Littering Hurts

I love to go on walks. I walk to the post office twice a week for my shop. I don't have a car or a bike and I don't mind it at all. Walking is my favorite. Even if the car is available I choose to walk. It helps me notice the small things. Like mushroom patches, or hatched robin's eggs. You don't find those in cars.

Bad posture as always...

Walking to the post office not only helps me notice beauty in the details.. it helped me notice a lot of trash. This walk is full of litter.

I don't understand how people can just use the Earth as their garbage can. People don't even realize it.

Just the other day I was riding in the car. The other person in the car with me was opening something, an envelope or piece of mail. They unrolled the window and just put the trash outside on the highway, casually. I asked, "ummm what are you doing?" I'm pretty sure I got the "Paper is wood and wood comes from nature" excuse. I wouldn't have it.

You have no excuse to litter. This is our home. All of ours. Stop messing it up. It's harmful to our animal friends and it makes the Earth loose it's beauty. It is just plain disrespectful. 

This last time when I went on my walk to the post office I brought along a trash bag.
I'm sure I looked silly picking up trash in front of all the speeding cars, but I hope people noticed.
I hope it made people think twice about littering.

Styrofoam container

1 million years to decompose

Plastic jug

1 million years to decompose

Aluminum can

200-500 years to decompose

Disposable diaper

550 years to decompose

Tin can

90 years to decompose

Leather shoe

45 years to decompose

Wool sock

1 year to decompose

Paper bag

1 month to decompose

Banana peel

3-4 weeks to decompose

"It is estimated that several trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year. That's billions of cigarettes flicked, one at a time, on our sidewalks, beaches, nature trails, gardens, and other public places every single day. In fact, cigarettes are the most littered item in America and the world. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate tow, NOT COTTON, and they can take decades to degrade. Not only does cigarette litter ruin even the most picturesque setting, but the toxic residue in cigarette filters is damaging to the environment, and littered butts cause numerous fires every year, some of them fatal." (Source)

 Who litters?

• 75% of Americans Admit to Littering within the last 5 years.
• Most common litter offenders- Men between 18-34 years
• Smokers
• People who eat at Fast Food places at least 2x per week
• Drives more than 50 miles/day
• People who go out for entertainment at least 1x per week

Litter hurts people. Every year there are numerous vehicle accidents caused by litter. People in these accidents are injured and sometimes even killed in their attempts to avoid litter in the roadways. Young children fall on litter in playgrounds, get cut and need medical attention. 

Litter also harms plants and degrades natural areas. When garbage is dumped, it can kill or stunt plant growth. Few people think about the harm to natural areas from litter.

Litter kills or injures animals. Many small animals crawl into bottles or jars and get stuck and slowly starve to death. Animals get caught in plastic six pack rings, plastic bags, fishing line and a multitude of throwaways. Birds that are stuck, can’t fly away from danger. Sometimes animals caught in six pack rings are strangled as they grow too big for the opening. Animals get cut, infected and die. Every year, millions of birds, fish and animals die from litter.

 (source)

It shouldn't matter what your religious beliefs are. It shouldn't matter if you think the Earth is alive or just a rock. It is everyone's home. Please keep it clean and beautiful.

If we can't respect our environment how can we hope to respect others?

Walk barefoot
Climb a tree
Pick up trash
Do yoga outdoors
Sit and listen to the Earth
Meditate in the sunlight
Sleep under the stars
Watch the sunrise
Walk more
Love your Mother Earth

 

 F e e l   c o n n e c t e d .