HASSO HERING

A perspective from Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley

Before and after on the Simpson Park Trail

Written June 18th, 2019 by Hasso Hering

On the Simpson Park Trail, June 15.

There’s no way that Albany’s small crew of parks maintenance workers can keep up with the messy habits of part of our population. So now and then we come across scenes like this, seen Saturday on a little-used branch of the Simpson Park Trail.

We can complain, and many of us do. Someone posted a photo similar to the one above on Facebook, along with the appropriate text.

Or we can, now and then, try to do something about it. Like this:

The city parks department has set up a program where people can adopt a park or a trail. But you don’t need anything like a formal adoption to grab a rake and shovel and some bags.

But it’s a good idea to wear disposable gloves. (hh)


Posted in: Commentary



10 responses to “Before and after on the Simpson Park Trail”

  1. Bill says:

    Beautiful! Nice job, even looks like a couple of weeds got pulled! That’s inspirational.

  2. Dave says:

    How about a Linn Country Jail Crew, maybe if they had to work off jail time or fines would inspire them. Maybe it would cut down on the repeat offenders.
    LCSO, use to do clean up in some areas. and on the Interstate.

  3. Gordon L. Shadle says:

    The distance to a trash can is the strongest predictor of littering.

    And It is also true that the presence of existing litter is strongly predictive of littering behavior. So picking up the trash of others does help, but doesn’t get to the root of the problem – the behavior of the slob.

    That problem is best solved at home starting at a young age.

    • Gordon L. Shadle says:

      One could also argue that people today, especially those under 30, have little sense of responsibility for their own behavior. Government will pick up after them, just like Mom and Dad did.

      So let’s give them “free” money, a place to live, and even needles to enable their drug habit. While we’re at it, let’s build open air urinals so they can relieve themselves with less hassle.

      In our “progressive” culture, personal responsibility has become an aberration, not an expectation.

      • HowlingCicada says:

        “””So let’s give them “free” money, a place to live, and even needles to enable their drug habit.”””

        1 – A modest place to live, with reasonable restrictions, but without pointlessly punitive ones, could lower the total cost to society caused by the underclass, the unfit, and the mentally ill.

        2 – Needles: I think most drug reformers would be quite happy for government to just get out of the way.

        3 – “Free” money: (just making a point, not advocating) would eliminate the need for big bureaucracy to nickel-and-dime everyone they give money to currently.

        These aren’t particularly “progressive” positions.

      • J. Jacobson says:

        Given the proven conservative track record of the Linn County and Albany electorate, it seems a bit of a stretch to call area Millennials “progressive.” And no…you simply cannot blame the trail mess on “outside agitators.”

        The parents of these miscreants are equally unlikely to be progressive.

        No, I believe this mess was the result of some Right-leaning types, likely carrying weapons as well as beer cans, etc. I would hope the writer of the original comment would check the ballot box results before chastising the Left. Seems more than a bit out of touch.

  4. thomas earl cordier says:

    I applaud the use of low cost (non-PERS) labor to reduce my taxes and fees. Suggest hiring the likely offenders since they are always asking for handouts. So JJ is totally predictable blaming me since I am a real right wing law/order guy. JJ’s input is important to him but not to me–ranks about equal to AOC from NY.

  5. CHEZZ says:

    Just pick up your own trash.

 

 
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