Most Arizonans agree that we live in one of the most beautiful states in the country, especially this time of year. And with all the rain we received in January and February, combined with the 70-degree weather, our desert surroundings have exploded into a natural canvas rich in color and beauty. If you haven’t noticed, take a moment to glance at the horizon and see how green the mountains are this time of year.

Then take a gander along the roadside and notice the beautiful flowers, cactus and other natural foliage. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

And while you are enjoying all this natural beauty, take a moment to look beyond the plants. Notice the tin cans, the discarded cigarette butts and other trash that piles up along our roadways. Notice the broken bottles, the discarded plastic bags and the car parts that create an eyesore for many months to come.

It’s called roadside litter and the natural beauty of Arizona is constantly under attack from those residents and tourists alike who disregard our state land and toss trash from their moving vehicles.

It is more than an aesthetic issue; it’s a health and safety issue and an indicator of community pride. It is also illegal.

Each year, Arizona spends approximately $5 million cleaning up roadside litter. This figure does not include the money spent on law enforcement officials who spend hours investigating and prosecuting those responsible. It’s one of the most wasteful ways we spend our tax dollars.

Additionally, thousands of volunteers make an effort to clean up our roadways. These litter clean ups are a source of pride for these people and provide them with a sense of giving back to the beauty of Arizona. Clean ups alone, however, will never solve the roadside litter issue. The long-term solution is to create public awareness of the extent of the problem and to influence those who do litter to think again before they send that cigarette butt or soda can out the window.

Arizona Clean and Beautiful has partnered with the Arizona Department of Transportation to sponsor a hotline for those who see motorists littering our roadways. Within Maricopa County, you can call 602-712-4683. Statewide, you can report an incidence by calling 1-877-3-LITTER.

Arizona residents need to make it clear that littering will not be tolerated. A consistent program of public awareness combined with an effort to nab those offenders will assure that Arizona’s natural beauty will be around for generations to come.—

Linda Stiles is the executive director of Arizona Clean and Beautiful, a volunteer driven nonprofit association with a mission to maintain, enhance and preserve the beauty of Arizona. For more information, call (602) 262-2532 or log on to www.arizonacleanandbeautiful.org