Issue link: https://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/811170
7 Shor e l i n e S | 2017 Vol :1 John Owens says with a sigh, adding, "If people would just carry trash containers on their boat, they could leave the island just as they found it." Part of the problem stems from those party types with their fun-and- flee mindset. The other culprit is a combination of winds and flowing water that push discarded garbage and natural debris – logs, limbs, leaves and such – into the numerous sloughs that nuzzle along the shoreline. "Some of this stuff has washed into the sloughs and has just been sitting there for decades," LMR A's Thompson says. "We've got trash coming down river, coming through the watershed from the roadsides, and trash that's just not properly disposed of." If he weren't so positive and determined, Thompson might come off as frustrated, yet he assesses the magnitude of the challenge and sees the solution in the Treasured Mile Program: volunteers who care. After all, with the success of Alabama Power's biannual Renew Our Rivers cleanup, Thompson knows the Treasured Mile's potential. With adoptions growing steadily – 35 percent of the 79 available segments are claimed and being tended along with 57 percent of the islands – his eye is on attracting more volunteers. Norm Young, LMRA board member and program co-founder, agrees. He is the one who plotted the "adoptee" segments and created a Google map with at-a-glance data on who tends what, and what slivers are up for grabs. A former engineer from New York, Young strives to squelch the "let somebody else deal with it" syndrome by creating accountability among lake lovers. Russell Lands' Lamberth concurs that awareness and action can change the landscape – literally. "When you pick up trash, which I've personally done with our corporate office, you become a lot more observant about what's out there. Our four marinas have adopted shoreline segments and islands through the program; they act as pick-up points for supplies and offer assistance for unloading. We recognize that litter will never go away but that the year-round efforts will greatly help Top left: Photo by Bernard TroncaLe –The Owenses have retired to Lake Martin and take pride knowing they are making a difference. Top right: Photo by Bernard TroncaLe –LMR A provides bags and supplies for participants.