Leave it Better than you Found It
Let’s face it. With an estimated 7.6 billion people in the world now and an estimated increase to 11.2 billion by the year 2100 we are getting pretty crowded. With that being said it is estimated that every year, the US (US alone) generates approximately 230 million tons of “trash” per day. This comes out to 4.6 pounds per day. Less than one-quarter of it is recycled; the rest is incinerated or buried in landfills (https://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/solidwaste.html). If that was calculated worldwide it could be a little more or less per person. Needless to say, we have a lot of trash.
How much of that doesn’t make it to the trash can and eventually to the landfill? How much trash it out there yet to even be included in the annual figures? How much of that is cast out of the window down a highway or dirt road or left at a campsite or somewhere/anywhere outdoors? The world has seen a rise in awareness of becoming “green.” There are places popping up all over that are claiming to be an “earth friendly” store and trophies being handed out to organizations daily for their recycling efforts. But with all this “awareness” and encouragement some just don’t get it. Whether they don’t care or are just plain lazy we may never know. Why should we care? Why is it such a big deal?
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org) states “Imagine if you could do something extraordinary for the planet by simply picking up 10 pieces of litter on your travels.” They give 10 reasons to join their “10 Pieces Movement” (http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/pft/2016/8/19/10-reasons-to-pick-up-10-pieces-of-trash).
1. Impact. Litter poses a danger to the earth, animals and the environment.
2. Scale. 10 Pieces is not much but if a large group commits to it, it adds up.
3. Ease. You can do it in less than 60 seconds.
4. Safety. Nobody is expected to gather anything hazardous.
5. Our Planet’s future. It’s for our future generations. Our children.
6. Leading by example. When people see us do it, others follow.
7. Leaving no trace. Adding to the Leave No Trace Concept, pick up other’s “trace.”
8. Forward planning. Think ahead of what you will do with it when collected.
9. Inspiring Others. Give and spread the movement.
10. Finally – Makes the world a better place.
Now although I’m not an activist (by any means) I believe in this. I don’t financially support the Plastic Coalition but I give them props for what they do in encouraging others to help protect the environment. I have never picketed Disney, stood outside Wal-Mart mad about Big Business or ever even attended a political rally. But I believe in this. I want to do something to help better this earth for my children, their children, to friends and even to people I do not know. It’s not going to get any better or cleaner if I don’t take the initiative to make it a priority in my life.
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace (www.lnt.org) are also given to “communicate the best available minimum impact guidance for enjoying the outdoors responsibly.”
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of other visitors
This goes even a little further. Making sure you have little or no impact on the outdoors will help keep everything the way it should be. Graffiti is running rampant. Wildlife has become more and more endangered every year. Being considerate of others doesn’t seem to be the norm anymore. People are becoming more and more self-centered - it’s all about me and what you can do for me.
I’ll never forget sitting about 15 years ago at a PromiseKeepers Men’s conference at the original Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Texas and a man came up to speak I had never heard of. His name was Dr. Tony Evans. What an eloquent, captivating speaker! He made a string of statements that will forever impact my life. At the end of his message to these thousands of men he stated, “If you want a better world, composed of better nations, inhabited by better states, filled with better counties, made up of better cities, comprised of better neighborhoods, populated with better families, then YOU have to start by becoming a better person! It starts with YOU!” And then he walked off the stage. What a mic drop moment! It starts with me? Yes it starts with me. I am the one who can make the biggest difference, the biggest impact in my life, in my area. If I don’t do something, how can I really expect others to do anything? It’s so easy and takes sometimes less than 60 seconds. Let’s get started.
What to do…
1. Save your Wal-Mart or Kroger (or wherever you shop for groceries) plastic bags. Almost all stores now have gone to plastic instead of paper. They store easily and are recyclable. It’s no problem to stuff them in a tote, Trasharoo, bag or something you travel with in order to have them at all times. This is really handy in case you see a place that needs some attention. Pull them out, fill them up and then deposit at the nearest trash can.
2. Get a Trasharoo, Smittybilt Pick it Up Mesh Bag, Tuff Stuff Spare Tire Mounted Trail Bag, plastic tote or anything to put the trash in (Most of these range from $20-50 and are worth every penny). I have a Trasharoo and love it because you are keeping trash outside of your vehicle for smell and safety purposes.
3. Every time you go out, pledge to pick up at least 10 pieces of trash. If you do it, others with you will do it. If you do it, your kids will do it. If you do it, you will be the one who starts the process of making this a better world wherever you live. Oh, and don’t forget to empty out your containers, Trasharoos or whatever you put your trash in. That would not be good.
4. Use only biodegradable non-perfumed paper including toilet paper. Either pack it out or put it in cathole. Proper disposal of this can be found at http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/know-before-you-go/care-codes/activity-minimal-impact-codes/disposing-of-human-waste/
5. Leave it better than you found it. Think about what you are doing. Where you build a fire. Where you set up your campsite. What impact you are making on nature and the wildlife that have to live where you are treading.
It starts with you. Take care of this world. We only have one. Leave it better than you found it.
