For many, a hike in the wilderness is an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of society and enjoy a few hours of the serenity that Mother Nature provides.
Unfortunately, it is a peace that can be broken in an instant by careless hikers. Just take it from this hiker on Reddit, who shared their disturbing — and frankly repulsive — experience.
In a post to Reddit, the hiker explained that they were on vacation in Madeira, a beautiful, semitropical archipelago of Portugal, when they decided to try a popular hike nearby. As they began the hike, they immediately saw toilet paper littering the trail, accompanied by an inescapable, foul stench.
"I was a little shocked to see that there was used, s***-covered toilet paper scattered throughout the entire route. Without exaggeration, every 300 meters," the hiker wrote in the post to Reddit. "Is this normal? I was planning on hiking some more over the next few days, but it literally stunk."
Behavior like this is not all that uncommon. The Cool Down has covered stories of human waste and toilet paper litter from the granite cliffs of Yosemite National Park to the rolling hills of Welsh's countryside.
While it may seem obvious, it is evident some people need to be reminded why and how human waste should be disposed of in the wilderness.
Human waste, when improperly disposed of, can cause serious harm to local ecosystems. Excess nitrogen from human waste can leach into local waterways and cause toxic algae blooms, eutrophication, and dead zones, forcing local wildlife to relocate or killing it.
This is not to mention the harm human waste can also cause other recreators.
If those are reasons enough to clean up after yourself, improperly disposed human waste has even led to the closure of some recreation sites. In Oregon, one popular backpacking spot accumulated so much human poop that the area "was starting to smell like a sewer" and was closed to campers. Another popular camping spot in California was recently closed for a minimum of two years thanks to excessive human waste left by campers.
If you must use the bathroom in the wild and there isn't a facility nearby, there are three main rules you should always follow: Go at least 250 feet from any water source, pick up and pack out any toilet paper, and, if you have to go No. 2, be sure to bury it at least six inches underground.
By following these rules, together we can all preserve outdoor spaces and keep them safe and open for both wildlife and recreationists to enjoy.
Reddit users were appalled by the disgusting behavior recounted by the hiker.
"I'm really hoping this isn't a trend that's catching on!" one user wrote.
"Experienced hikers don't do this," another person said. "They try to leave no trace. … It's so disgusting."
"There should be fines for people who do that," a third user wrote.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
