Sometimes I wonder why I even waste my energy writing about other people’s waste, but I do. So, tell me folks, why do you keep trashing up our beautiful countryside?
Why do you litter?
Last week as my wife and I were driving out our scenic little dirt road it was litterly covered with litter and once again I started my rant that trash throws out trash
I’m not sure if it is the weather in February — less foliage so trash shows up more — or the rains that wash it out of its hiding place, or what, but as I began to research the number of times the topic of roadside litter has graced this space I noticed that typically it is February and about every two or three years. I suppose that’s how long it takes for me to get my fill of the mess.
For years I have attempted to encourage travelers on our highways and byways to ditch the nasty habit of littering. It has thus far been an unsuccessful attempt and I’m pretty sure today’s musings will again fall on deaf ears.
I suppose if one is ignorant enough to continue thowing anything and everything out the window on a picturesque country road they are likely too ignorant to read as well. Or just don’t give a rat’s behind.
But, not being one to give in or up too easily I shall try once again. Here we go.
Ditches are for water not for garbage. When it rains that water is supposed to run down that ditch. When way too many folks are tossing way too much garbage into our ditches that water is going to wash that garbage all over the place.
We’ve had a good bit of rain lately — actually a lot of rain — and there are a lot of leaves and other natural debris on the roadsides slowing the flow and sometimes causing the run-off to run across the road. That in turn has caused a good bit of trash — garbage — to wash up and out into plain view.
Actually it’s more than a good bit. It’s terrible. It’s everywhere. Please, please, please stop thowing stuff out of the windows of your ride.
Besides beer cans and styrofoam lunch boxes, which seem to be the favorite things to toss into the ditches on a daily basis, here are a few of my friendly reminders of some of the other things I’ve seen that you need to keep for yourself.
Styrofoam cups? Litter!
Chewing gum wappers? Litter!
Twelve pack boxes? Litter!
Fertilizer sacks? Litter!
Feed sacks? Litter!
Cigarette packs? Litter!
Cigarette butts? Yep, that’s litter too!
Coke cans, Sprite cans, Mountain Dew cans? Litter! Litter! Litter!
Those yellow Dollar General bags? Litter!
Last year’s artificial Christmas Tree? Litter!
Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water and plain old water bottles? Litter, all of them!
Garage Sale signs, campaign signs, revival signs? If the event is over, the sale done and the campaign won — or lost — they are litter!
Boat seats, ice chest tops, tarpaulins? On the side of the road — litter!
Garbage bags filled with garbage are litter if they are not where they are supposed to be for collection.
Used tires? Set of six? That is way beyond litter!
Basically, anything that didn’t grow there — on the side of the road that is — doesn’t go there, it is litter, so pick it up or better yet do not throw it out to begin with. Please!
Obviously there is much more that could be added to this list that has appeared, in some form or fashion here, year, after year, after year. Study it. Think about it! Stop doing it.
I would like to think that next year we would not be visiting in this space, at this same time, on this same topic, but honestly, as I said the last time I was on this box, I do not have that much faith and I was correct.
Next year, or the next, depending on the weather and the rains, I’m sure I’ll be preaching the same sermon once again.
Prove me wrong — please!
