Litter Index
Involving community representatives in the process is important to achieve partnership solutions and to promote individual responsibility, ownership and pride in results. Longview’s Litter Index is assessed by evaluating fifty different areas in our community. The fifty stops were configured in each of our six council districts in the most efficient way possible. Routing the Litter Index gave us the chance to look at several areas in Longview but in a much more direct manner. Our Litter Index numbers have seen slight increases in the past years. Several factors may go into this increase:
- Longview’s growth continues. Often, more population and visitors means an increase in litter and waste.
- Education about trash and litter is important. Citizens need to remember that Longview, Texas is undeniably one of the most beautiful parts of the finest state in the nation.Throwing trash into public and private areas is never a good way to show community pride and passion.
- Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, approximately 4.5 trillion are discarded annually. Estimates on the required time for a single cigarette butt to break down vary from five to 400 years.
Litter Index Scores:
- 2016 – 1.66
- 2015 – 1.75
- 2014 – 1.68
- 2013 – 1.62
- 2012 – 1.36
- 2011 – 1.58
“The Community Appearance Index is designed to gather data annually and the results are used to develop a local plan to change attitudes and behaviors regarding litter and related community improvement issues. The Index helps direct the local education and litter prevention, beautification, and waste reduction and recycling programs. Keep America Beautiful uses the information to identify national trends regarding community improvement issues,” states Keep America Beautiful President & CEO Matthew McKenna.
Keep Longview Beautiful has taken over the Adopt A Street program in hopes of developing more community partnerships for litter clean up and pushing our city to a greener, more environmentally friendly stage.