Recently my wife and I were driving to Andalusia from Pensacola. We were driving to Andalusia from Pensacola. We drove on Florida highway 189 which turns into 137 when you cross the state line into Alabama. It was a beautiful mid-April spring day and the drive along 189 included a profusion of wildflowers and greenery along both sides of the road. We even noted “wildflower area” signs posted on the roadside.

Then we crossed the state line into Alabama and the beauty turned into sheer ugliness. For some inane reason, both sides of highway 137 had been sprayed with toxic chemicals that had completely killed ALL VEGETATION, including grasses and obviously any wildflowers. All we could see was brown ground covered by tons of ugly litter. What a transition from beautiful Florida to ugly Alabama!

Why does the state of Alabama choose to take a back seat to Florida in this case? Aside from the obvious visual ugliness, I can only imagine what those chemicals are doing to the environment—the bees, birds, butterflies and many species of plants and insects. Not to mention the potential hazard to the people who do the spraying. This is a horrible practice and should be terminated.

Please emulate the state of Florida by striving to protect the environment and help display the natural beauty of Alabama for the many tourists who drive through your state.

Sincerely,

Orville Bach

Bozeman, Montana