Numerous studies have shown that spending time in nature is good for your physical and mental health, but it's hard to enjoy that time when you're surrounded by litter.
One Redditor in Colorado had that issue when they tried to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and found themselves picking up other people's trash.
"Why do people litter on such a beautiful place?" they asked the r/Hiking community in the caption.
The original poster included a video showing the beer bottles, other litter, and graffiti that covered the area of Lookout Mountain where they were hiking.
Unfortunately for the original poster, and all of the other living creatures nearby, the pollution didn't stop there.
"The blue truck on the road at the same time was blasting full music and someone was jamming for their youtube video and I am like — what the heck," the OP added in the comments. "I want to go away from the world for serendipity and these people are there to pollute everything including noise pollution. It was a bad experience over all."
Visiting national parks and getting out into nature is a great way to connect with the natural world and hopefully inspire us to take better care of our planet. Observing and respecting the environment makes the experience better for everyone and ensures the preservation of these ecosystems for future generations.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most significant environmental issues facing our society. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks worth of plastic are dumped into our oceans, rivers, and lakes per day.
Plastic can take hundreds of years to break down, shedding microplastics along the way that end up in every corner of the planet, including our bodies. Meanwhile, animals like bears, whales, and deer are dying from ingesting our plastic pollution.
People were understandably upset in the comments.
"I just dont understand littering in general," one person wrote. "How are we supposed to live as a community and better ourselves when we dont even take pride in our home? it pisses me off so much."
Another was glad the OP was part of the solution instead of the problem. "Honestly, just props for you for being a good human and cleaning up. I always hike with a grocery bag and try to pick up as I go … you are awesome."
A third person added: "Oh my Lord it drives me nuts. I bought a trash grabber and bring trash bags with me on hikes. If I pick up nothing on a hike it's a cause for celebrating."
Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
