Northwood News ♦ February 2005

Coalition to Return Trash Cans to County Parks

By Carole Barth

The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is currently reviewing the “Carry-in, Carry-out” park policy enacted in December 2003.  M-NCPPC will report back to the County Council by the end of February.  A coalition of citizen groups and civic associations is advocating for return of the trash cans.  Northwood Four Corners has been asked to join in this effort.

To begin with, we have been invited to sign a joint letter to the Planning Board, County Council, and County Executive no later than February 28.  Please come to the next membership meeting (February 16) to vote on this request.  While we have already advocated the return of trash cans to our local park, we have not actually considered a resolution advocating their return to all county parks.  Of course, it also helps our cause to have all these other groups requesting the same thing.

The coalition also suggests the following individual actions:

• circulating/signing a petition;
• emailing the Planning Board, County Council, and County Executive;
• writing letters to the editor; and
• taking pictures of litter in neighborhood parks to document the problem.

It would probably also help if residents adjacent to the park and those who use park facilities could estimate how much additional trash they must regularly deal with since the cans were removed from North Four Corners park.  For more information, come to the membership meeting or contact me [contact details redacted].   ■