Littering Is No Good

Litterers

Why do people litter? Is it out of laziness? I am an avid walker and runner and when I walk or run there are signs of people throwing their trash out on the sides of roads, in ditches, and in the park in the city we live in. It is unsightly and unattractive. Is it that much trouble to walk to the garbage can? Tossing trash is beneficial not only for you but for your neighbors as well. Who wants a neighborhood full of litter?

It's Just Ugly

Today on my run I chose to run around the park. On the side of the road, it looked as if someone drove by and just scattered their garbage. Broken bottles, wrappers, you name it it was out there. Just running by it made me angry and sad. Why would someone choose to do that? Is this something that young kids do? Or is it the adults in the family? Plastic especially upsets me because it doesn’t disintegrate, oh eventually it does but not for years. Plastic bags, pop bottles none of it belongs on the road or in the ditches. If I am out walking I will pick it up and put it where it belongs. Not if I am running, I thought about going back with a garbage bag and collecting it but time got away from me, and I never returned.

It's Your Choice

The way people live surprises me also. We have all seen homes with garbage piled outside. My first thought is rats. It is a good way to attract them. Rat’s love anything messy and garbage is one of their favorite things. I know this because when I was raising my kids the neighbors next door had trash stacked up outside their home. I told my kids, just wait, we are going to get rats. Sure enough we had a family living in our garage. Rat traps were put out and my son would go daily until there were no more. He told me later the last one he caught was huge. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Rats gross me out.

Why do people Litter?

People litter because they can. It is easier to toss a soda bottle out their car window than to wait until they get home and throw it in their garbage. Laziness and lack of garbage bins can contribute to people littering. In the park in the town we live in there are plenty of dumpsters and garbage cans but there is still litter. So, I am not sure the lack of garbage cans is one of the excuses people can make. My line of thinking is that it is easier for them. Just get up and leave it on the bench they were sitting on. Don’t look back, just walk forward and forget all about the mess you just left behind. It becomes someone else's problem. It is a toss away society we live in, so garbage left behind is just another example.

Animals Suffer

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I have seen animals with their heads stuck inside peanut butter jars, walking back and forth they cannot remove it once their heads are stuck without assistance. I witnessed a skunk in the middle of the road with a similar problem and called 911. Some people may not think that constitutes an emergency, but I did as I am also sure the skunk did as well. The police responded and did in fact get the jar off the skunk's head without getting sprayed. Which is a miracle in itself. There was also a write up in the local newspaper later in the week about it. Small town newspapers oftentimes find little to write about so anything qualifies. Stray dogs out looking for food also become victims of this. Any wild animal who is hungry will stick their heads in and not be able to pull their heads out. Hopefully they all get help when they need it.

Did You Know?

Did you know U.S. highways accumulate over 51 billion pieces of litter per year. That is a sad fact. It happens. Please do NOT throw plastic bags in the water. Marine life is affected greatly because of this. Many dolphins, turtles, fish, whales drown after becoming entangled or eating plastic. An estimated 100 million marine animals die each year from plastic. Marine animal bodies cannot digest plastic. Seagulls and pelicans fall victim to plastic also. Not only is plastic unsightly but it is also dangerous. Certainly, for animals or marine life. 33 billion pounds and pieces of plastic make their way into our water every year. Plastic does not decompose in the water which means once it is in the water it stays. Wreaking havoc wherever it goes.

The next time you open the window to toss out a soda bottle, think twice about it then roll up your window. Not only will you feel better, but you are most likely saving an animal's life when doing so.

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Maybe it’s time to think about someone besides yourself.

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