Today is Adopt-A-Highway Day

Hundreds of kilometres of Nova Scotia highways will soon get their annual spring cleaning with the kick off of the 2007 Adopt-A-Highway program.

The province proclaimed today, May 4, as Adopt-A-Highway Day in Nova Scotia to acknowledge the hard work of the program's volunteers.

"We'd all be happier if there was no garbage left on the sides of our highways but, since it's there, I'm glad we have Adopt-A-Highway volunteers to help remove it," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Angus MacIsaac. "All Nova Scotians can help these hard-working volunteers by slowing down and being extra cautious when they see these groups at work. More important, drivers can best support these volunteers by not littering."

"Adopt-A-Highway volunteers have been making Nova Scotia highways look better since 1992," said Theresa Osborne, co-ordinator, Adopt-A-Highway. "Last year they cleaned 805 kilometres of highway, picking up more than 8,000 bags of garbage, which translates to almost 80,000 pounds."

Mr. MacIsaac said volunteers will be wearing fluorescent orange safety vests, but may be fairly close to the road's driving surface as they pick up litter.

Adopt-A-Highway is an internationally renowned roadside litter clean-up program. It protects and preserves the environmental health of the landscape and maintains scenic routes for motorists. In Nova Scotia, it is supported by the Resource Recovery Fund Board, the Women's Institutes of Nova Scotia, the departments of Transportation and Public Works, Tourism Culture and Heritage, and Environment and Labour, the Lions Clubs of Nova Scotia, and Clean Nova Scotia.

More information about the Adopt-A-Highway Program is available by calling Theresa Osborne at 902-893-6520 or by e-mail at [email protected] . Information is also available on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/wi/projects/adopt.shtml .