Unlawful human action

Over the weekend I visited Lancaster, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We went to participate in some bicycle rides over routes prepared by the Granite State Wheelmen . Since its founding in 1971 by three intrepid cycling enthusiasts, the Granite State Wheelmen has become New England's most active adult recreational bicycling club. My brothers and sister in law rode "The International Century" (one hundred miles) which goes up the NH side of the Connecticut River to the Canadian border and returns on the VT side of the river. Those with very large hearts and lung capacity rode an alternative century which goes through Dixville Notch and the beautiful Thirteen Mile Woods. In addition there were a variety of mapped road rides in this area for short, medium and long routes. I rode with my niece on one of the "medium", but beautiful, routes.

On Sunday morning I used the threatening weather as a chance to catch up on some work to the tune of the church bells. When the pealing of the bells stopped I was surprised to see a group of adults and children walking down Main Street. All were wearing white gloves and most also carried a white bag. They were picking up litter! Shocked and stupid, I failed to ask them if they all belonged to the same church group. The last thing I expected to see were well dressed individuals picking up cigarette butts, soda cups, hamburger wrappers and other really gross looking trash. I tried to "Google" the event, if it was a special event. The only recent reference to litter and Lancaster, NH was the following: "The Colonel Town Recreation Department institutes a complete ban on tobacco use by all persons during practices, trainings, and any other Colonel Town activities. Policy Objectives Include: To keep Colonel Town grounds free of litter due to smoking remnants."

That afternoon when we returned to my condo complex there was a large pile of litter in the parking area. Late yesterday afternoon I saw a group of young adults get into an SUV. The driver kicked a bunch of stuff out of the car before he got in. When he pulled away I saw that it was empty beer cans and food wrappers. Maybe I was "touched" during my Sunday morning experience, but I've never before noticed "trash" in my neighborhood. Those kids better watch out, next time I see their car I am going to take their plate number. Our complex has a $25.00 fine.

Litter is waste disposed in the wrong place by unlawful human action and can vary in size of incident, occurrence or items. It can occur as small items like wrappers, large collections of waste or scatterings of litter dispersed around public places outdoors. Litter can be occasioned by malicious, careless or accidental intent and is generally disposed of illegally rather than lawfully.

In 2001, the Department of Ecology (Washington State) conducted several focus groups to explore knowledge and attitudes towards littering among key audiences. Demographic research indicates that the key audience (litterers) tend to be young (16-35), single, and male. People who participated in the focus group research admitted to a variety of littering behaviors including tossing cigarette butts, tossing alcoholic beverage containers, tossing food wrappers or other beverage containers, not covering or securing loads, or simply not cleaning out the back of their pickup truck. When asked what would convince them to not litter, a clear theme emerged. "Knowing I will be caught and fined," was the number one deterrent to littering. Hearing what the fines are was new information for the research participants.

The table below shows litter related violations issued by Washington State Patrol (which has primary responsibility for enforcing litter laws on State highways) in 2007 the most current data available.

• Failure to secure load 405
• Debris escape 294
• Uncovered load 52
• Debris thrown 169
• Debris lighted 344
• Total 1264

You may enjoy reading: The Art Of Seeing

Also, may I recommend for your enjoyment: You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.

The Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd) is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in the comic book Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), the first of a three-issue arc fans and historians call "The Galactus Trilogy".

Originally a young astronomer of the planet Zenn-La, in order to save his home-world from destruction by a fearsome cosmic entity known as Galactus, Norrin Radd made a bargain with the being, pledging himself to serve as his herald. Imbued in return with a tiny portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic, Radd acquired great powers and a silvery appearance. Galactus also created for Radd a surfboard-like craft — modeled after a childhood fantasy of his — on which he would travel at speeds beyond that of light. Known from then on as the Silver Surfer, Radd began to roam the cosmos searching for new planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels finally took him to Earth, the Surfer came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, a team of powerful superheroes that helped him to rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was punished in return with everlasting exile there.

Stan Lee enjoyed the character and decided to feature him in his own individual title in 1968. John Buscema was penciller for the first 17 issues of the series, with Kirby returning for the eighteenth and final issue. The first seven issues, which included anthological "Tales of the Watcher" backup stories, were 72-page (with advertising), 25-cent "giants", as opposed to typical 36-page, 12-cent comics of the time. Thematically, the stories dealt with the Surfer's exile on Earth and the inhumanity of man as observed by this noble yet fallen hero. The Silver Surfer comic book series became known as one of Lee's most thoughtful and introspective works. Englehart writes that Buscema and Lee were "pouring their souls into the series".

Waldo County, situated in mid-coast Maine along scenic Penobscot Bay, has genuine New England character evidenced by working port towns and quaint rural villages. Visitors are awed by the area's unspoiled beauty. From striking coastal views to sweeping mountain vistas, dramatic natural settings abound. In addition great care has been taken to preserve and refurbish numerous historic landmarks, homes and buildings. Consequently, the Maine of yesteryear is still found here.

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