One group is charged with getting the word out, the other with implementing a plan. Both groups that met Tuesday afternoon share the same goal: informing the public about the need to eradicate litter and then come up with a plan to help them do it.

The education and beautification subcommittees -- both part of a larger anti-litter committee that has been spearheading efforts to clean up the area -- met separately Tuesday to start generating ideas.

The education subcommittee, led by city spokeswoman Tracey Glenn, discussed ways to inform the public about the litter problem and ways to improve it. The group talked about making presentations to schoolchildren and sending information home to parents.

"Once the children know about it, they can be made responsible for teaching their parents," said subcommittee member Pam Sander, also Cape Girardeau's public works administrative officer.

The group also discussed informing businesses how to think proactively to keep litter off their property before it ever is thrown there. The group also mentioned possibly getting support of the local media, which might consider running anti-litter public-service announcements.

Later, the beautification subcommittee, led by Cape Girardeau County Auditor David Ludwig, discussed a variety of topics centered on implementing a long-range plan for getting litter cleaned up.

Ideas included dividing cities into sections to be cleaned up, to make maintaining them more manageable.

But the main idea to come out of that meeting was that the group wants to know more about Keep America Beautiful, an organization that has been dedicated for decades to beautification issues, including litter.

The beautification committee's next meeting is at 2 p.m. May 24 at the Southeast Missourian at 301 Broadway. Anyone interested in dealing with the litter problem is welcome.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137