EDITOR:
I have lived for the past 40 years, 37 of them on the Bethel Road in Mount Herbert. Each year, our family has participated in the annual Women’s Institute roadside cleanup. As residents and property owners, we feel it is our civic duty to keep our little piece of heaven clean of litter. Our children have all grown up and participated in the 4-H club and we now have grandchildren who participate in keeping the environment clean – every little contribution counts. Each year, we expect to find the usual treasures in the ditches – plastic cups, fast food bags, pop and beer cans, etc. – you get the drift. But nothing prepared us last year to find approximately 15 to 20 used syringes, armbands, and assorted drug paraphernalia bound together in what was once a plastic bag. This was obviously tossed out and then exposed after a long winter. Immediately, they were disposed of at our local drug store – no questions asked. We felt this incident was an isolated case – we were wrong! Again this spring, what do we find but an open water bottle with syringes in it. Two days later, three more syringes sticking up near the road directly in front of our home. Again, we disposed of these “sharps” in the proper manner. Come on people, what is wrong with you? This is a public safety issue, and how dare anyone put not only our family but anyone else in harm’s way. I contacted the local Women’s Institute office and was told that, unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. How sad is that? I hope that by going public with our concerns it will change the irresponsible behaviour of someone. We can only hope. Growing up we were taught that our actions have consequences. So far, no one has been hurt – only time will tell. Please be careful.
Gillian Attema,
Mount Herbert