Let’s face it. With an estimated 7.6 billion people in the world now and an estimated increase to 11.2 billion by the year 2100 we are getting pretty crowded. With that being said it is estimated that every year, the US (US alone) generates approximately 230 million tons of “trash” per day. This comes out to 4.6 pounds per day. Less than one-quarter of it is recycled; the rest is incinerated or buried in landfills (https://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/solidwaste.html). If that was calculated worldwide it could be a little more or less per person. Needless to say, we have a lot of trash.
How much of that doesn’t make it to the trash can and eventually to the landfill? How much trash it out there yet to even be included in the annual figures? How much of that is cast out of the window down a highway or dirt road or left at a campsite or somewhere/anywhere outdoors? The world has seen a rise in awareness of becoming “green.” There are places popping up all over that are claiming to be an “earth friendly” store and trophies being handed out to organizations daily for their recycling efforts. But with all this “awareness” and encouragement some just don’t get it. Whether they don’t care or are just plain lazy we may never know. Why should we care? Why is it such a big deal?
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org) states “Imagine if you could do something extraordinary for the planet by simply picking up 10 pieces of litter on your travels.” They give 10 reasons to join their “10 Pieces Movement” (http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/pft/2016/8/19/10-reasons-to-pick-up-10-pieces-of-trash).
1. Impact. Litter poses a danger to the earth, animals and the environment.
2. Scale. 10 Pieces is not much but if a large group commits to it, it adds up.
3. Ease. You can do it in less than 60 seconds.
4. Safety. Nobody is expected to gather anything hazardous.
5. Our Planet’s future. It’s for our future generations. Our children.
6. Leading by example. When people see us do it, others follow.
7. Leaving no trace. Adding to the Leave No Trace Concept, pick up other’s “trace.”
8. Forward planning. Think ahead of what you will do with it when collected.
9. Inspiring Others. Give and spread the movement.
10. Finally – Makes the world a better place.
Now although I’m not an activist (by any means) I believe in this. I don’t financially support the Plastic Coalition but I give them props for what they do in encouraging others to help protect the environment. I have never picketed Disney, stood outside Wal-Mart mad about Big Business or ever even attended a political rally. But I believe in this. I want to do something to help better this earth for my children, their children, to friends and even to people I do not know. It’s not going to get any better or cleaner if I don’t take the initiative to make it a priority in my life.
The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace (www.lnt.org) are also given to “communicate the best available minimum impact guidance for enjoying the outdoors responsibly.”
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of other visitors
This goes even a little further. Making sure you have little or no impact on the outdoors will help keep everything the way it should be. Graffiti is running rampant. Wildlife has become more and more endangered every year. Being considerate of others doesn’t seem to be the norm anymore. People are becoming more and more self-centered - it’s all about me and what you can do for me.
I’ll never forget sitting about 15 years ago at a PromiseKeepers Men’s conference at the original Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Texas and a man came up to speak I had never heard of. His name was Dr. Tony Evans. What an eloquent, captivating speaker! He made a string of statements that will forever impact my life. At the end of his message to these thousands of men he stated, “If you want a better world, composed of better nations, inhabited by better states, filled with better counties, made up of better cities, comprised of better neighborhoods, populated with better families, then YOU have to start by becoming a better person! It starts with YOU!” And then he walked off the stage. What a mic drop moment! It starts with me? Yes it starts with me. I am the one who can make the biggest difference, the biggest impact in my life, in my area. If I don’t do something, how can I really expect others to do anything? It’s so easy and takes sometimes less than 60 seconds. Let’s get started.
What to do…
1. Save your Wal-Mart or Kroger (or wherever you shop for groceries) plastic bags. Almost all stores now have gone to plastic instead of paper. They store easily and are recyclable. It’s no problem to stuff them in a tote, Trasharoo, bag or something you travel with in order to have them at all times. This is really handy in case you see a place that needs some attention. Pull them out, fill them up and then deposit at the nearest trash can.
2. Get a Trasharoo, Smittybilt Pick it Up Mesh Bag, Tuff Stuff Spare Tire Mounted Trail Bag, plastic tote or anything to put the trash in (Most of these range from $20-50 and are worth every penny). I have a Trasharoo and love it because you are keeping trash outside of your vehicle for smell and safety purposes.
3. Every time you go out, pledge to pick up at least 10 pieces of trash. If you do it, others with you will do it. If you do it, your kids will do it. If you do it, you will be the one who starts the process of making this a better world wherever you live. Oh, and don’t forget to empty out your containers, Trasharoos or whatever you put your trash in. That would not be good.
4. Use only biodegradable non-perfumed paper including toilet paper. Either pack it out or put it in cathole. Proper disposal of this can be found at http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/know-before-you-go/care-codes/activity-minimal-impact-codes/disposing-of-human-waste/
5. Leave it better than you found it. Think about what you are doing. Where you build a fire. Where you set up your campsite. What impact you are making on nature and the wildlife that have to live where you are treading.
It starts with you. Take care of this world. We only have one. Leave it better than you found it.
