Actually, *lots* of people trash Tennessee, along with every other state in the US. It’s one of my biggest pet peeves, especially since it’s such a preventable problem, and is exacerbated by such a small percentage of the people out there. Up here on Suck Creek, where I live and shoot, it’s pretty bad. But rather than complaining about it, I’m doing something about it.
For years, any time I’m on the side of the road, I’ve been picking up litter. Bags and bags of it. I’ve also organized/participated in a few clean-up days along the creek and at Lusk Cemetery at Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area. But now, I’ve put a ring on it and made it official: I’ve adopted a two-mile stretch of tarmac where I do a lot of my work, as part of the Nobody Trashes Tennessee program here where I live. Basically, I’ll be organizing quarterly cleanups (in addition to what I do on a day-to-day basis), and the state supports this by providing supplies, training, and picking up the trash that’s collected. It’s a good program, and it gets people like me and my friends and neighbors involved.
The 2-mile section I’ve adopted is just past the old Holloway’s Store as you start down the back of the mountain, and extends south to the Turnback (where I’m often at) and through the area where Suck Creek Sam used to live (in yellow on the map below). When I first started photographing over here, it was always a mess, and I’m proud to say that now, it’s much, much better. There’s still work to be done, though, so watch for me to post cleanup dates regularly.
There are thousands of miles of roads that, unfortunately, need similar stewardship. If you’re in Tennessee, go to Nobody Trashes Tennessee and get involved! If you’re somewhere else, reach out to your municipal government, and see what programs are available in your area. You can make a difference!