On May 24, 2023

Alcohol-related litter is plentiful

Dear Editor,

I read with interest the editorial discussing litter and some of its causes (“Green Up: Plan to make it fun” April 27, 2023). 

However, as a frequent cyclist on Vermont’s roads (preferably the gravel ones) I have an additional perspective. 

Moving at a slower pace than in a car, one sees in greater detail the detritus on the road-side. To my dismay and great anxiety as a vulnerable road-user, much of it is alcoholic beverage containers (more so than soft drink containers). I suppose these litterers must be “knocking back a cold one” en-route and, to avoid being cited for an open container in case of being pulled over, just jettison the evidence. 

Coupling this with the volume of DUIs described in the various police logs (many of them multiple offenses), an alarming connection can be made. 

The beauty and safety of our byways are compromised by this specific type of behavior and litter.

Blair Peterson,

Cornwall

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

No on proposed cell tower

February 12, 2025
Dear Editor, We are writing in stark dissent of the proposed cell tower in Hartland Four Corners. Our dissension is based on several critical factors: IllegalityAccording to local ordinances, no construction shall surpass tree height, yet the proposed tower of 170+ feet far exceeds the height of any local flora. Health risksAccording to the American…

Trust in government officials through ethics standards – Vermont Act 171

February 12, 2025
Dear Editor, Act 171 has opened a door for Killington to strengthen trust between town officials and the community they serve. For seven years I was a law enforcement officer in the city of Alexandria, Virginia, a stone’s throw south of Washington, D.C. The profession comes with a heightened level of community trust, and to…

Why chaos and scapegoating work for Trump

February 12, 2025
By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the publisher of the Addison Independent, a sister paper of the Mountain Times. As the nation’s increasingly discredited president continues to sow chaos at every level — domestic and international — it helps to understand what we can of his tactics. A recent piece by Jess Bidgood,…

Medical debt relief is a direct investment in Vermonters

February 5, 2025
By Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak As Vermont’s Treasurer, I am committed to making investments that lower costs, strengthen our economy, and support healthier communities. I believe every Vermonter deserves a fair shot at success, regardless of the situation they are born into. Yet, for too many Vermonters, the cost of health care stands in the…