How far will you walk to get to a trash can?

When planners set out to build Disney World and its theme parks in Florida, there's a story about the thought that went into the trash cans. According to the tale, a conscious decision was made to put a trash can every 25 steps.

The idea, at least according to legend, is that the company studied the number of steps any given person would carry a piece of trash before simply chucking it on the ground. And the magic number turned out to be 25 steps. That's why today, if you visit any of the Florida theme parks, you will see no shortage of trash cans. And perhaps it's one reason why the parks are almost always impeccably clean.

I thought about that last Sunday when I was sitting in Walker Park, watching my 5-year-old son, Drew, play at one of the playground areas. Sadly to say, the area was far from impeccable.

And as I sat on the bench, taking in the array of trash on the ground around me, it dawned on me that there weren't a whole lot of trash cans to be found. In fact, in the proximity of the playground, the only trash can in sight was located on the opposite side of the playground, far from any bench. If Disney's research is anything to believe, it's no wonder the area was full of litter. There was scarcely a trash can within 50 steps, let alone within the magic number of 25.

Of course, there's no doubt that it's a deplorable act of disrespect to nature and fellow citizens alike to throw trash on the ground. Yet it's human nature to take the easiest way out, and city managers need to think about such matters when designing parks and public places of all kinds.

Nobody would realistically expect the City of Blytheville to match the resources of Disney World. But now that the city has a new parks and recreation tax on the books, it's my hope that maybe we can meet the litterbugs half-way. Perhaps it's time to put a little more thought into the number and placement of trash cans throughout our parks. For that matter, they probably need to be emptied a little more often while we're at it. (Most of the trash cans Sunday afternoon were nearly overflowing.)

The bottom line is that we can't expect citizens to respect our parks unless we first show an unwavering commitment to making our parks something worth respecting.

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Speaking of Walker Park, that will be the site of two major events this weekend, both dedicated to raising money for the same cause: fighting cancer.

First up will be the annual Relay for Life, Friday night. This event has become one of the neatest gatherings/festivals our community has to offer. If you've never attended, make sure to head out Friday evening, and check out the hundreds of luminarias purchased in memory of, or in honor of, loved ones. And don't miss the Survivors' Lap, something that always leaves me with a lump in my throat.

Then, come Saturday, is the Cars and Cycles Against Cancer car show. Entries are expected from across the country. It's a great chance to get out, see some classic cars and motorcycles, grab a bite to eat and enjoy a great day in our community.

Just remember to put your garbage in the trash can. Even if it means walking more than 25 steps.