A campground in Melbourne, Australia, was forced to shut down for cleaning after tourists left the area teeming with litter.
Coopers Creek saw its rivers and public bathrooms trashed, and locals were left furious as they had to clean up the "disgusting" mess left by campers, per a report by Yahoo News Australia. Photos depict plastic waste festering in creek beds, grassy areas in disarray, and folding chairs even left sprawled on the rocks.
"As a local, I just don't go. [It's a] waste of time," one wrote online, per Yahoo News.
Other locals agreed, stating: "Stay in the city if you can't respect the bush."
Unfortunately, this behavior is all too frequent. Across the globe, tourists have been caught breaking park rules and blatantly disrespecting natural landscapes. At campgrounds and hiking trails, visitors have also been caught littering despite "leave no trace" signs highlighting the consequences of discarded trash.
Litter in natural areas could cause severe complications for wildlife. Trash and plastic pieces can cause stomach obstruction and choking in animals that mistakenly consume litter. What's more, microplastics can build up in the area, resulting in adverse health effects that can hinder an animal's lifespan. Plastics also have chemical toxins that have even been linked to infertility in some wildlife, per Greenpeace.
Locals were in great disbelief about the state of the natural landscape that tourists left the campsite in.
"I've lived in Gippsland for 25 years. I haven't been out to Coopers Creek in years, and when we did we witnessed all that," one man told Yahoo News. "I actually had no idea this has been going on for so long; apparently during the holidays, it's like that."
Indeed, while camping has the potential to encourage positive relationships with nature, it's clear some campers don't get those effects. When exploring the outdoors, it's essential to respect the natural landscape and clean up after yourself to minimize your impact on the environment. If more campers spread climate awareness, perhaps there would be less damage left once they leave.
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Should tourists be responsible for cleaning up their own trash? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 👏 Locals voiced to Yahoo News that "this is why the locals can't enjoy their own backyard."
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