THIS IS OUR HOME, NOT A LANDFILL.

GROWING UP IN HAMMOND, I never considered my home a repulsive place to live. My family and neighbors took pride in our living area and kept our yards free of filth. If you can relate, I am sure you are wondering the same thing as me. Why is our home so trashy?

Over the years, HAMMOND has lost old residents and gained new ones. To the new homeowners and visitors, welcome. It saddens me to have to write this, but it is necessary. Our community is filthy! No matter who you are or where you are, we all deserve to live in a clean environment that will encourage a healthier lifestyle. After cruising these streets, I grew extremely concerned because these routes do not lead to a hearty lifestyle for the residents.

The expectations of a resident/citizen is simple- pay taxes. The responsibilities of an adult are just as easy, clean after yourself. So, why so much trash? How do we get rid of the filth? Are we really happy to claim this environment as our home?

And what practices should we hold ourselves accountable for in order to consistently live in a cleaner environment?

As we begin to change our habits as citizens to create better/cleaner habits, I encourage the city officials to implement more accessible wastebaskets to give those desiring a cleaner environment the choice to trash, not pass.