We just did our part in honor of Earth day that is today. One of us took along a kitchen trash bag with a doodad that picks up things when you can't bend over. By the time the walk was over the bag was full of litter. Some of the things collected were unique. Along with the usual cans, bottles, cigarette butts, plastic, metal and paper was found one gardening glove and a plastic feed sack. Some of the ditches along the side of our road were too steep to get everything.
One must wonder what people are thinking as they toss their refuse out the window. Do they think like we do when tossing out a banana peal or apple core: that eventually it will disintegrate, and in the meantime will provide food for the wildlife? Or is it that they are not thinking at all? In our state littering is a crime, or at least punishable by a hefty fine. Are their vehicles so full of trash that one more item cannot be added and needs to be discarded? Are they only passing through and feel no need to keep things tidy? Perhaps some items weren't really meant to be discarded at all, such as the gardening glove...which was top of the line and expensive. We were tempted to clean it up and keep it!
All year long one of us is responsible for recycling our waste. It can be a headache sometimes. The articles must be separated, washed, stored and then disposed at the proper time. We don't always recycle every item that can be. If a can is too hard to clean it just goes in our pick up trash basket. So that means that we certainly aren't environmental fanatics!
We try never to litter intentionally. We always use trash bins in public places. We try to plan our trips to save gas. We turn off lights when not in use. We do most of our shopping at thrift stores. (But that's because we like to get a bargain.) And we try not to waste food.
Perhaps today would be a good day to contemplate what else we can do to improve our environment.
One must wonder what people are thinking as they toss their refuse out the window. Do they think like we do when tossing out a banana peal or apple core: that eventually it will disintegrate, and in the meantime will provide food for the wildlife? Or is it that they are not thinking at all? In our state littering is a crime, or at least punishable by a hefty fine. Are their vehicles so full of trash that one more item cannot be added and needs to be discarded? Are they only passing through and feel no need to keep things tidy? Perhaps some items weren't really meant to be discarded at all, such as the gardening glove...which was top of the line and expensive. We were tempted to clean it up and keep it!
All year long one of us is responsible for recycling our waste. It can be a headache sometimes. The articles must be separated, washed, stored and then disposed at the proper time. We don't always recycle every item that can be. If a can is too hard to clean it just goes in our pick up trash basket. So that means that we certainly aren't environmental fanatics!
We try never to litter intentionally. We always use trash bins in public places. We try to plan our trips to save gas. We turn off lights when not in use. We do most of our shopping at thrift stores. (But that's because we like to get a bargain.) And we try not to waste food.
Perhaps today would be a good day to contemplate what else we can do to improve our environment.
No comments:
Post a Comment