What's better than the clean restrooms at Buc-ee's? Clean roadways on the way to Buc-ee's. TxDOT's Don't mess with Texas® anti-litter campaign and Buc-ee's joined together recently to reduce trash being tossed along Texas roadsides. You may have noticed Buc-ee the Beaver and Darrel the Barrel waving at you on billboards along your travel route as they remind you to hold onto your trash until you make a stop at the next Buc-ee's. Get ready to see more of these messages as you drive on I-35.
For example, if you're driving through Temple, you may see one of these billboards and decide to pull off the highway for a stop at Buc-ee's. Inside the store, you'll discover new touches of Don't mess with Texas. You'll walk past Don't mess with Texas trash barrels, where you can dispose of the trash you kept in the car. You'll also see signs in the store reminding you to do your part to keep Texas litter-free.
"Buc-ee's is a beloved brand here in Texas, and it's known for its iconic billboards. We want to reach those same drivers and convince them to hold their trash until the next Buc-ee's," notes "Don't mess with Texas" Campaign Manager Becky Ozuna. "Our goal at 'Don't mess with Texas' is — and always has been — to reduce trash on Texas roadways. Well, we want our roadways to be as clean as a Buc-ee's restroom."
Schools are another avenue through which "Don't mess with Texas" and Buc-ee's are sharing their message. Younger generations will learn from Buc-ee the Beaver and Darrel the Barrel about the value of keeping Texas clean and litter-free. Buc-ee's also offers stuffed animals (beavers, of course!) with the slogan: "This critter don't litter!" (Your kids may pipe up from the backseat about storing trash until the next Buc-ee's.)
In April next year, there'll be a chance to volunteer at the "Don't mess with Texas" Trash-Off cleanup day. You can volunteer at the event to help protect the beauty of well-kept Texas roadsides. There'll also be trash clean-ups hosted by "Don't mess with Texas" and Buc-ee's in Texas communities to preserve a driving environment that's appealing to local Texans and travelers passing through the Lone Star State.
"With this partnership, we're hoping to amplify the 'Don't mess with Texas' message to Texas drivers," explains Ozuna. "Both Buc-ee's and 'Don't mess with Texas' are Texas-born brands, and it was a great opportunity to team up to reduce trash in our state. 'Don't mess with Texas' has really taken on a life of its own."
Since 1986, the "Don't mess with Texas" campaign has been encouraging Texans to prevent littering on the roads we use daily. Unfortunately, litter continues to be an issue in Texas, with about 362 million items littering the state's roadways every year. That's more than 12 times the population of Texas in 2018, according to the estimate in the U.S. Census Bureau. Its focus is resolving — as an individual or as a family — to save trash and toss it in a trash barrel, rather than on the side of the road.
The most frequent litter items are food leftovers (e.g., banana peels or apple cores), cigarette butts and bits of paper (e.g., receipts or gum wrappers). It may not be convenient to store trash in the car, but litter-free roads make a difference in helping our state look its best. Making a choice to not litter on Texas roads is about more than convenience. If you litter, you can be charged with a fine of up to $2,000. Taking a couple of extra minutes to throw trash away can save you unnecessary costs.
Jake Smith
I-35 Public Information Officer
254-867-2705
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