The County of Roanoke and the City of Roanoke have announced plans for the continuance of their campaigns against litter that are designed to shape citizen behavior in keeping our communities clean.
Launched in 2014, Roanoke County’s initial campaign included temporary right-of-way signs and banners, vehicle magnets and stickers, and extensive billboard advertising. Future plans include adding permanent signage within the VDOT right-of-way to increase public visibility. Also, they will work with the business community to add parking lot signage, and communicate the anti-litter message using car window stickers, program cards for businesses to distribute, and window decals.
“We made great progress in raising awareness of the issue of discarded cigarette butts,” said County Supervisor Charlotte Moore. “Our hope is to build on that success and, in this next phase of the campaign, open everyone’s eyes to the larger problem of litter in both the County and the Roanoke Valley.”
The City of Roanoke enacted a “Clean and Green Campaign” in 2006 to reduce its carbon footprint and inspire community ownership for keeping the city clean and beautiful. Its emphasis on litter prevention is a component of that initiative.
In support of Roanoke County’s campaign, the city has enhanced its ongoing efforts against littering through the placement of signs with creative slogans such as “No Ifs, Ands, or Butts: Don’t Litter.”
Most recently, the city added a mobile anti-litter advertisement: a vehicle wrapped with the campaign slogan “Don’t Throw Your Smokes in the Noke.” The campaign will also include signs and billboards with the slogan.
“Cigarette butts present a particular hazard to our stormwater system,” said City Council Member Anita Price. “Keep America Beautiful reports that 32 percent of litter at storm drains is from tobacco products. We hope to get the attention of the community with a light-hearted touch. We believe that with a reminder people will think twice before throwing a cigarette out on the road or anywhere else.”
For more information, please contact Amy Whittaker, Public Information Officer, Roanoke County, at 772-2010 or [email protected] ; or Nell Boyle, Sustainability Outreach Coordinator, City of Roanoke, at 853-5430 or [email protected].
