Ohio parks eliminate trash cans, pickups

Well, this is just the most asinine thing I've heard lately. People will not "change their habits," they will litter everywhere! Come to our beautiful State Parks / State Landfills. Ridiculous.

What a horrible decision. Cut back on OPERS and pay, but why cut back on trash pick up? Oh, I know why, to put the taxpayers in pain.

So, turning Ohio parks into landfills saves $5,000? Is it really worth an "estimated $5,000" (which will most likely be closer to half of that)? I've got an idea, let's save money by dumping the current regional manager and find one that has some brains. I find it amazing that somebody that's essentially promoting litter, can have the job of being a regional manager of a park system. He clearly does not have the public in mind. It sounds to me that he's just trying to cut costs so that he can use more taxpayer money for his own personal benefit.

If it save$5,000 a year great . If all you have to do is pring a bag for my tash.. I think I can do it !!!

Just reduce the pay of the regional manager by 5K and problem is solved. If he doesn't like it hire somebody who would be happy for the job and salary. The government is in high gear now looking for ways to make us miserable so we'll pay up.

My tax money pays for the basic service of a trash can. These are the same environmental mental cases that talked down tap water, encouraged people to buy bottled water, and now freak out that there is too much plastic in our landfills and are currently encouraging again the use of tap water...these folks have way too much time on their hands. Give me basic services or I won't vote to support the parks anymore...geez

Not sure where the 5K came from...the article says $53,000. But, I agree. People are not going to pick up after themselves. I've seen people throw things right AT a trash can and not go over an pick it up when they miss. Imagine when there isn't a can there to begin with. Not a place to cut back in my opinion. Every time the state wants to cut costs, they begin with the things that benefit ALL taxpayers, not just the special interest people. Lets try a 5% cut across the board of all agencies. Would probably start with Gov. Strickland's salary at this point.

This absolutely sad and sounds disasterous/dangerous.

Ohio, it just gets better and better.

I think this is a very positive step in the right direction....eliminate $53K in cost to save a potential bill to rais taxes...we already pay for waste pick up at our homes....whats one more bag!

I see the carry in/carry out program working just fine in Prairie Oaks Metro Park. I think it can work at the State Park level also.

We can dig up all the sports fields in South Western School district and put our trash there, since they wont be using them.

I agree will all of you guys. Some people litter everywhere even when there is a trash can. Now that there is no can more people will fall to temptation and just drop their litter on the ground where they stand. Taking out the can isn't going to convince people to pack out their trash if they don't do it now!

State and Local Governments can make $ 500 off of every person they catch littering. There is enough uncivilized folk in Ohio to pay for "garbage cops" to patrol, stake-out and write citations to all the violators and provide governments with needed revenue. At Alum Creek fisherfolk routinely leave behind bait containers and other Garbage. Make the litterers pay!

I HOPE GOV. STRICKLAND REALIZES HE'S A ONE-TERM GOVERNOR - NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WILL RE-ELECT HIM! On second thought, that might be why he's passing so many assine changes!

There is a huge difference between Metro parks and State parks when it comes to garbage. It is much easier for a person to take their trash with them in a Metro park because they are single day use parks. State Parks on the other hand have folks that camp for much longer lengths of time. Days to Weeks. So I agree with most of the folks here, the ones that didn't throw their trash away when there were dumpsters will certainly continue, but now add the folks that did the right thing, and will be tempted to do the wrong thing because they need to keep their trash for days. People now have 3 options. Take it home (yeah right), throw it behind the trees and bushes or just burn it in the campfire (much easier). NICE!!!! BTW Brandi Whetstone, conservation program coordinator for the Ohio chapter of the Sierra Club, "HOPES" that people will take their trash with them. She must be living in some La La land somewhere. Remember it's just not Ohioans using these State parks. Many out of state'rs do too. Especially those just passing through. You think they're going to take their trash from Ohio to their next stop in another state? I don't think so.

I don't have a problem with this. Pack in/pack out rules apply in plenty of parks and recreation areas around the country. The state just needs to generate revenue by imposing big fines for littering.

The state parks keep getting worse and worse. The marina at Paint Creek is terrible. I agree with drhrosa that other people use our parks, not just Ohioans. Most of the actual campgrounds have centralized dumpsters; however, the parks mentioned have few to NO trash cans anywhere. People will just start throwing their trash around and the parks will be even more beautiful, not! Sad but our park system was rated one of the best in the U.S. not too long ago. Guess they will now be rated down at the bottom. Grass isn't being mowed in many places and what IS being done is done by the many volunteers. I can just see a large family going to one of the picnic areas and carrying out all their trash in their family sedan after they've had their lunch. This isn't an environmental issue, as they want people to believe... it is just to "save" mnoey. What a laugh!

Well I hope that the people who are complaining about the lack of trash cans stop visiting the day parks; that will make is cleaner. I think the idea is good; take responsibility for yourself. Help the state save money is okay with me. Besides with the trashcans there often people don't make it to the trashcan with their trash or if it is full, leave outside the trash can for someone lese to pick up. However with all the nay sayers threatinging to leave their garbage behind the trees, it will be interresting to see if the savings will be realized due to the eventual clean up. Perhaps the highway trash pick up plan will be instituted in the parks. Some business or organization might want to have their name associated with a park or area and be willing to help keep the litter picked up.