We are in the middle of our part of the national Great American Cleanup. Hundreds of area residents have joined up to cleanup more than 50 miles of our county.

We will have hundreds more join in in the next few weeks. If you have not volunteered yet, I urge you to consider how you can make a positive difference on a Saturday morning.

Litter is ugly and nasty and it can cause health and safety issues. It also affects how prospective businesses and visitors view our county. I hope you will get involved. Your presence can make a significant difference. Not only do these cleanups pick up trash, it also reminds your neighbors, who might have unwittingly littered, that you and others don’t want that litter on the road. Cleanup volunteers on the roads are teaching tools for those who drive by.

Hinesville’s citywide cleanup will be April 29, and now is the time to register. Check in time will be 8:30 a.m. at Bradwell Park downtown. All pre-registered volunteers will receive Great American Cleanup T-shirts and a picnic dinner after the cleanup. Supplies are provided by Keep Liberty Beautiful and the picnic is provided by the city. We also wish to thank Joe Cole and 1-800-Got-Junk for partnering with us.

While we are preparing, here are tips for stopping litter:

1. Set an example by not littering. Carry a bag in your car and hang on to trash until you find a garbage receptacle.

2. Pick up one piece of litter every day. Particularly pick up litter around storm drain sewers. Anything going in these goes to our waterways.

3. Remind others — family, neighbors, co-workers — the proper ways to dispose of litter do not include tossing it out.

4. Make sure your trash cans have good-fitting lids so litter cannot fall or blow out. If you drive garbage or recyclable items to convenience centers, make sure your bags and containers are secure. Over half of our litter problem is caused by litter from unsecured loads.

5. Ask your neighbors to join a clean-up in your community. "Adopting" that area can reduce litter because people do litter less in clean areas.

Treating the Earth like it is a trash can was not what God intended, so let’s take care of our planet. All organizations, churches, businesses, families, neighborhoods, individuals and civic clubs are encouraged to register for the Hinesville Cleanup. Contact us at 912-880-4888 or klcb@coastalnow.net or www.keeplibertybeautiful.org for more information.