The next time you flick a cigarette butt out your car window, consider this: The person driving behind you is encouraged to turn you in.

Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful is reminding Athens and Limestone County residents to report litterbugs, whether it’s a cigarette butt, a bag of fast-food waste or “urban tumbleweed,” or a truckload of rusty appliances.

“We would love to have more participation,” said Lynne Hart, executive coordinator of KALB. “There is no risk. A person only has to identify himself or herself to police, the sheriff or me. The person receiving the letter never knows who made the report.”

How to report

To report a litterer, call Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful at 233-8728 or email the information to kalb@pclnet.net

The caller must provide the date, time and location of the littering, a description of the vehicle, the tag number and a description of the incident, for example, what was discarded and whether the driver or the passenger littered.

“Motorists can report anyone in Athens or Limestone County,” Hart said. “A lot of people don’t realize that.”

Once reported, either the Athens Police Department or the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department will send the person a letter detailing the incident and outlining the fines for such offenses if convicted.

“People don’t think a letter will make a difference, but it does,” Hart said. “A couple of years ago, we had a gentleman call the Police Department and apologize.”

If the caller is willing to testify in court, the litterer can be fined. However, usually the caller wants to remain anonymous.

Athens residents can also report people who violated the city’s ordinance against litter, overgrown grass and junk vehicles. But the ordinance only applies to city residents.

For more information on how to fight litter, call (256) 233-8728 or go to keepathenslimestonebeautiful.com.