A Walk in the Woods

It was a really nice afternoon so I decided to go out and explore the ravine near where I live. The mosquitoes were out in full force (and left a few battle scars), but I was determined to go out and get some rays. I found an off the track path (been seeing lots of those lately) and was greeted by a less than happy sight:

I was dumbfounded by the fact that many of us cannot seem to respect this world! I know it shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is always a disappointment. I find that teens are usually the biggest culprits in producing litter (which should really be equated with “laziness”). They get together for parties in ravines and hidden forest areas (less likely for cops to be on the lookout), and then leave their empty bottles and cans behind. It’s sad that the archaeologists of the future will be finding cigarette butts and corona bottle caps as remnants of our generations.

So what can we do?

1. If you are a parent, try to instill a respect for the environment in your children.
Have them see you taking care of our earth, recycling, picking trash up every once in awhile. Encourage them to do the same.

2. If you smoke, don’t leave your cigarettes on the ground.
Use the garbages for them please! Or better yet, try one of these: Stick Your Butts Out! Personal Ashtray
Cigarettes take a very long time to decompose, and leave behind hazardous chemicals in our soil and our air. For your health and the health of our planet, consider cutting back :).

3. Reduce!
More important than recycling is reducing your waste. Buy foods, dish soap and other household products in bulk.

4. Enjoy your summer drinks outdoors – just clean up!
There is no reason that empty bottles can’t be brought back. After all, they were carried all the way there right?

5. And if you are feeling EXTRA environmental… bring a glove and a garbage bag with you on a walk and help to clean up some waste!

Enjoy this great summer night outdoors!

My new article for MindBodyGreen is also out. Conscientious Carnivores: 5 Reasons to Fight the Factory!