So now that you all have your cloth bags handy in your cars, and automatically reach for them before you go into ANY store with an intention to buy something, let’s look at the larger picture.
I live in the city where trash is as ubiquitous as flowers in the spring and snow in the winter. No matter how often I pick it up, it resprouts. Here’s an idea, whether you are walking in the neighborhood or out on a trail somewhere:
Take a bag with you. I have some really lightweight cloth bags that will crumple up and stuff into a pocket or waist pack. Stuff a bag in along with your other stuff. Then pick up trash as you go and dump it in the first available trash bin. I’ve regretted several times not having a bag with me when I was out in some pristine wilderness that some jackass thought could be improved by his (or her) empty beer cans. Pick them up, take them home to recycle, and make the walk more pleasant for the next hiker.
In the city, I don’t have a bag large enough, but since I walk almost every day, I do a little at a time. One bag full is an improvement. Sometimes I find a plastic bag along the way (big surprise here!) so I can fill two. So you look like a bag lady to passer-bys, you are also setting an example. And sometimes, examples catch on. If enough people see you picking up trash, they may think twice about throwing it. It shows someone cares enough about the neighborhood to try to improve it.
With all the other really serious problems in our world, just making it look better can make us a little happier while we’re working on those. Urban studies have consistently shown that cleaning up blighted areas, painting over graffiti, etc., reduce crime in those areas. Since I’m living in a crimeful city, I’m all over that one! Plan ahead next time you step out for a healthy walk. Take that bag along; the worse that can happen is you won’t see any trash and will just bring it back home. How bad is that?
Tip: Keep those bags separate from the ones you use for groceries and throw them in the wash more often; wash hands thoroughly after trash pick-up. Let’s spruce up our world.
I live in the city where trash is as ubiquitous as flowers in the spring and snow in the winter. No matter how often I pick it up, it resprouts. Here’s an idea, whether you are walking in the neighborhood or out on a trail somewhere:
Take a bag with you. I have some really lightweight cloth bags that will crumple up and stuff into a pocket or waist pack. Stuff a bag in along with your other stuff. Then pick up trash as you go and dump it in the first available trash bin. I’ve regretted several times not having a bag with me when I was out in some pristine wilderness that some jackass thought could be improved by his (or her) empty beer cans. Pick them up, take them home to recycle, and make the walk more pleasant for the next hiker.
In the city, I don’t have a bag large enough, but since I walk almost every day, I do a little at a time. One bag full is an improvement. Sometimes I find a plastic bag along the way (big surprise here!) so I can fill two. So you look like a bag lady to passer-bys, you are also setting an example. And sometimes, examples catch on. If enough people see you picking up trash, they may think twice about throwing it. It shows someone cares enough about the neighborhood to try to improve it.
With all the other really serious problems in our world, just making it look better can make us a little happier while we’re working on those. Urban studies have consistently shown that cleaning up blighted areas, painting over graffiti, etc., reduce crime in those areas. Since I’m living in a crimeful city, I’m all over that one! Plan ahead next time you step out for a healthy walk. Take that bag along; the worse that can happen is you won’t see any trash and will just bring it back home. How bad is that?
Tip: Keep those bags separate from the ones you use for groceries and throw them in the wash more often; wash hands thoroughly after trash pick-up. Let’s spruce up our world.
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