When hiking up a mountain trail, it's best to be prepared. In addition to comfortable shoes and layers of clothing, you'll also want to pack a bag that contains water, sunscreen, a first-aid kit, a headlamp, and navigation technology.
You should also pack an empty trash bag.
That's because more and more hikers are encountering ridiculous amounts of garbage while walking across tricky terrain, with some mountaineers seemingly reluctant to clean up after themselves or simply not caring.
One Redditor posted a picture to the r/hiking community of their trash collection when making their way down the high mountain trail at Himachal Pradesh Bharat in India's Western Himalayas.
They noted that they didn't post a picture of the collection "for praise," but to instead encourage others to do the same when out in nature.
Still, that didn't stop Redditors from showing their admiration, and some shared similar stories.
"OP you are a Gem!" one commenter said.
"Thank you for being a good steward of our home," another added.
"When I traveled to [Himachal Pradesh Bharat] I was stunned by the juxtaposition of such beautiful places absolutely filled with trash," a hiker said in the comments. "I got so frustrated with it one day, I watched a man throw his just finished potato chip bag out of a window and I immediately picked it up and threw it back inside."
Whether it's at the top of Mount Everest or your local park, cleaning up after yourself is a good way to say thank you to the natural world for making your day a little brighter.
In addition to keeping the area pristine for others to enjoy, getting rid of trash will reduce the risk of animals ingesting plastic or other items that could get stuck in their digestive system and lead to illness or death.
What's more, plastic items — typically made from dirty fuel — will not break down for decades, if ever, and will persist in the environment. They will leach harmful chemicals into the soil, which could restrict future plant growth, or into water sources such as streams and rivers.
Thankfully, this Redditor's post already seems to be convincing people to join the big trash cleanup.
"I'm going to start taking a bag with me when I go fishing, I always see bits of rubbish along the river," one user commented.
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