A frustrated hiker has taken to Reddit to vent about a common sight on the Quarry Hill hiking trails in Quincy, Massachusetts.
They shared a photo with the r/Massachusetts community showing crushed cans scattered in an open area of grasses, moss, rocks, and sticks.
"The quarry is a cool place and fun to boulder around, rock climb and hike," they captioned the image. "It saddens me to see people disrespect areas that others might enjoy."
Unfortunately, this kind of disrespect for the natural world is not something unique to the Quarry Hill area. The Redditor noted they have lived in seven other states, and while trash was a common sight, they added that they had "never seen it this bad."
Garbage in areas of natural beauty is disturbing for a number of reasons. It pollutes areas that are home to abundant wildlife, and in this case, animals could be put at risk from sharp edges on crumpled cans. There's also a danger of creatures mistaking shards of aluminum for food and ingesting them, causing serious health issues or even death.
Furthermore, it ruins the scenery, making a visit to natural green spaces far less enjoyable for lovers of the outdoors.
The Redditor also posted an image of rock formations covered in graffiti, another problem not unique to Quarry Hill. In Big Bend National Park in Texas, for example, two couples scrawled their name on what's thought to be a prehistoric petroglyph — an ancient drawing made on a rock face. The National Park Service said the rocks were defaced "irreparably."
Commenters in the subreddit community were similarly annoyed by the constant sight of trash, and some hikers have decided to take matters into their own hands.
"I always bring a bag and a pair of gloves if I'm going on a planned hike for this reason," one comment read.
"Every time we go on a camping trip me and my gf bring an extra trash bag to pick up trash we find on the way," added another. "Makes me really hate humanity."
While there would ideally be no need to do this in your free time, organizing a mass trash cleanup with volunteers can be a great way to foster a sense of community. It may also discourage other visitors from leaving their garbage behind.
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