Commissioner Brent A. Weaver’s plan to launch a volunteer anti-litter program for Jefferson County’s Precinct 2 roads shows he’s willing to adapt proven, worthy ideas for new purposes.

Weaver is modeling the Adopt A County Road program after its highly successful Texas Adopt-a-Highway forerunner.

Why not?

The state program was launched in Tyler 32 years ago and now boasts 3,800 groups that comb two-mile stretches of roadways to pick up litter. Since its launch, volunteers have covered almost a half-million miles of Texas territory, saving the state some $3 million a year in litter pickup.

Nowadays, 1 million volunteers in America follow the example of those Tyler pioneers, if not the exact roadways. Some 500,000 miles across America have gotten necessary roadside attention.

The volunteers haven’t gone it alone. Big companies like McDonald’s and Yeti and Forestar and Sweet Leaf Iced Teas have contributed. So have Coca-Cola and Blue Bell and Southwest Airlines. And more.

Much like the statewide program, the Adopt A County Road effort will seek clubs and teams and companies and other organizations to roam Precinct 2’s 97 miles of roadsides, pledging to pick up trash three times a year. The county will provide safety vests, bags, traffic control signs and safety information.

In return, volunteers will be recognized by county signage that notes their group’s earnest efforts to keep designated Precinct 2 rights of way clean.

Of course, those Herculean volunteer efforts would be unneeded if Texans didn’t litter at all. Weaver cited Hildebrandt and Humble Camp and Labelle as troublesome spots for litter and illegal dumping, decidedly rural places where people with social responsibility shortcomings dump everything from trash to trash bags to sofas and stoves and tires where they shouldn’t. But there are other trouble spots, too.

The result: County mowing crews are hampered when they try to cut the grass and Jefferson County residents must bear the visual pollution their irresponsible neighbors leave in their wake.

Curiously, young people who’ve grown up with the “Don’t Mess With Texas” slogan can be the worst offenders. Some research indicates the worst offenders include millennials who are simply “rushed for time.”

No one should be too busy to keep Precinct 2 and other corners of this county clean. The industry-heavy Golden Triangle sometimes struggles to be beautiful, but this area has been given enough natural treasures that we should take care of those we have.

Think twice before you mar our natural landscape. But don’t hesitate to pitch in for our local program, or to call Weaver’s office at409-727-2173 or to access Weaver’s county website to learn more.