We are the only creatures on earth that find what we need in stores wrapped in plastic, cardboard, and Styrofoam.
We, the people of this planet, are the only creature that creates trash. This, in turn, means that we are the only creature that creates litter. There is a huge responsibility that comes along with these facts.
Litter is dangerous to people, wildlife, and our environment. Where is our environment? It is where we live…and work….and play. It is right here in Limestone County. It is a place we should take pride in and care about. Are litterbugs simply unaware of the consequences of their actions? If that is true, I hope this article helps to change that.
When you look at these pictures, remember who is responsible for these injuries. We are. We are also the only creature that can prevent them.
Careless handling of our trash can affect life all the way to the world’s oceans. Don’t believe that? Look up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on the internet. It is a swirling mass of plastic soup in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas that contains 6 times more microscopic bits of plastic than plankton! Plastic does not biodegrade, it photo-degrades. It simply breaks down into smaller and smaller bits of plastic until even the plankton are eating plastic bits. We are poisoning our oceans and soon plastic will be part of what’s on our dinner plate!
Each one of us has a responsibility. We should not be arrogant enough to think that we are the only creature on this planet that matters. But too often our attitude is "it’s all about what makes me happy."
What Can We Do?
• Don’t litter
• Don’t put loose trash in your trash cans and put the lid on tightly
• Recycle everything that you can (contact us for a list)
• Teach your children to be responsible
• Help your school, church, employer do more to recycle (call us for help)
• Use cloth grocery bags and refuse plastic bags whenever possible
• Choose aluminum cans over plastic bottles when possible
• Use stainless steel containers instead of bottled water.
