The Whole World Is Watching!

With the upcoming premiere of the WE ARE Marshall movie in December, it would be appropriate for every one of us living in Huntington's neighbhorhoods to take a hard look at the block we live on. Is it littered and unkept? If the whole world were to drive down your street in December, would you be ashamed?

Why can't we all realize the importance of clean streets and neighborhoods? The appearance of our streets says alot about us personally and as a city. What should we do between now and the movie-premiere? What is the City of Huntington's responsibility? The whole world will be watching during this important moment in our city's history.

View From A City Garbage Truck

During the last year, or so, I have been heading up the neighborhood litter-abatement program that we call Adopt YOUR Block - Be a Litter-Gitter. I have observed close-up the job that the City of Huntington's sanitation workers do as they collect household garbage on their weekly routes. These workers should receive a publicly presented special commendation from Huntington's Mayor and the Huntington City Council. These employees have thankless jobs, and I for one admire each and every man and woman who works in the City of Huntington Sanitation Department! My hat is off to them!

I have been shocked to see some of the horrible situations they come upon, as they make their rounds of city residences. Frankly, I am stunned that these loyal public employees just don't jump off of the trucks and refuse to pick up the terrible messes they come upon. The filth and helter-skelter garbage thrown out on our streets and alleys by many residents of Huntington is disgraceful! (and, horror-of-horrors, it is spread all over our neighborhoods by animals, wind and rain.)

Do these residents, who fail to properly place their household trash out for collection, have no decency? Would they want to have to touch and collect the scattered trash, garbage and filth that they themselves put out each week?

We have city ordinances that dictate that all household garbage be placed in plastic bags and tied up; then placed in rodent-free/water-tight trash containers. But many residents don't seem to care that they are the guilty party for the mess that is left after the garbage, that can be collectible, is placed on the sanitation truck. The workers don't have time to clean up the remaining mess, and they shouldn't have to!

If I were King of Huntington, I would require that the workers on each truck record the address of each residence they observe to be in violation of the pertinent City of Huntington Codified Ordinance (Article 951 - Refuse Collection), and report it to their supervisor at the end of each run. The ordinance requires a ten-day warning be given, before a citation is issued by the City of Huntington's Compliance Officer. The penalty for this violation is a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) and/or up to thirty-days (30-days) in jail. The sanitation supervisor would be required to forward this list to the compliance officer, who would move immediately to inform each violator of the consequences of their actions.

I say, let the fines and jail time begin! Why is this ordinance not being enforced. Litter shames every person living within our city! We've got to get this issue resolved!

What do you think?

If I can clean one of our six viaducts in 47-minutes, why can't the city?

As most folks living in our area know, Huntington has six major viaducts (underpasses). They are located at 14th Street West, 1st Street, 8th Street, 10th Street, 16th Street and 20th Street. Most folks, also, will say that they are usually filled with litter and trash. And, most folks will tell you that they often flood when there is a heavy rain.

During the past year, I have, on occasion, personally cleaned the litter from the viaducts at 10th and 16th streets. The average time it took me was 47-minutes. Forty-seven minutes!

Each time I cleaned one of these underpasses, I used one litter-pick-up-stick, three glad bags and an orange-safety vest. Was it dangerous walking down into those areas? Yes, it was. And, certainly I do not recommend that anyone else try it.

My point is, if one private citizen can clean one of our viaducts in 47-minutes, why can't our city government accomplish this important task? It doesn't take heavy equipment, and all six could be cleaned in one day!

What do you think?

"Cosmic" rent? Should we pay it?

My wife, Carter Seaton, and I were driving back from Lewisburg, WV, when she suddenly asked, “Have you ever heard the term “cosmic" rent? I immediately retorted (like I knew what I was talking about), “Yes, that is the point at which your home mortgage or monthly rental payment, surpasses your ability to pay up.”

After a very short chuckle, she talked about the concept that “cosmic” rent is that which each human being should contribute back in service to mankind for the right and privilege of living in a world that provides air, water, food, shelter, etc. I commented that very few people have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully in a way that can positively affect the well-being of the totality of the Earth and the larger Universe.

At that, Carter reminded me that each human being can pay their “cosmic” rent merely by making a commitment to participate in the betterment of the social units - community, neighborhood, city - in which they spend their lives.

A frequent prediction one hears at the moment is that America is gradually slipping into an economic and political decline, while China and India are rapidly growing in power and wealth. But perhaps the most potent predictor of the future of America is we. We are constantly creating the world by what we think and do, and how we relate to each other.

However, we all face the question of what can I do? How do I choose the right direction? What effect will my small personal life have on this huge moving mass of humanity? What we can be certain of is that change will occur, and we are involved in it in one way or another right now. Well, you are part of the mass. You are one of the runners in the human race. What you do and think touches the lives of those around you. Those around you influence and play parts in the lives of others. In this way we all touch each other.

My wife reminded me that all of the volunteers in the Adopt Your Block program are paying some of their “cosmic” rent by working to rid their own neighborhood of litter and trash. I hadn’t thought about it that way – it makes me want to get out their right now and check my own block for any blowing litter!

If you want a meaningful and noble way to pay your “cosmic” rent, post your opinion about this idea on this blog. Then, take the time to email me at richardcobb@AdoptYourBlock.com , and I will contact you and deliver equipment that will allow you to easily pay "cosmic" rent to your own neighborhood by helping to keep the block in which you live free of litter. It’s that simple to pay some of your “cosmic" rent. There is no cost to you for the litter pick-up equipment I will bring to you, and you will have the knowledge that you are "taking", but that you are "giving" back for the blessings of life, liberty and the persuit of happiness.

Together, we can accomplish whatever we can imagine!