2011 was the tenth consecutive year of volunteer action to control trash on the Foxcroft Road. The author conducts this survey as a single observer. However, there are others who also pick up trash on the Foxcroft Road, such as the Middleburg Hunt and the Foxcroft students themselves. Therefore, if anything, the numbers here noted are understated.

At a value of 1085, the year 2011 was a shade above the ten year average of 1052.

To aid those first time readers and as a reminder to past readers of this column, the course of trash collection is a 4.6 mile route of dirt and hard road that includes portions of the Polecat Hill Rd. (Rt. 696), the Foxcroft Rd. (Rt. 626), the Snake Hill Rd. (Rt. 744), and the Millville Rd. (Rt. 743).

In the past year, 1086 individual pieces trash were retrieved from the Foxcroft Road, and most of the trash was recycled. The perennial nicotine champion, Marlboro, accounted for 68% of the tobacco total with Newport second at 15%, and Camel 14%. The relative numbers of tobacco products increased their percentage from 5% in 2010 to 8% of total trash in 2011, the second best year in the last ten. One wonders if Rick Perry could cash in on the publicity from his presidential campaign, and become the new Marlboro Man. Instead of diseased organs, the Marlborough pack could be graced with the jackpot visage of a presidential contender, and he would not have to say a word, which in his case would be a big advantage.

In the New Age-Soft Drink category, the competition was between Pepsico and Coca Cola (76 vs. 103 in absolute numbers or 26% vs. 34% of the soft drink group). The order of the two companies reversed from 2010. Coke was able to establish a clear separation from its oldest rival, Pepsico, which has been the winner for six out of the ten last years. Warren Buffett is bullish on Coca Cola management and maybe with reason given Coke's surge in popularity vs. Pepsico.

The Fast Food group suffered a regression to the mean by going from 21% of total trash in 2010 to 13% in 2011. Mickey D's accounted for 42% of fast food and 7-Eleven 26%. Fast food is a money maker so much so that the industry produced an executive to stand for President of the United States. Herman Cain was articulate and personable but seemed to have difficulty when several witnesses came forward to accuse the candidate of making statements that could be described as "something other than the truth." The scurrilous accusations of the witnesses did not please the voters, who could also have been concerned about the compensation scheme in the fast food industry, whereby the executives are compensated in seven figures and all others receive minimum wage. Could the "Herminator" have replicated for America what had worked for the fast food industry? Thankfully we will never know.

In the Beer, Wine, and Booze category, Coor's, last year's surprise winner, must take third place to In Bev AB, the parent company of Anheuser-Busch, first and Corona/Modelo second and Miller/Coor's third. The later two were separated by only two containers. Budweiser accounted for a full 11% of all road trash. Corona/Modelo only accounted for 4% of total road trash. Budweiser with 115 pieces of individual trash easily exceeded Coca-Cola's absolute total of 9% (102).

This year the "Egregious Eight" accounted for 50% of all road trash. They are ranked in order of gross trash production: 1.In Bev-AB (115), 2.Coca Cola (102), 3.Marlboro. (79), 4.Pepsico (76), 5.Mac Donald's (61), 6.Corona/Modelo (40), 7. Miller/Coor's (38), 8. 7-Eleven (34).

In 2011 there was an ebullient entrant into the trash competition in the plastic road sign category, usually an afterthought in the numerical competition. Van Metre Homes was the winner in this category having successfully positioned 17 school bus yellow 22" by 44" signs in the VDOT right of way along the portion of the Foxcroft Road in this survey. The signs directed potential customers toward a "speculation home" on Lieth Lane, just northeast of Foxcroft. The signs said that a 3-8 acre "spec home" could be had for low 700,000's. Loudoun County taxpayers have graciously subsidized these houses to a tune of $20,000 in services per house. One might also note that there are more than a few other properties for sale in Middleburg, but the agents usually refrain from putting a forest of signs along the public right of way. One might also think that the presence of plastic signs might degrade the value of said houses given that people generally buy houses in the country to avoid suburban style marketing.

The question remains as to what to do with the signs. Loudoun County officials note that, since no permits are granted to place temporary plastic signs on public or private lands, the signs are by definition illegal. County officials estimate that nearly 50,000 such signs have been removed from Loudoun County roads in the last three years. The Van Metre signs were placed surreptitiously at night and removed at daybreak by citizens. Thus, the signs did not direct anyone except for the public's annoyance with Van Metre Homes. Housing developers have great respect for the law, especially when they can get it to work for them. Why then would a business go out of its way to break the law? Maybe the law could be changed? If Don Trump, prince of developers, were to be elected president maybe these pesky, job killing ordinances would not exist. Chances are that Don Trump would still seek the presidency, if he were drafted by the free market wing of the GOP. We then could unleash free expression by means of plastic signs advertising fast food, antiques, cigarettes, beer, or whatever other entity was dis-satisfied with our current level of road pollution. Ron Paul could also be expected to free developers from the current unreasonable and unconstitutional sign restrictions (there is nothing in the Constitution prohibiting plastic signs).

This year's Foxcroft Road Pig Pen grand prize is awarded to Van Metre Homes, which has gone out of its way to foul its own nest. The liberated plastic signs can be repossessed at the Loudoun County landfill along with fifty thousand of their spiritual comrades.