A woman has called out an upsetting scene after her day of fun was marred by an easily avoidable problem.
Malaika (@laikathehun) shared a 12-second clip on TikTok revealing the litter-strewn ground at Gold Reef City, a casino and theme park in South Africa.
"The littering here is so terrible," Malaika says as the camera pans from side to side. "When we got here this morning, it was spotless. It is so disgusting, guys. We can do so much better."
Other TikTokers wholeheartedly concurred with the original poster, who pointed out in the comments section that there are plenty of trash bins available.
"This is so disrespectful!" one person said.
"Agreed. It is getting out of hand!!!!" another wrote.
@laikathehun This isn't even half of it 😭 People's mothers abd fathers are then expected to clean all of this hai guys 😔#laikathehun #litteringisbad ♬ ZULU - Pushkin RSA
As Malaika pointed out, litter is an unsightly nuisance that takes time and energy to clean up, but there are even more reasons to properly dispose of unrecyclable materials.
Many products that get tossed on the ground, like paper wrappers seen in the TikTok, produce a powerful heat-trapping gas known as methane when they begin to break down.
Of course, the gas is still released when the materials make their way to landfills, but some countries have regulatory processes or modeling programs to help mitigate the issue.
In the United States, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency requires that pollution from dumps be reported. Accurate data collection is a vital part of formulating policies and practices to limit the overheating of our planet.
Another issue with litter is the impact it can have on wildlife. Plastic waste has led to the deaths of many animals that have mistaken the material for food.
Switching to reusable products and donating unneeded items can help limit the amount of material waste in the first place, but if something has to be tossed in the trash, ensuring it gets to the bin can help keep everyone a little healthier.
"Honestly don't understand what people think the bins are there for," another TikToker wrote in response to the OP's footage. "So ridiculous."
"It's also disrespectful to the [park's] cleaners," another person pointed out.
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