Everyone has seen it: a plastic bag blowing down the street or an empty soda can lying in the grass. This is littering, when garbage is not thrown away properly. It may not seem like much, but a piece of paper or a soda can thrown on the ground can cause a lot of problems. Littering not only makes the environment ugly, but also can harm the environment and all of the plants and animals in it.
Here are some facts about littering:
• It can attract bugs and vermin like rats that bring diseases.
• Animals can get caught in cans when they try to lick the food out.
• Fish can get caught or harmed by fishing line or other plastics thrown in the water.
• Chemicals from litter can make the plants and animals in the area sick.
• Littering in water pollutes it and can make it unsafe to drink.
• A single soda can takes 200 years to decompose.
• Broken glass can hurt any person or animal that comes across it.
• Littering is illegal, and people caught littering can be fined.
• Human food is not healthy for animals to eat.
• There is a giant patch of garbage in the Pacific ocean that is bigger than Texas.
• Many animals are attracted to the bright colors of plastic and eat small pieces.
The problem of littering may seem gigantic and impossible to fix. The truth is that if everyone gets involved, even in just a small way, littering can be stopped. The first step is don’t litter! Throw garbage away in the correct bins, and make sure to rinse the food out of cans and jars before you throw it away. The next thing to do is to help pick up the litter that is already there. It could be as simple as picking up a piece of paper that missed the trashcan. Another option is to organize a group made of friends and family and to spend a day cleaning up an area. With just a few people, some gloves and a few trash bags, it is amazing what a difference you
