Just the other day, as a 4-H member, I was doing my part in helping to cleanup just a few of Alberta's highways in the annual clean-up. After watching the safety video (for the millionth time...), we were all assigned to different highways. All of us senior 4-H members had the "priveledge" of doing the 4-laned highway. This once again brought me to the pressing question; why do we not care about the environment to the extent that we will cover it in trash?
The annual highway cleanup program is set-up as a fundraiser event. Although the program was originally established for associations such as the 4H and Scouts, all groups and clubs are now encouraged to participate. Our club cleaned 11km’s on the outskirts of Lacombe, AB.
Motorists and pedestrians are responsible for creating between 30 and 55 percent of all litter. The rest comes from household or commercial garbage, construction sites, loading and delivery areas, and uncovered trucks. Garbage that is not properly disposed of is easily blown by the wind spreading litter to neighbouring areas. In British Columbia, signs along highways indicate litterbugs can be fined up to $2,000.00 for a littering offence. But the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks is hard pressed to say when the last successful prosecution occurred. Research indicates males aged between 16 and 30 do most of the littering along roadsides.
Interestingly enough, the worst type of litter is found most often on the road-ways. Cigarette butts, snack wrappers and take-out food and beverage containers are the most commonly littered items. Cigarettes are one of the most insidious forms of litter, taking up 21% of all liter: Each discarded butt takes 12 years to break down, all the while leaching toxic elements such as cadmium, lead and arsenic into soil and waterways. In my group we had a competition to see who could find the most empty cigarette packs. I won the competition with a surprising number of 43. Needless to say, the other members werent far behind. In just under 2km of highway, we had picked over more than 100 empty cigarette packs, and that is not including all of the cigarette butts that are found laying around either.
The annual highway cleanup program is set-up as a fundraiser event. Although the program was originally established for associations such as the 4H and Scouts, all groups and clubs are now encouraged to participate. Our club cleaned 11km’s on the outskirts of Lacombe, AB.
Motorists and pedestrians are responsible for creating between 30 and 55 percent of all litter. The rest comes from household or commercial garbage, construction sites, loading and delivery areas, and uncovered trucks. Garbage that is not properly disposed of is easily blown by the wind spreading litter to neighbouring areas. In British Columbia, signs along highways indicate litterbugs can be fined up to $2,000.00 for a littering offence. But the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks is hard pressed to say when the last successful prosecution occurred. Research indicates males aged between 16 and 30 do most of the littering along roadsides.
Interestingly enough, the worst type of litter is found most often on the road-ways. Cigarette butts, snack wrappers and take-out food and beverage containers are the most commonly littered items. Cigarettes are one of the most insidious forms of litter, taking up 21% of all liter: Each discarded butt takes 12 years to break down, all the while leaching toxic elements such as cadmium, lead and arsenic into soil and waterways. In my group we had a competition to see who could find the most empty cigarette packs. I won the competition with a surprising number of 43. Needless to say, the other members werent far behind. In just under 2km of highway, we had picked over more than 100 empty cigarette packs, and that is not including all of the cigarette butts that are found laying around either.
Doing your part to keep litter to a minimum is easy, but it takes vigilance. For starters, never let trash escape from your car, and make sure household garbage bins are sealed tightly so animals can’t get at the contents. Always remember to take your garbage with you upon leaving a park or other public space. And if you smoke, remember that not only is it harmful to yourself, it is also just as harmful to the environment. Dispose properly of your cigarette butts and empty packages. Also, if that stretch of roadway you drive everyday to work is a haven for litter, offer to clean it up and keep it clean. Many cities and towns welcome “Adopt-A-Mile” sponsors for particularly litter-prone streets and highways, and your employer might even want to get in on the act by paying you for your volunteer time.
10 top litter tips:
1. Once you butt out, butt in. Smokers…put your butts in the ashtray and empty cigarette packs in the bin.
2. Bin there, done that. Recycle your pop cans.
3. Roll up to the bin and toss it in. Everyone's drinking coffee on the go - make sure your cup ends up in the bin.
4. Don't make yesterday's news tomorrow's trash. The real news would be if we all recycled our newspapers.
5. Don’t sing the gum shoe blues. Aim for the bin - not the sidewalk.
6. Fast food = fast litter. Put the brakes on fast food litter.
7. Everybody needs a pick-me-up. Pledge to pick up one piece of litter daily.
8. Waste not, walk a lot. With thousands of bins out there, just walk those few extra steps.
9. Talking trash is okay. Remind family, friends, kids and colleagues not to litter.
10. Stash your trash or lose your cash. Many towns enforce litter by-laws and sets fines for offenders.
1. Once you butt out, butt in. Smokers…put your butts in the ashtray and empty cigarette packs in the bin.
2. Bin there, done that. Recycle your pop cans.
3. Roll up to the bin and toss it in. Everyone's drinking coffee on the go - make sure your cup ends up in the bin.
4. Don't make yesterday's news tomorrow's trash. The real news would be if we all recycled our newspapers.
5. Don’t sing the gum shoe blues. Aim for the bin - not the sidewalk.
6. Fast food = fast litter. Put the brakes on fast food litter.
7. Everybody needs a pick-me-up. Pledge to pick up one piece of litter daily.
8. Waste not, walk a lot. With thousands of bins out there, just walk those few extra steps.
9. Talking trash is okay. Remind family, friends, kids and colleagues not to litter.
10. Stash your trash or lose your cash. Many towns enforce litter by-laws and sets fines for offenders.
You are very talented when it comes to writing,is this a career path you might continue once done high school?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy writing, and public speaking. I have considered continuing it after high-school, although no set plans are made as to what I will be doing. I love advocating for agriculture though!
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