Author Sahara Foley

The other day I was complaining to my sister about how much litter has accumulated around the apartment complex I live in.  Which got us talking about the camping trips we shared as a family when younger.  My family was dirt poor, so the only vacation my dad could afford was a two-week camping trip.  This was back in the 60’s and 70’s before camping became fashionable, so the campgrounds weren’t as crowded as they are now.  Thank god. 

The first thing us children had to do, before anything was unloaded from the station wagon, was pick up whatever litter was left behind from previous campers.  That even meant cigarette butts. Yuko!  This was back in the day when everyone and their mother smoked and all pop cans had those old pull tabs.  I used to put them in my can once I opened it, but most people just threw them on the ground.  What a mess.

And, once we were ready to leave, back us kids went over our area to make sure nothing was left behind.  So, it kinda got ingrained in us to NOT LITTER.  It also didn’t help that back then, there were several TV ads telling us not to litter.  Do any of you remember these?

Yes, Americans are litterbugs, but I was shocked how worse it is in other countries.  My sisters and I went to the Dominican Republic in 2018 and that opened my eyes, indeed.  It’s such a verdant, green island, and the houses are bold, bright colors. 

Yet, there is trash EVERYWHERE.  Along, the roadsides, around those gorgeous, brightly painted homes, and it’s endless.  And from what I could tell, most of the garbage was discarded plastic water bottles.  🤯😲 I know waste management is an ongoing problem with all countries, but it doesn’t help they have a corrupt government.

The issue is, when people from these countries who live with trash everywhere migrate to the USA, they bring those filthy habits with them. Half of the people in my apartment building are from countries like that.  Hence, the increase of trash littering the ground.  Not saying, my fellow Americans are any better.

But what gets me the most, are all the plastic water bottles they buy since they don’t want to drink our water.  Can you imagine how much money they waste on disposable water bottles?  Why not get a water filtration system instead?  Think how much money and plastic they’d save.  A Brita or Berkey could be the solution.  Myself, I like the Berkey.  It costs more, but WOW all the money you’d have for other stuff if you weren’t buying all those stupid water bottles. 

We’ve been turned into a disposable society mentality, so I really don’t see a solution, but Please, Please, at least don’t be a LITTERBUG.