Littering DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS! Here are some ways people violate the Texas Litter Abatement Act: · Throwing trash out of a car, or other vehicle, such as cigarette butts, soda cans, or candy wrappers · Rolling an unwanted vehicle into a river or lake · Pouring motor oil or grease into storm drains or down manhole covers · Pouring motor oil onto the ground Throwing litter out of your vehicle is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500. For a repeat offender, throwing litter out of your vehicle is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $2000 and going to jail for up to 180 days. SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON LITTERING: How many millions of your state tax dollars are spent on picking up trash from the roadway? $24 million is spent every year in Texas on picking up trash from the roadway! What is littered more than any type of trash? Cigarette butts are littered more than any other form of trash. How many Texans admit to littering? One Third of Texans admit to littering. What is the Texas Trash-Off? Once a year volunteers get together for a massive cleanup effort. True or False? Convicts pick up most of the state's roadside litter. False. Hired crews paid by tax dollars pick up 90% of roadside litter. True or False? Singles are more likely to mess with Texas. True. Singles are more likely to litter. True or False? Cigarette butts decompose quickly because they are made out of paper. False. It takes up to 25 years for cigarette butts to decompose due to the plastic in the filter. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? · Take responsibility for your own garbage. · Keep a litterbag in your vehicle and use it to dispose of trash. · In the back of an open-bed vehicle, cover your load to secure debris. · In your neighborhood make sure trash is put where it belongs. Become a volunteer to help clean up Texas through one of the following programs: Adopt-a-Highway 512 - 486 - 5904 Adopt-a-Beach 1 - 800 - 852 - 3224 Keep Texas Beautiful 1 - 800 - CLEANTX >> return