Over time Keep Fayette Beautiful

broadened its vision to include other efforts concerning our environment.

Besides beautification projects, the group has coordinated recycling programs

and Earth Day projects through the schools, assisted with building a compost

demonstration site, and in obtaining grants for the Sam's Lake Nature

Preserve.

We have also been involved

with phone book recycling, demonstration and information booths and litter

cleanup at the Fayette County Fair, Waste in the Workplace workshops,

and litter cleanup projects throughout the county.

The group gives many presentations

and demonstrations for students, and environmental training for teachers,

civic and community groups. Keep Fayette Beautiful organizes and manages

the Christmas tree recycling project each year which saves the need for

using landfill space.

This list goes on into many

other programs and projects designed to support the environmental education

and efforts for the residents of this county. Unfortunately the organization

generally works quietly behind the scenes and does not receive a lot of

recognition for many of its projects.

The main objective of Keep

Fayette Beautiful for the past several years has been to promote recycling,

composting, conservation and solid waste management. The organization

applied for and received a grant in conjunction with Peachtree City and

Fayette County to build a new recycling center that would be convenient

for all county residents. Unfortunately, no land was made available and

the funds were subsequently lost.

Keep Fayette Beautiful has

advocated the implementation of a comprehensive recycling and solid waste

management program in Fayette County, but has not found the interest or

support needed from county and municipalities to assume such a major undertaking.

Fayette County is viewed as

one of the most progressive and forward-thinking areas of the nation,

yet we cannot seem to get a recycling program off the ground. Residents

who move from other areas of the country where household recycling has

become the norm are surprised when they find that recycling is made so

difficult for citizens in Fayette County.

Other parts of the country

have found that it is necessary to recycle. Unfortunately Fayette County

will probably follow this example and wait until it is necessary instead

of taking a proactive approach to avoid the problems caused by uncontrolled

waste.

Environmental and beautification

concerns of this county are worthwhile endeavors, but as the area has

grown, the resources needed to sustain worthwhile programs have also multiplied.

The county has supplied this organization with nominal funding, various

municipalities have contributed by offering resources for various projects,

and we have also been able to garner support from some of the businesses.

The goals of environmental

and beautification have moved beyond planting flowers and picking up trash

on weekends, and a handful of volunteers cannot achieve these goals without

active interest and participation on the part of all levels of government,

as well as the active support of all businesses and citizens.

Thanks again for the positive

input from your newspaper.

Ralph Ferguson

Treasurer, Keep Fayette

Beautiful