press the issue. There could be public and private involvement. So many people are out there on their own right now picking someone else’s garbage and I want to thank them for that. They should get to wear the captains hat!
We love our traditions in this state and especially here in Baltimore. Let’s take something old like Chesterpeake’s message of putting litter where it belongs. Are you on board?I know I am.
Stephen Kariotis, Owings Mills
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