Every year about this time and beyond, when the weather warms up and the snow begins to melt, the roadways in the Monadnock region are exposed.

What we see as we drive, walk, run and bike are mounds of trash, mostly recyclables such as bottles, cans and plastics, strewn about the shoulders and grassy areas of our beautiful roads. And every spring, come April, the week before Earth Day, those of us with a social conscience, integrity, decency and environmental empathy are out there with our blue bags picking up after those who may not share those values, or may have forgotten them. Is it that our “Live Free Or Die” mentality is so ingrained in people that they feel it’s OK just to throw their trash out their car windows all in the name of freedom? I find that pretty disturbing and unconscionable.

I sometimes wonder if we had a bottle and can redemption option like every state in New England has except New Hampshire and Rhode Island, our roads would somehow be cleaner. It’s hard to throw that “green stuff” out with all those recyclables, isn’t it? I can dream, can’t I?

Kathy Manfre

Peterborough