Cleanup data suggests anti-litter campaigns are ineffective
The renowned $1.5 million a year 'Don't Mess with Texas' anti-litter program has been credited with reducing litter in Texas by 72 percent, but the success of the program is called into question in light of data from the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC). According to CMC's 1995 International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers helping with the 1995 Texas beach cleanup effort collected 361,800 pounds of litter or 2,461 pounds per mile. That was two and one-half times as many pounds per mile as was collected during each of the 42 other states' beach cleanup efforts that year.