Delittering

How often do you pull up to an overlook, a picnic area, or a campground and find it litter-free? It seems like trash is everywhere you go, and still there when you leave. The scenery around us is tainted by the carelessness of many who’ve been there before. I hope I’m not alone in that I don’t enjoy seeing these things.

When I see people throw waste on the ground when there’s a trash can within reach, I now speak up and make them aware of their disrespectful ways, sometimes picking it up myself and say that they must have missed their target. I do not understand the mentality of those who intentionally make future experiences worse for others.

It’s not my mess. I didn’t create it, and it’s not on my personal property. Why on earth would I want to pick up after these blatant slobs. The answer is simple... Why not? Several excuses come from that question, such as nobody cares, you’ll get sick from all of the germs, or it will happen again. Well, I care, I can wash my hands or wear protective gloves, and even if it might happen again, I can make it look better for the next person, or after I’ve picked it up, experience it less tainted myself.

I’m one person, sometimes with the help of another, and I strive to make a difference. I carry extra trash bags in my vehicle, and if time allows while I’m in a littered area, I will grab one and do far more than my part in making it better.

I’m not one to sit still, so while waiting for services to be done on our vehicle, I picked up litter along the road ranging from trash thrown from a window or blown from the back of a truck to remnants of prior crashes. Two trash bags into a dumpster, a cleaner roadfront & parking lot, and now a happier business owner who thanked me for my efforts. Another service stop with the same goings-on had the owner offering to hire me, however it was likely not literal..

While staying at a small-town campground. I was walking the dog in a nearby park adorned with a nice picnic pavilion and a historic cabin. Across the street was a cemetery, to which I hadn’t realized how much artificial flowers contribute to pollution as winds blow them to neighboring ground, then they get chopped up when mowing. Alone and with just a couple empty doodie-bags I had on me, I filled those bags with the choppings and other litter, found a plastic bag blowing around and filled it too, then dumped and refilled a few times until most any visible trash I could see was cleaned up. I didn’t have any place to be, and hope that the next folks visiting find that nice little park experience it a little tidier.

Over a recent holiday, we stayed at a busy Corps of Engineers campground, and while it wasn’t all that bad, there were some visitors that left it less than stellar. As the campground cleared, we combed through the sites, cleaning up as they became vacant. We removed unburnables like bottles and cans from firepits, picked up cigarette butts, bottle caps, twist ties, disposable plates, wrappers and countless remnants of fireworks. I filled five doodie bags of dog feces and a few trash bags with the rest, promptly taking them to the provided dumpsters. Sadly, we went through a site a second time after another departure, only to find many cigarette butts, at least a pound of raisins (toxic to dogs) and other foods & litter dumped on the ground that we then cleaned up, also extinguishing their still-burning fire. Twice I was asked why I was doing it, but it didn’t persuade the ones asking to join in my effort. With one, I kept it to myself but was mildly appalled that they mentioned only incarcerated inmates clean it up for community service, then went on my way continuing the cleanup.

I’m posting this as recently we went to Mission Canyon near Hays, MT. There are many signs through the entire area with messages, such as “If you leave trash, you ARE trash,” asking for cooperation in keeping their areas clean while trash barrels are provided at most every stop. I am sorry to say that even with their efforts, visitors have been blatantly disrespecting their beautiful canyon. If I had to guess, I would say the biggest perpetrators may be from within their own community.

Alcoholic beverage cans, bottles and cases were the most common litter we found in the canyon, with candy wrappers and other packaging a close second. The locked gate at the end of the road was like a dumping ground, to which we tried our best to clear. It took us a while to identify the remnants of a burned car battery as the plates inside were like metal pages in a book. We filled two trash bags to the rim, stuffed the empty beer cases as well, and much more tossed into the box of our truck. As tribal members were hauling brush for their upcoming powwow, we stopped to ask if there was a place we could discard the trash, then filled the provided barrels along the road as they suggested. Heading out of the canyon, we filled another trash bag, then cleaned up the area around the dumpster at the entrance. I feel bad that we didn’t continue our efforts along the road into town, but our bellies were rumbling and we were getting dehydrated, so we headed back to the campground to replenish ourselves.

To me, the next few visitors to these areas may have a better experience, and hopefully it stays picked up for their powwow. I feel good knowing I at least try to make a difference. I strive to set and be a better example with hopes that others will, too. For taking care of and cleaning up “roadfronts” is how we came up with the name.

Picking up trash keeps me busy, distracts my mind from chronic pain, makes things look better, makes me feel better about myself. The bonus of receiving the occasional words of gratitude goes a long way in this growingly selfish and disrespectful anti-society. At least I know there’s just a little less broken glass, shredded metal and plastic strewn around, reducing the chance of harming wildlife or others that may follow my path.

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