By Holly Lynne Killian | Special to The Times
“Littering is stupid! Be a litter quitter!” This straightforward message is what the Litter Quitters Committee aims to instill in Jefferson County high school students and residents. Now in its ninth year, the Committee is dedicated to educating the community about the harmful effects of litter and motivating students to take action for clean water advocacy.
A study by Keep America Beautiful reveals that the most common offenders of littering are young adults aged 18 to 35, who are three times more likely to litter than their older counterparts. This is why the Committee has chosen to target high school students, intervening before these bad habits take root.
As a part of the Litter Quitters Campaign, the Committee organizes a video competition that challenges students to produce a 60-second anti-litter video. During the creative process, students gain insight into how damaging litter can be, evolving into change-makers within their peer groups. Each high school submits one video to the competition, encouraging students to engage their friends and family to view and ‘like’ their entries. The school that garners the most “likes” wins cash prizes.
To do this, Jefferson County is divided into three competition zones based on watersheds: Locust Fork in the North, Cahaba in the East, and Valley Creek in the West. The videos with the most likes in each of the three watershed zones will win 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards.
“All the students who participate showcase incredible creativity!” remarked Hana Berres, a member of the Litter Quitters Committee. “They find ways to deliver our key message in unique ways that resonate with their fellow students and communities.”
In addition to the competition, the Committee organizes a public outreach campaign, featuring students straight from the schools. With their voices, reiterating the anti-littering message, the Committee hopes that the PSA will inspire citizens to participate in local cleanups and change behaviors for the betterment of our community. Residents can look for the PSA airing on local stations this summer.
The Committee is thrilled to announce the names of the official 1st place winners from the 2026 video competition: Jackson Olin High School for the Locust Fork Basin, Vestavia High School for the Cahaba River Basin, and McAdory High School for the Valley Creek Basin. Additionally, an award goes to the school that exemplifies both strong technical skills and a meaningful water protection message; this year, Minor High School received the “Best Message” award. Congratulations to all the students and teachers involved! Their hard work truly shines.
In this ninth year of the initiative, the Committee is encouraged to see a slight decrease in litter collected through local cleanups; however, there is still much more to accomplish! Many people remain unaware that litter does not stay put; it is carried by rain and wind into the nearest waterways — the very same ones we fish in, swim in, and draw our drinking water from. Litter harms our environment, incurs significant cleanup costs, reduces property values, and is even associated with rising crime rates, ultimately diminishing quality of life.
The Campaign seeks to leave a lasting impression about the negative consequences of tossing trash from vehicles or dropping it on the ground — not just on the students participating in these video competitions, but on everyone in Jefferson County. The Committee strives to change behaviors, ensuring proper trash disposal while educating about the long-term impacts of litter in our communities.
As the Committee enters into its tenth year, you are encouraged to learn more about the Litter Quitters Campaign and discover how you can join the fight against the litter epidemic in Jefferson County. If your school is not involved, visit www.litterquitters.org for more details on how to participate, find listings of upcoming volunteer litter cleanups, e-recycling events, and watch the television PSA along with all the student videos.
Join us in becoming Litter Quitters!
