Description and ranking of public spaces conditions, of nine Midwest Pac States (MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, KY, MI, IN, OH), gleaned from results of the 2014 American State Litter Scorecard.
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The 2014 Midwest American State Litter Scorecard
1. The 2014 Midwest American State Litter Scorecard
Steve Spacek
[The American State Litter Scorecard]
Midwest Public Affairs Conference
Indiana-Purdue University
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Saturday March 29, 2014
COPYRIGHT 2014 S. Spacek Public Service Consulting. NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE
2. INTRODUCTION
Illegal littering and dumping, found frequently on or near transportation
paths, creates danger to public safety and health.
800+ Americans DIE EACH YEAR in vehicle collisions with un-removed
roadway debris. Over 200 of those total deaths occur inside the nine-state
Midwest Pac region alone. Michigan had the most of these deaths (32) in FY
2011, but Wisconsin and Kentucky tie for being the “highest chance” Midwest
Pac states “TO DIE” die from these crashes, same year.
Since 2008, The American State Litter Scorecard approximates each states
overall public spaces and environmental quality through tried-and-true,
hard-to-obtain measures, resulting in a total jurisdictional score.
Policy makers, public administrators and citizens are ever more involved in
effectuating “green” outcomes--satisfactory public spaces waste removals are
mandated in all 9 Midwest Pac and the other 41 states.
3. SYNOPSIS OF RESULTS
For 2014, Iowa has been deemed the overall top
BEST state in the Midwest Pac Region, with Missouri
a newcomer. They are now THE two foremost, tidiest
governments in America’s heartland.
Indiana led the bottom—the ultimate WORST, and
dirtiest—and a repeat offender! in the Midwest Pac,
followed by (also) repeat-offending Kentucky
(#1 national WORST in 2011 Scorecard).
Michigan is heartland America’s new anti-ecological
maverick, overtaking Illinois’ 2011-2013 bragging
rights, to now be the Midwest’s greatest inhabited,
public surface pollution regime!
4. Condition Status Map, 9-State Midwest Pac (2014)
BEST: IA, MO; ABOVE AVERAGE: MN (in Green)
AVERAGE: WI (in White)
BELOW AVERAGE: IL, OH (in Yellow); WORST: IN, KY, MI (in Red)
#1 Midwest Pac BEST: Gov. Terry Branstad, Iowa
#1 Midwest Pac WORST: Gov.Mike Pence, Indiana
5. Government Improvement Recommendations for 9-state Midwest PAC Region-Page One
--Adopt Litter-reducing, State-Specific,
Anti-Litter Slogans for
INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN,
OHIO, WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA.
--More Public SPACES Waste Receptacles:
Detroit, Chicago, Indy, Gary,
St. Louis, Louisville, Dayton.
--Crack down on severe urban young male
gang littering in
Chicago, Detroit, other HIGh-URBAN jurisdictions.
--Implement litter reporting hotlines in
Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky,
Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin.
--Publish litter laws and fines inside licensed driver handbooks issued in
Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan.
6. Government Improvement Recommendations for 9-state Midwest PAC Region-Page Two
--Vastly improve state roadway maintenance routines:
InDOT; KY Trans. Cabinet; MDOT; ODOT.
--Adopt Over-sighted Cleanliness,
Appearance Standards for ALL STATES
public property litter/dumping pickups
--Compel Container Deposits,
Comprehensive Recycling rules
in Midwest PAC states lacking these.
--Reduce vehicle-debris accident deaths in
Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri.
--Reduce State Employee Corruption “Risks”
in Michigan and Ohio.
--Six States Prime Candidate for
Comprehensive Litter Study:
INDIANA, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS,
WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI.
7. Illegal Littering/Dumping
Breeds Diseases; KILLS
Humans, Pets, Landscapes!!
Copyright 2014, S. Spacek Public Service Consulting. NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
Check Out!! the Am. State Litter Scorecard MONTHLY WEBSITE:
litterscorecard.bellstrike.com