When out for a hike, it's not unusual to spot beautiful birds, amazing amphibians, and majestic mammals. Unfortunately, it's also not unusual to cast your gaze upon grotesque garbage.
One TikToker captioned a video of litter strewn across a park with an exasperated: "ughh why??"
@dreamtoventure UGHH why ?? #litter #nature #carvedtrees #mothernature #hiking #solohiker #granolagirl #hikingszn #nature #takecareofmothernature #camping #nature ♬ euphoria - ziora
It wasn't just trash that drew their ire, though — some trees also had various initials and symbols carved into their bark.
Francheska (@dreamtoventure) was good enough to collect the various detritus and put it into a trash bag to dispose of it at an appropriate place. However, they shouldn't have had to deal with such a scene, which one commenter described as "saddening."
"I work at a park and people will throw stuff on the ground when they see me, even though they would literally pass a trash bin 20 feet in front of them," another TikToker said.
"It's so insanely rude I will never understand it!" Francheska replied. "People are horrible."
While that lament about human actions is understandable, it's worth remembering that other people like Francheska exist. Plenty of hikers understand the importance of protecting our natural world and have started putting empty trash bags in their backpacks.
But tackling a trail should be about reconnecting with the outdoors and the creatures that inhabit it, and dragging around a full bag of trash isn't the ideal way to do so.
Those creatures will be grateful, though, as a lot of the garbage is made of nondegradable materials such as plastic. These materials will persist in the environment, shed microplastics, enter habitats, and leach harmful chemicals into soil or water sources.
Keeping hydrated during physical activity is essential, but so is disposing of single-use bottles properly. Better yet, invest in a reusable bottle so there is no temptation to leave plastic in the park.
That's not to mention the issue of the tree carvings. While leaving your mark might seem like a fun way to commemorate your visit, or demonstrate just how romantic you are, carving into trees can cause serious harm.
According to Leave No Trace, an organization that promotes responsible actions when enjoying the outdoors, tree bark is a protective layer, and damaging that armor can enable bacteria and pests to reach vital cells.
"Depending on how deep the cut is, it may disrupt the cells below the bark, phloem, and xylem, that are responsible for transporting water, sugar, and other nutrients throughout the tree," Leave No Trace detailed. "In extreme cases, carving or other bark damage can cause the tree to starve to death due to this cellular disruption."
Leave No Trace is not just the name of an organization; it is also a mantra to follow when spending your time in parks and woodlands. If we do that, maybe people like Francheska won't have their walks so rudely interrupted in the future.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
