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Contact information: Kerri Broussard 200 S. Jefferson St. DeRidder, LA 70634 337-462-8900 kbroussard@cityofderidder.org Mission:
The mission of Keep DeRidder Beautiful is to work towards the elimination of litter in the City of DeRidder through Public Awareness, Cooperation and Communication, Promotion and Education, and the facilitation of Community Involvement. Adopt-a-Spot
Program: Anyone can adopt! Individuals, neighborhood groups, church groups, civic and social organizations can adopt a road, street or a park in DeRidder. Community Recognition for Adopting Organizations In exchange for providing upkeep and maintaining litter control for a park, road, or street, the adopting organization will receive recognition through a community awareness sign. The sign will display your organizations name at the adopted site for the entire length of the adoption period. Waste in Place Curriculum WASTE IN PLACE, Keep America Beautiful
curriculum developed for K-6, addresses the problem of waste and its
disposal alternatives and emphasizes responsible solid waste handling
practices through hands-on activities targeting educators and students.
The goal of WASTE IN PLACE is to instill proper waste handling practices
in young people. This unique curriculum provides activities designed to
develop awareness and knowledge of solid waste problems, which should
result in informed decisions by our future community leaders. The curriculum was developed from three
years of research and uses a behaviorally based, systematic approach to
changing attitudes and practices related to proper waste handling. It is
consistent with recommendations from the National Board of Education,
the National Science Teachers Association, the National Science
Foundation, Science for All Americans, and Project 2061 which include:
utility, social responsibility, intrinsic value of knowledge,
philosophical value and childhood enrichment. Litter Prevention Did You Know?
80% of all littering is accidental. For example, it flies out of
truckbeds or blows away from trash set at the curb for pickup. Many
types of roadside trash take years, if not hundreds of years, to
disintegrate. While a piece of rope or a wool sock will biodegrade after
about a year, plastic six-pack rings may stay around for 450 years.
In Louisiana, we spend about $10 million annually to clean up roadside
trash in the state, and local governments spend thousands to keep litter
off miles of locally-maintained roads. Litter detracts from our
state's beauty, decreases property values and, over time, could affect. Tips For Preventing
Litter In DeRidder Why Do People Litter? Litter is misplaced, improperly handled
waste. In a three-year research project, Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
found that people litter for one of three reasons. They feel it's ok to
litter: Where they feel no sense of ownership
or pride for the property Where Does It Come From? Although motorists and pedestrians are most
often blamed for litter, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. identified seven
sources that contribute to the problem. They are: Commercial dumpster From these sources, litter is carried in
every direction by wind, water, and traffic. It moves until trapped by a
curb, wall, fence, a row of trees, a building, or other stationary
object. Once trapped, litter becomes not only an eyesore, but an
invitation for people to add more. The Cost Of Litter Litter is a costly problem. City, Parish,
and state highway departments spend millions of dollars and many hours
each year cleaning up litter - money and time that could be used for
more needed services. Cleaner communities also have a better chance of
attracting new businesses than those where litter is common. 10 Ways That You Can Prevent Litter There are many ways that you can help make
your community cleaner. Here are 10 suggestions: 1. Set an example by not littering. 2. Pick up one piece of litter every day. 3. Teach others the proper way to dispose
of their trash. Show them the difference between a clean area and an
area spoiled by litter, and stress why it's important to put trash in
proper containers. 4. Make sure that your trash cans have lids
that can be securely attached. If you have curbside trash service, don't
put out unopened containers or boxes filled with trash. 5. Carry a litter bag in your car. Ask
local businesses to buy car litter bags and distribute them to
customers. Encourage them to print their names and an environmental
message on the bag. 6. Ask your neighbors to join you in
cleaning up one public area where litter has accumulated. 7. If you or a member of your family is
involved in a civic group, scouting, or recreational sports program,
encourage the group to become involved in a cleanup.. Or have the group
"adopt" a spot and maintained it on a regular basis. 8. Find out how you can plant and maintain
flowers along a curb or sidewalk. People litter less where areas have
been beautified. 9. Ask business owners to check their
dumpsters every day to make sure tops and side doors are closed. If the
business has a loading dock, ask them to keep it clean, and to put out a
receptacle for employees to use. 10. If you own a construction or hauling
business, make sure your trucks are covered when transporting material
to and from sites. Use snow fencing around construction or demolition
sites to prevent debris from being blown into other areas. Put trash
containers on every floor for construction workers. Interesting
Facts: Did you know about the life of litter? Orange and banana peels: up to 2 years
Plastic 6-pack holders: 100 years Cigarette butts: 1 to 5 years
Aluminum cans and tabs: 80 to 100 years Plastic coated paper: 5 years
Glass bottles: 1,000,000 years Plastic bags: 10 to 20 years
Plastic bottles: Indefinitely Tin cans: 50 years
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