A nature lover who happened upon "shocking" scenes while hiking in Rhode Island started a conversation about how to stop litterers.
The out-of-state visitor said they explored many trails, almost all of which had "a massive litter problem." They hit their limit with the John H. Chafee Nature Preserve at Rome Point in North Kingstown, as they were "greeted by a mess of garbage."
"I'm not sure how widespread this is, given I was only frequenting Jamestown and surrounding areas," they wrote, "but I feel this is definitely something that soured my visit and needs to be addressed if Rhode Island wants to keep its trails... I don't know, not covered in garbage?"
They added that what they saw was "pretty shocking" and that the post offered a way to vent and "call attention to this in some small way."
One Redditor said the litter likely came from serial offenders whose carelessness had led them to stop going the extra mile: "I used to bring a trash bag with me and haul all the trash out but the people who do this … they started to neatly organize the trash for me to pick up so I stopped."
Users brainstormed ideas to stop such laziness and encourage respect for nature, citing the need for additional trash cans or a warning sign. Potential punishments included public shaming, fines, and even jail time.
Littering is hard on the environment, as 80% of the discarded items in our oceans get there from land via waterways. In other words, waste is discarded improperly or littered, and it begins a harrowing journey around the world.
Wildlife is also at risk, as animals can mistake plastic bags and other detritus for food. The trash gets lodged in their digestive systems, causing starvation and other problems that can lead to death.
Even humans suffer from litter, aside from the ruined views and experiences that this poster described. Plastic, in particular, is the issue, as it degrades into toxic microplastics and reaches all parts of our bodies.
Glass and aluminum litter is a different story, as those materials are infinitely recyclable.
All of it should be easier to clean up than it is to bring on a hike or into a nature preserve, as empty packaging and containers are substantially lighter than when they are full.
"Pack in and pack out is not a new concept and is not very hard to do," one Redditor said.
Unfortunately, the best remedy may be to clean up others' litter when you see it, though another user warned: "Be careful picking up random garbage. Always wear gloves and use a grabber or litter stick if possible. Many years ago a friend and I were cleaning up Bell Street Park (before it was a dog park) and in the process he got stuck with a used syringe."
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