Dear Editor,

I’d like to tell you about the five most popular things I found along the road by my house: Canadian Mist bottles, Busch beer cans, MD 2020 bottles, Grizzly chewing tobacco containers, and Styrofoam cups from Jack’s.

Now, I’m a little alarmed about this because not only am I grumbling about the trash I’m picking up, I’m concerned that the top three are empty alcohol containers in a dry county.

A lot of trash gets thrown out of windows out here, but a lot of it is the same brand of trash.

Take for instance the Canadian Mist bottles. I found seven of them within about 30 feet of each other. Whoever is picking these up at the liquor store must finish them up right around my house then chuck the empties out the window.

I’ll bet if we could do DNA checks like they do on TV, it would probably show the same person is ditching the evidence before getting home. Hey out there, if you’re reading this: shame on you!

I relayed my frustration to Libby Ratliff, the Chilton County Litter Control/Solid Waste officer and asked her what can be done about it. I found out some very interesting facts from a lady obviously devoted to her work. She is the only one assigned the task of cleaning up the entire county.

On a good day, she might get some help from a couple of prisoners to handle this back breaking work. Her office doesn’t have the authority to arrest or fine folks, only to attempt to keep a neverending litter problem under reasonable control.

At the end of the day, I have to clean up the mess other people leave me. I don’t think that’s fair. I’d like to take this time to kindly ask that the folks who drive our beautiful country roads, especially Mr. (or Ms.) Canadian Mist/Grizzly user, please refrain from throwing things in my yard or anyone else’s yard or forest.

I would never do that to you.

Diana Hiott, Clanton