Imagine what the environment would look like if people didn’t litter? As I drive around the city it saddens me to see how in certain neighborhoods the residents don’t seem to have pride in their community. Then I drive around other neighborhoods and the homes there are well kept, litter-free with all buildings up to code. It is a fact that unkempt communities are at a disadvantage as it pertains to growth, property values, and business development. It appears that many in these depressed areas either do not care or do not understand that keeping the environment clean will provide better opportunities.
I’m sure we all have seen people throwing trash out of moving cars. Additionally, I see people sitting in their cars in a parking area discarding the trash in the lot when trash receptacles are just feet away. In communities where there is a lack of pride crime is high, there are no decent places to shop and these communities are literally food deserts where good quality food is not available. The type of businesses that set up shop in these areas are Dollar Stores, Fast Food Restaurants, Pawn Shops, Liquor Stores, Convenience Stores, and Beauty Supply Stores most of which add no value to the community. Additionally, a great number of these business owners fail to respect customers, they only want your money. Oftentimes when shopping you may receive a lot of scrutiny giving the impression that you might be attempting to take something without paying for it.
If you are fortunate enough to be a homeowner in these underserved communities be mindful of the fact that your home is an investment and must be protected. If you happen to live in a community that requires attention let’s begin the process of restoring the value of our investments by cleaning up the litter. I keep a trash bag in my car. If I see trash in my subdivision I pick it up because I live in the subdivision and want my visitors to see a litter-free, well-kept neighborhood. Let’s teach our children that littering is bad for the environment, decreases property value, and hinders a community’s growth potential. Let’s teach our children to respect the beauty of nature and in doing so we will appreciate and respect each other more. This type of attitude will create pride in the area that we live in. Stay Safe, give us a thumbs up, a like, a share, and subscribe.
Marvin Dixon, Founder/VMG REVIEW
VMG Review 