When you go walking about on a local trail, you're typically hoping to experience nature in all its glory. Picture birds chirping from trees, plants blooming, and creek water flowing.
Just about the last thing you want to see is signs of other humans on display, like food and drink garbage they didn't feel like cleaning up.
@cmw3360 Do. Better. Treat our parks. Forests. Woods. Trails. PERSERVES. Correctly. Dont litter. Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. . #wildlifeperserve #wildlifepark #dontlitter #dobetter #bebetter #protectourparks #cleanupourplanet #natureperserve #hikingtrail #cleanup #hiker #hiking #wildlife #litteringisbad #cleanupafteryourself #fyp #fypage #fypシ゚viral #fypツ #discoverpage #hikingtiktok #naturetrails ♬ original sound - Charlie
One TikTok user shared a recent experience on a nature walk that left them "so [expletive] infuriated." While coming upon an appealing outdoor hangout spot with water and a rope swing, the TikToker was enraged to see that past visitors had left behind a heaping amount of litter.
There were numerous empty cans, fast food trash, including plastic, and even a discarded pair of socks.
Beyond being an eyesore for fellow visitors like this TikTok user, littering is dangerous to animals and a public health hazard. Plastic waste and aluminum cans, like those shown in the video, can take over 100 years to break down.
As the TikToker correctly pointed out, human trash is not a part of nature's habitat. The TikTok user noted that while there are workers who patrol these parks, it isn't realistic or fair to expect them to pick up every piece of trash.
For that reason, the TikToker implored visitors to "do [expletive] better," and recognize that "we have to take care of our parks and our preserves."
Their easy-to-follow advice for hikers and walkers is to "leave nothing but footprints, and take nothing but pictures."
Lest you think the TikTok user was all talk, at the end of the video they showed that they'd gathered almost all the litter. The TikToker said it took under two minutes, and reminded anyone watching that "it's not that hard," as they picked up the final remaining items of trash.
Commenters on TikTok were sympathetic to the user's frustration and supportive of the message.
One echoed that walkers and hikers in nature should "leave it better than you found it."
Another commenter criticized those who litter while giving the TikTok user credit for following through, saying, "people are the worst!! thank you for cleaning this up."
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