One of the most unsightly insults to our environment is litter. Not only is it unsightly and harmful, but it also costs our country billions of dollars. According to Keep America Beautiful, Inc., cleaning up litter costs our nation $11.5 billion annually. This is an exceptionally high cost for something that is avoidable and easily remedied. Imagine how we could spend billions of dollars for something more worthwhile.
Litter causes a host of environmental issues. It clogs up gutters and storm drains. It lands in waterways, contaminating the water we drink and the food we eat. It kills wildlife. It decreases property value. Businesses and communities suffer when patrons refuse to enter parks or retail stores due to property riddled with litter. People want nice surroundings. Unfortunately, it is people who create the unsightly view in the first place.
Litter comes from a variety of sources, with motorists (52.8%) and pedestrians (22.8%) representing the biggest culprits. The most common items people throw into the environment are tobacco products, paper, and plastic. Among paper, fast food packaging ranks as the most common littered item. Since 1969, the amount of plastic items in the litter stream increased 165%. One can speculate that bottled water may be a contributing factor. In 2008 alone, Keep America Beautiful volunteers picked up 189 million littered plastic water bottles.
Avoid wasting our tax dollars and time spent on cleaning up litter by getting into the following habits.
1. Seek waste receptacles. They are everywhere! You can find them outside of most retail stores, gas stations, and rest stops.
2. Keep a waste bag in your vehicle. Always keeping a waste bag close by can remedy situations when there are no waste receptacles around. You do not have to clutter up your vehicle, picnic area, or any other place you visit. You simply take the waste bag to a waste receptacle when one is available.
3. Secure lids on waste cans. Often, waste blows out of unsecured waste cans, especially those that are overflowing.
4. Pick up a piece of litter daily. Appreciate the environment around you and do your part in helping to keep it clean.
5. Don’t litter! Pretty simple, right?
Littering is often a symptom of laziness and an inability to appreciate the environment. According to Keep America Beautiful, littering is 85% attitude. Therefore, consider the environment as if it were your home. Most people can’t stand a cluttered and filthy home. The environment is just as much of a home as the structures we live in. It can be as beautiful or as ugly as we make it. Which way would you rather have it?
