Now that our countryside is again green and growing, there are few things more satisfying than driving, bicycling or hiking in Southern Illinois. Except for one thing - the seemingly bumper crop of litter we see on some of the most traveled routes.

Anyone who drove between Carbondale and Marion on Illinois 13 in the last few weeks likely noticed the trash strewn along the roadside in several places, including the south-side fence line to the west of Crab Orchard Lake.

Granted, the discarded bags and wrappers and assorted trash don't rival urban sloppiness. But why would anyone, for any reason, fling their garbage from motor vehicles or expose their home refuse to the blowing winds of spring?

It gives travelers the wrong impression of Southern Illinois and the vast majority of people who live in the region - those who would never litter.

To the great credit of our region, there are many more stewards of the earth in Southern Illinois than litterbugs and we annually see the clean-up efforts of those who care about natural beauty. This newspaper recently reported on the Keep Carbondale Beautiful city-wide cleanup and published a list of Earth Day public activities scheduled throughout the week.

Tuesday's Earth Day report focused on three towns receiving special recognition - Du Quoin, Mount Vernon and Carbondale - for community forestry programs. It's satisfying to learn the local efforts earned each of the communities "Tree City USA" designation by the National Arbor Day Foundations.

Perhaps this growing interest in protecting and preserving the greenery of Southern Illinois may be spreading. If only it would spread to those who are careless with their personal trash.

Want to help? Volunteer always are needed to take part in cleanup projects, such as the one conducted each year in the fall at the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, at Rend Lake with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at the Shawnee National Forest or other events throughout the region.

If you have not already done so, consider adopting a roadway or encouraging community leaders to sponsor a cleanup event in your community.

There is an easy way to contribute financially, as well.

Thanks to the efforts of Paul Restivo, director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Center for Environmental Health and Safety, and leaders with the Southern Illinois Community Foundation, you can contribute money to support beautification projects.

Folks can give to the new Beautify Southern Illinois Fund by making tax-deductible donations payable to the Southern Illinois Community Foundation: Beautify Southern Illinois Fund, 201 W. DeYoung St., Marion, IL, 62959.

You can specify that your contribution be used for a project in a specific county or that it be used to support any cleanup effort.