Litter: Not Just an Eyesore

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed a lot of litter along the roadways lately. It’s not just an eyesore; it eventually ends up in our waterways and makes its way to the Gulf Coast and into our oceans.

You may have heard of the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup – where volunteers gather each October along the Mississippi Gulf Coast to pick up tons of marine debris. The event is part of the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Coastal and Marine Extension Program. In 2024 alone, volunteers removed more than 4 tons of trash from beaches, parks, bayous, harbors, and many other areas.

If you are looking for ways to help keep your community free of litter, you can find several resources and volunteer opportunities throughout the state.

Keep Mississippi Beautiful has affiliates all over the state and offers numerous resources, including cleanup supplies, to community groups and local government. Learn more about volunteer opportunities and resources available through Keep Mississippi Beautiful on their website.

Volunteercleanup.org is an online platform where you can join an existing cleanup event, organize your own, and recruit volunteers. It also offers a way for participants to earn community service hours.

And nothing says you can’t organize a Saturday morning cleanup event all on your own.

If you do happen to live on or near the coast, the Coastal and Marine Extension Program offers various resources and programs that can help you not only keep your community clean, but also help prevent litter through education. Check them out on our Mississippi Sound Estuary Program website.

Recycling is another way to help reduce the amount of single-use items commonly found among litter. Check out our Extension publications on recycling to learn more:

Know the Numbers: Reduce Plastic Waste

Understanding the Meaning of Zero Waste

Recycle Right! Know the Basics