No Trash November Includes Citywide Litter Cleanups Saturday

The Keep Putnam County Beautiful Clean Commission will host a Clean up Cookeville event Saturday.

Clean Commission Executive Director Teresa Jackson said the event is part of Nobody Trashes Tennessee month, a month-long initiative hosted by T-DOT. The clean-up will focus on the stretch of road from Jefferson Avenue to Spring Street. Jackson said litter is a major health risk for our wildlife.

“I believe that some of it is just laziness,” Jackson said. “The other side to that is uneducated on how they can recycle and reuse and maybe do composting. The Clean Commission, we want to educate people in those areas. I don’t think people really understand the implications that their litter imposes.”

Jackson said loose trash contaminates our water supply and kills animals. Jackson said she hopes other groups will organize their own neighborhood clean-ups this month. Jackson said T-DOT hopes to pick up 50,000 pounds of trash in November alone.

“With community involvement, the problem is improving slightly,” Jackson said. “No Trash November is basically set up to have all 95 counties in Tennessee doing events at the same time to help clean up.”

Jackson said there are health risks involved with littering. She said most people ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic a year through microplastics in our water systems. Jackson said this is causing serious health issues for people all across the country.

The event will begin at Cookeville Cosmetology where volunteers will be offered $10 services like haircuts, facials, and manicures.

Jackson said signs will be up to keep the event safe from traffic as volunteers pick up trash from the roadside and parking lots.

She said students can organize groups to show up and get Tennessee Promise community service hours by supporting the cause Saturday.