Reducing litter across state makes South Carolina a healthier, better home for all | Opinion

Keep S.C. clean

Note: Taylor Gray is the grants coordinator for the City of Cayce.

Litter is a problem across South Carolina and it’s time we did something about it.

Every year, millions of pounds of litter are left on our streets, highways and waterways. This litter is unsightly, harmful to the environment and a public health hazard.

Litter also has grave impacts on our economy. Studies have shown that litter can deter tourists and businesses from choosing to visit or expand their company in our state.

Litter can increase the costs for local businesses as they must spend more money cleaning up the trash left behind by others.

One group helping to improve the situation is the City of Cayce which has partnered with Palmetto Pride, a non-profit organization that is working to reduce litter in South Carolina, to foster community clean-ups.

With Palmetto Pride’s help, Cayce is working to educate our community and visitors to our city about the importance of litter prevention, litter laws, and how to keep Cayce litter-free.

What can you do?

• Don’t litter. It’s as simple as that. If you see trash, pick it up and put it in a trash can.

• Encourage your friends and family not to litter. Talk to them about the importance of keeping our streets and waterways clean.

• Support organizations that are working to reduce litter. Donate to Palmetto Pride or similar organizations.

Let’s work together to make South Carolina a cleaner place to live, do business, visit and enjoy.

Taylor Gray, Cayce

Maybe a Plan B?

“To show our land respect it deserves” is posted on the main page of Scout Motors, but the destruction of nearly 80 acres of wetlands at the proposed site of the facility in Blythewood does not echo this.

Scout claims to offset this with preservation of land along the Congaree River. This is great but does not directly help those that are in the Blythewood area.

Secondly, much of this land will never be accessible to those from the Blythewood area.

In this day and time should I be surprised that we continue to allow this?

Are we that disconnected from the realities of what wetlands do and the life they support?

I encourage Scout to live what they claim.

I am curious as to why land is also not being offset in Blythewood which appears to be growing so fast that the motto of its own town no longer reads true: “Blythewood has always been attractive to families searching for the virtues of small town living.”

Your growth in the area of increased traffic, destruction of land and influx of people projected to move there is opposite of these “virtues.” There is always a Plan B to do better.

Todd Beasley, Columbia

Let democracy thrive

I am writing this letter out of concern for the growing public misunderstanding surrounding two distinct pedagogical approaches: culturally relevant teaching and critical race theory.

These two concepts are increasingly being conflated in public discourse, potentially leading to unfounded accusations and a general climate of mistrust.

Culturally relevant teaching is an educational philosophy that emphasizes the importance of incorporating students’ cultural references in all aspects of learning. It promotes diversity, inclusivity, and the validation of students’ own experiences, empowering them to relate personally to the curriculum and contribute their unique perspectives to classroom discussions.

On the other hand, critical race theory is a framework that examines society and culture as they intersect with race, law and power. While this approach has its place in academia, specifically in the exploration of societal structures and inequality, it is distinctly different from culturally relevant teaching.

A healthy democracy thrives on informed debate and mutual respect for diverse perspectives. We must, therefore, strive to understand and communicate the accurate definitions of culturally relevant teaching and critical race theory, and their respective places within the educational system.

George Johnson Jr., Ph.D., Columbia

Reading matters

As a former English teacher and a patriot, I find the growing influence of extremist groups horrifying.

According to the views they are espousing, anybody who is different from them – homosexuals, immigrants, or liberals – should be silenced and shunned.

Case in point: school boards have been bullied into banning books that before the latest mania were considered perfectly fine.

It is essential that every student, regardless of gender or race, have the chance to see themselves reflected in what they read.

If the purpose of education is to groom law-abiding, tolerant citizens, this trend must be stopped. Otherwise, we run the risk of raising a nation of bigots.

Amy Mikell, West Columbia