Zero Littering 

“The environment is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.”

In today's world, taking care of the environment has become more crucial than ever. With the ever-increasing population and industrialization, our planet is facing a severe threat. One of the simplest yet most important things that we can do to protect our environment is to avoid littering. Littering not only damages the environment but also poses a significant threat to wildlife and the entire ecosystem.

Environment Littering is a major problem that affects our environment, wildlife, and human health. When people dispose of their waste improperly, it not only looks unpleasant but can also have long-lasting negative effects on our surroundings. The solution to this problem is simple yet difficult to implement: zero littering. Litter can be seen everywhere – in parks, on streets, in waterways, and even in remote natural areas. It not only looks unattractive but can also cause damage to the environment. Litter can be harmful to wildlife that can mistake it for food or become entangled in it. Moreover, litter can release toxic substances into the soil and water, harming plants, animals, and ultimately humans who rely on these resources. Another problem with littering is that it affects the health of humans. For example, litter can create breeding grounds for pests like mosquitoes, which can spread diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. Furthermore, litter can create safety hazards, such as broken glass or sharp metal objects, which can cause injury.

Examples

• People get in car accidents trying to avoid litter on roadways.

• Both people and animals can cut themselves from certain types of litter.

• Illegally dumped garbage can kill or stunt plant growth.

• Many small animals crawl into bottles or jars and get stuck and starve to death.

• Birds, small animals, and water creatures eat or get tangled in plastic bags or plastic 6-ring holders.

How can we solve this issue?

Now that we understand the problem and issue that arise when littering is not properly exposed let us talk about a way we can do our part to solve this issue. For starters cut down on plastic, most plastic can take about 20 to 500 YEARS to decompose so doing small replacements with your plastic can create a huge change You can easily use beeswax food wrappers instead of saran wrap and reusable silicone bags instead of plastic zip bags. Another way you can do your part is to pick up trash that you see, you can go around your community picking up any littering for one hour can make a huge difference to the community that being said don't underestimate the small things getting involved, and getting family/ friends can cause a ripple effect making a bigger impact in our environment. Lastly, get the government involved push for more laws and create a bigger fine for littering, and create more jobs that involved cleaning our communities. Doing all things tiny steps can help communities and save 100,000 wild life in the process. 

Why I Cared About This

 As a responsible member of society, I constantly think about how I affect my surroundings and how I can help by reducing my waste. I think about when I'm out and see all the trash in my town or when seeing that Not only does littering ruin the aesthetic beauty of our surroundings, but it also causes immense harm to wildlife and marine life. Plastic waste is particularly hazardous as it takes hundreds of years to decompose, and in the meantime, it releases toxic chemicals that pollute our soil and water. By pushing for no littering, we can take a small but significant step towards preserving our planet's natural beauty and ensuring that future generations inherit a healthy and thriving environment.

How do People feel about this Situation?

I asked a couple of people how they feel about littering and what they do to help the environment be a better place for all. As well ask them what can challenge they face when trying to do their part and zero littering.

Josue Sanchez

"so won't lie, I don't know what zero waste means but from the way you describe it I think it would be really hard for me since for me I rely heavily on single-use plastic however I try my best to make sure I throw my trash properly and help out as much as I can."

Aprille Zenteno

"I feel like littering destroys our home you know ruins it is surrounding and I think it is lazy for people not to throw away their crash, for me and my family we always reuse all the plastic we do it to save money but it helps out the environment too and little things like reusing plastic can help us in the long run. I think the challenge will always be how so many of us use single-use items and create overfill of trashes, leaving us no place to put our litter. "

Work Cited

https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/news/canada/2021-04-16-zero-waste

https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/news/canada/2021-04-16-zero-waste

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgLOFxcWFgo

https://www.plano.gov/486/Harmful-Effects-of-Litter