Group: Hey Chattahoochee tubers. You’re messing up our river.
Littering while shootin' the 'Hooch counts among 2015's 12 "worst offenses against Georgia's water," according to the environmental advocacy group Georgia Water Coalition.
Chattahoochee tubers have been leaving an increasing amount of trash up and down the river, despite efforts by cities such as Helen, which requires tube rental businesses to patrol for trash and prohibits the use of coolers.
"These colorful flotillas of fun sometimes leave behind an equally colorful flotsam for downstream property owners and other river users," according to a Georgia Water Coalition report released Wednesday.
The ‘hooch shooters’ waste includes non-biodegradable plastic, which the report notes is especially dangerous to wildlife. Birds and fish tend to eat the stuff, with deadly results. And as the report notes, plastic is forever.
Other offenders on the group's "dirty dozen" list include offshore drillers, a power plant that has killed fish, timber harvesting and hazardous waste sites.
About the Author
Willoughby Mariano is an investigative reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she focuses on housing and criminal justice issues. She previously worked for the AJC's PolitiFact Georgia, where she fact checked the claims of elected officials, and at the Orlando Sentinel, where she covered crime and breaking news.
