Great to see community clean-ups; Terrible that they're required

The War Against Litter in King (WALK) will be taking to the field yet again next Saturday (April 28), or at least to the parking lot at Highways 9 and 400.

And King Township's Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Catherine Purcell told council Monday night that there will be other clean-up events taking place that same day, details to be announced.

That is very good news on a number of levels.

It's great to see people like Mel VanSickle, the organizer of WALK, drumming up interest in cleaning up the community. And if previous years are any indication, the clean-up he's heading up will be one of a couple efforts throughout the township. These activities combined will provide people with a simple but effective way to do a little bit for the community. It will also provide high school students with the chance to collect some of those community service hours they're obligated to compile.

And by noon next Saturday, several areas of King Township are likely going to look a lot better than they did 24 hours before.

There's only one downside to all of this, and that is simply the fact that such community efforts are required at all.

Now we don't want to sound too sanctimonious here, because no one is perfect. Who among us has never been guilty of littering? True, some of us are more conscientious than others, but it's also true that we all make mistakes. We could accidentally drop a scrap of paper on the street and not realize it. We could dutifully toss some rubbish into the appropriate container and walk away, not noticing that our aim was a little off. Sometimes these baskets are overloaded, with debris being blown out by the wind. Or maybe we're preoccupied and miss what he have just done.

But it is also true that much of the litter that's going to be targeted next Saturday has nothing to do with people making booboos. It's more of a case that there are some people who, because of laziness, malice, ignorance or just good old-fashion stupidity, couldn't care less.

And for some reason, the off ramps of major highways like the 400 seem to attract slobs like that. We don't think VanSickle chose the location of WALK's clean-up at random. Volunteers are going to be there because that's where the garbage is.

So our compliments to people like VanSickle, as well as the rest of you who are going to devote a couple of hours to the cause next Saturday. And we direct some well-earned scorn to those who have made it all necessary.