It's Wednesday afternoon, three days after the ski jump event. I walked through the woods to get to the field and trails past the parking area on Cedar Street, and continued on up past the Ice Pond to the top field, delighting at the clear sky, sunshine, and warm-ish air.
When I got back to the base of the jump, I started picking up pieces of trash that were left over from the event. My hands were full by the time I reached the parking area, and thankfully, before I crossed back over Cedar Street, a man drove in with his dog, and happened to have an extra plastic bag I could use for the trash I'd gathered. You'd think I'd remember to put a bag in my pocket when I leave my apartment, because I do trash pickup there often. Part of me hopes that if people see there's no trash, they won't add their own, but it doesn't work like that.
I'd sent a message via the Ski Jump website several days ago, asking them to please, please, do a fine-tuned trash pickup after the event, but I didn't hear back, nor had I the last time I pointed out how much trash was still there, days after the event. I'm not sure why that doesn't seem to be part of the post-event cleanup, but maybe a letter to the editor will help nudge that for next year's event.
For now, I'll just try to be better at remembering to grab a trash bag when I head to the trails.
Jenny Chapin
Brattleboro
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.