One of the most unappealing things to see in a town is litter. No matter how many “Don’t litter” or “Keep Alabama Beautiful” signs a town can have, people still seem to want to throw their trash on the ground as soon as they are finished with whatever product they are using.

Whether it is a fast food bag, a bottle or a receipt, these things can be disposed of properly and not be thrown onto the ground.

But Troy wants to be different. Thanks to a concerted effort by the city, volunteers and even businesses, we’re focused on Keeping Troy Beautiful, one step at a time.

The city has long taken the lead in giving residents every opportunity possible to keep their property and neighborhoods clean and litter free. District-wide cleanup months, like the one ongoing in District 1, give residents a chance to take advantage of the city’s public works department to remove everything from discarded appliances to furniture to large debris that doesn’t fit within the constraints of normal weekly garbage collection.

Moreover, Troy has no lack of garbage cans around our community. And, thanks to donations from KW Plastics, we have ample recycling cans available. Take advantage of these cans by placing the proper materials in each. If you are not near one of these cans, the ground should not be an option. Simply put the trash away in your car, a bag or a pocket until you approach one. Not only is litter an eye sore, it doesn’t help the environment.

Unfortunately, not everyone takes advantage of these handy trash and recycle cans, and that’s where another effort comes into play. Keep Troy Beautiful continues to promote the grass-roots cleanup effort by encouraging volunteers to “team up to clean up.” Groups are being asked to spend a few hours cleaning up litter and trash in public areas, whether it’s the downtown Square or along the roadway of U.S. 231 or other prominent thoroughfares in our city. It’s amazing what a difference a few focused hands can make in two hours.

We encourage you to take pride in our community by first keeping our home and its surrounding clean and debris free. Then, working to help keep our neighborhoods and our city clean and litter free. Troy and Pike County are naturally beautiful. Let’s keep them that way.