To the Editor:

I recently sent this letter to Jackson County commissioners.

I am writing because I am dismayed in my daily ride to work to see what seems to be a worsening trash situation on many of the roads in Jackson County. There are two roads in particular that are troublesome with bags of trash and plastic hanging from the trees and they are U.S. 441/23 in Savannah and Greens Creek area and N.C. 107 from the CVS to WCU. I understand that in today’s political climate worrying about trash on the side of the roads is often thought of as being maybe “elitist” or out of touch — which I don’t think I am — but I see it instead as more of a practical economic issue seeing that Jackson County depends on tourism and tourist dollars. Tourists don’t want to see trash. 

As the owner of a successful Airbnb in the area, I am unfortunately on the front lines with conversations from visitors to the area who wonder aloud about how beautiful the area is if only there wasn’t trash everywhere they drive. U.S. 441/23 is one of the main roads into Jackson County, and you would know better than me in your position how many tourists enter Jackson County from this road, and aesthetically (how things look are important to tourists) it looks awful. 

Is there no way to use some of the tourist dollars that are coming into the county to rent a billboard (there is an available billboard for rent right now on U.S. 441/23) reminding people who live in the county that trashing their county hurts economically because tourists don’t spend money in areas that look like trash or visit a place a second time. Or, maybe in some people’s minds an even crazier idea, using some of the tourism money coming into the county to hire crews to clean up these roads more regularly than DOT can?

 I know the answer is often “we don’t have the money for that,” but if you are thinking more long term economically how can it not be a good return on investment if it lures more people to visit. I do what I can by stopping and picking up the trash when it is safe to do so, but there has to be a better way, especially if it negatively affects this county economically which trash is definitely now doing. 

Tim Holloran

Jackson County