Two weeks ago as I drove down State Route 60 into town, I noticed bright orange garbage bag lining the road for several miles. Members of a local service organization had picked up litter along the highway and bagged it for pickup. What a wonderful project!
The line of bags extended as far as the eye could see after climbing each hill, and rounding each curve. Just how much trash was there?
Later, as I drove back home along the same route, the trash bags stared unsmilingly at me. In a little over a two mile distance, I counted 43 trash bags, with even more bags stretching beyond my turn-off. What sacrilege!
What kind of people care so little about their country and their environment that they simply open vehicle windows and throw things out to litter our landscape? Is it a lack of caring on the part of society in general? Is it a feeling of “me” only? In other words, if it doesn’t affect “me” directly, therefore, it isn’t my problem? Perhaps it is a learned “disrespect” toward others?
Could this be ignorance about the impact on nature? Do people not realize how lethal trash can be to wildlife? Or is this blatant disregard a generational problem, peculiar to only certain segments, such as teenagers unsupervised by parents and showing off to peers? Is this possibly a secondary result to underage drinking on "road trips"? Do only certain products get heaved? My mind whirled with all the thoughts tumbling through it. Who is trashing our world?
I can’t fathom the thinking of people who litter. How difficult is it to throw out vehicle trash each time we fill our cars and trucks with gasoline? There are trash cans right there. Trash cans can also be found outside retail stores and fast food establishments, so why can’t we put fast food wrappers and drink containers in them?
Careless littering as seen along our highways and waterways sickens and appalls me. Elementary students are taught about not littering in school. Do parents not reinforce this concept, or do they disregard our laws and litter themselves, thereby indirectly teaching their children the same principles? Is this one more example of the extent of Americans truly becoming a nation of uncaring nincompoops?
Americans believe in freedom – is there not freedom for all people and wildlife to live in a clean, unlittered environment? No one has the right to infringe upon the rights of others. If someone chooses to live in a house full of litter, that’s their personal choice as long as that does not infringe upon the rights of others also living there and nearby.
There seems to be no easy answer to this problem. Launching more campaigns targeting the general populace may help somewhat, but the mindset of many needs changed. I can certainly ask friends or acquaintances to please put something in the trash receptacle if I see them throw something down or leave litter behind, but often asking strangers to do so, creates a possible personal risk, plus the people who litter frequently do it when no one else is around.
Where has pride in America gone? The preponderance of litter indicates laziness, disrespect, and moral decay which appear on the rise. People who litter are criminals. As everyone knows, however, it is difficult for law enforcement officers to catch these felons. Please do your part as well as spread the word to those around you. Don’t allow others to destroy our country. Squash the litter bugs. Or maybe some Raid would work better on them???
