Beaver Creek Trash
Sedona AZ (July 27, 2014) – Arizonan Gary Chamberlain fights an uphill battle every day with litter. No matter how much litter he and the virtual town of Folksville USA and its BagReadyJobs volunteers pick up, recycle and dispose of properly, more, not less, is dumped on Arizona highways and byways and its mountain and valley landscapes daily.
“Do you see that?” Chamberlain asks, pointing to a roadside littered with plastic bottles, plastic bags, and a plethora of the yet to be identified. “Those plastic bags aren’t tumbleweeds blowing across the desert. Our BagReadyJobs program offers to pay people to pick up this trash. Arizona and America would be pristine if people accepted that income offer. Picking up litter doesn’t take transportation, a specialized language or any social skills, and it’s work that almost every age and most disabilities can do. So tell me, why are you and I looking at this ugly scene?”
Chamberlain returns to bagging litter. He is a wiry guy, direct and intense, shaped in his youth by an Oregon upbringing, and a stint in Vietnam where he earned medals. At times, Karen, his wife, will intercede when his need to single-handedly fix a litter problem requires a reminder to delegate.
“She grounds me,” he says with a smile and a wink.
Folksville USA Gary Chamberlain welcomes a Utah high school litter lifter to its trash for cash program
Chamberlain’s over sized garbage bag is nearly full. “Local businesses and government tax coffers are expected to donate to every organization or group that begs for money. If businesses and government are smart, they’ll hand out information for BagReadyJobs or Trash for Cash. Let civic responsibility join economic advantage, instead of just sitting in an office writing grant proposals. Better yet, let the nonprofits and organizations organize their own litter pick ups and recycling efforts. BagReadyJobs and litter pick ups are an individual, statewide and nationwide win-win for all, any one person can do it at any time and anywhere.”
As he reaches for a broken beer bottle, he stops and sweeps his hand. “Imagine how beautiful this country is under all this filth.”
After interviewing Chamberlain, while on a walk with my wife in our neighborhood, I picked up two plastic water bottles and a plastic fast food fork. I tossed the litter into our own trash bin.
Next time, we’ll bring a bag. Why don’t you?
Contact Gary Chamberlain at FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com today. Ask what you can do for your countryside.
For the best Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!
Dear Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick,
Thanks for taking the time to weigh-in on the “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” empowering our nation’s youth opportunity.
As more of our elected officials recognize “BagReadyJobs” as an opportunity for our nation’s youth to learn the value of a dollar “earned” and share this with their constituents, the quicker we will have a chance to change the image and economy of Arizona through empowering our youth.
I hope you will continue to help us by sharing this message with your constituents.
Gary Chamberlain FVUSA
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
empowering our nation’s youth
Cornville AZ
928-202-1186
Let’s all of us lend a hand.
Do our elected officials, candidates and ADOT care about the optics of our Arizona veteran’s highways?
FOX 10 Interview with Arizona veteran.
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/20628627/2013/01/18/cleaning-up-highways-is-cornville-mans-mission
Do you care that our Arizona veterans highways disgrace Arizona’s veterans?
Take a close look (you don’t have too look far) at our Pearl Harbor Highway (I-10), Arizona Veterans Highway (I-17) and Purple Heart Trail (I-40) and ask the question, “where is ADOT on this issue and why is there so much abandon ADOT, ADOT contractor and public debris on our veteran’s highway shoulders and medians?”
Do our elected officials, candidates and ADOT really care about respecting and honoring our veterans?
Wouldn’t this be a great campaign issue to debate?
What if the American Legion Riders and the VFW Riders took this issue on and defended our veteran’s highway, or do they even care? Right now, the optics say that no one cares!
You may email your comments and photos regarding this issue to Governor Brewer and the Director of ADOT (emails shown above) or send them to me and I’ll get them to the media.
Gary Chamberlain FVUSA
Vietnam veteran
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”
Empowering our nation’s youth
(928) 202-1186
nice of volunteers to pick up trash
Two US Congress members working together …. What a concept.
I have always been thankful for the kind letters and efforts by these to members of the US Congress supporting and recognizing our “America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs” effort and now they are working together on this project.
http://kirkpatrick.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/kirkpatrick-gosar-get-funds-for-santa-cruz-wash-project
Thanks to both of you for leading by example to show that some Democrats and Republicans are willing to work together.
Gary Chamberlain
Folksville USA
“America the Beautiful & BagReadyJobs”