Page County is truly a beautiful place to visit and live.
From the adjacent national park to the mountain views, to the creeks and the river, to Lake Arrowhead — and of course our giant natural wonder under Cave Hill.
But sadly, Page County also has a litter problem.
Drive on many of the main highways or country roads in this county and you will see miles of trash along both sides of the roadway.
It’s more than an eyesore. It can destroy ecosystems.
Tired of seeing so much roadside litter, I recently filled five garbage bags full of trash from a half-mile stretch of Cave Hill Road between the caverns parking lot and the intersection of Cave Hill Road and General Drive (including the gaping hole in the ground where the pond used to be, and the drainage areas at the intersection).
Some of the litter could have blown off trucks, but I suspect much of it was carelessly tossed out of vehicles.
I counted at least 20 empty boxes of McDonalds, Burger King, and Taco Bell items (three fast food places near this stretch of road), several plastic Big Gulp cups, about 30 soda, energy drink, and beer cans and bottles, about 25 discarded candy wrappers, empty cigarette boxes, and plastic lids and straws. There was one plastic water bottle that was capped, only not containing water — but some other yellow liquid.
The most disconcerting thing was all the plastic. And not just plastic bottles and plastic grocery store bags, but all sorts of microplastic material, including construction material, clogging the ditches that lead into the creeks and the river. There was also a substantial amount of Styrofoam.
Like plastic, Styrofoam cannot be absorbed into the ecosystems — leading to choked and unsightly wetland habitats normally enjoyed by fish, frogs, turtles, ducks, and other birds.
If there are not enough police resources to monitor and enforce the county’s anti-littering laws, roadside signs warning that “Litter Laws Strictly Enforced — Fines Start $1000” (as there are in other counties and states) could at least increase awareness.
Another option could be programs that allow day workers from the county jail to clean up the litter.
Residents can help too, by bringing reusable grocery bags (which only cost between $1 and $2) to Food Lion and WalMart, and which, in addition to being more eco-friendly, are more durable and hold more items compared to those flimsy plastic bags.
More businesses and county groups could adopt highways to have bi-annual cleanups, as groups like The Shenandoah National Park Conservation Association, Community Works 4Page, and Page County Democrats do.
We are rightfully proud of our county and everything it offers.
Being more mindful of littering will go a long way in preserving the beauty of Page.
David Rossé
Luray, Va
EDITOR’S NOTE: Littering is illegal under Virginia Code § 33.2-802.
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