Can you imagine? The Anacostia River is one of only two in the Nation that have been designated as “impaired by trash”. How odd is that? The community around the Bladensburg Waterfront Park in Bladensburg, MD thought it was a distinction they’d rather not have and got together last week to remove 59 tons of trash from this beautiful river. What would it be like if communities everywhere did that every day? or even once a week. I think I’d like that picture.
Photos at http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/anacostia.htm
Eeeeeewwwwww — that’s a lot of trash. I was just reading about the Pacific Ocean Trash Island last week, too. Equally eeewwww. I just CANNOT understand how people can litter. I honestly believe it’s because I was raised watching Woodsy Owl commercials and that crying Indian guy. When they took those off the air, people forgot the message.
What if people picked up litter any time they saw it? My kids are always picking up cups and wrappers in parking lots (thank god they are past the putting-things-in-mouth stage). Just think if we all did that. What a difference we could make.
From Hawaii: (Deb Forman, thank you for your post) I agree with GeekChick, and I do go out, and pick up trash. About once a week or so, after my workout. I work near a boat ramp, which is a collection point. If there is a lot of trash (sometimes there is), I focus on the plastic baggies/cellophane, since that looks like “turtle food”, then bottle caps. Those are not part of the plastic recycling program.
WHY NOT? Recyclers, need to include the CAPS and RINGS!
It seems that it is not all just “litter”, but some might be blown out of the trash trucks, trash cans, or out of someone’s hands (it is windy here).
REDUCE: What about Sushi boxes (bento)? Sometimes, I find the little plastic seaweed decoration, washed up on our boat ramp. The sushi-lunch-makers add a little piece of Plastic Seaweed for decoration. WHY? Solutions: 1. Just don’t. No plastic add-ons. 2. Use real (edible) seaweed. 3. (I don’t think this is a good solution, even though it did occur to me) Use boxes that are already decorated. Oh. They already are.
You are right! The plastic bags are the worst. They end up everywhere and the landfills are full of them…and the caps rings and bento boxes! Maybe there’s an artist out there who needs raw materials…..!