Every morning, on my way to work, I drive through a park. It’s a beautiful park. There are so many trees and a lake where a lot of people fish in the summer time. Well, it’s winter and there aren’t a lot of people around. The leaves have fallen and everything is bare.
Yet, to me, it’s still beautiful. As I drive I like to peek through the undergrowth and search for the hidden treasures within. Like an old stone wall that was forgotten about or a trickling creek. If I’m really lucky, I spot deer or other wildlife. You normally don’t see these things in the summer since the leaves cover everything up, but when I take a look in the winter, when no one else is around. It feels like those little treasures were placed there for me to find.
As special as those treasures are, I did see a lot of something else that ruined the beautiful scenery. All throughout the woods was litter. Plastic bags. Discarded trash. Wrapper. Tires. Dumped trashed bags. The whole park was filled with them. They scattered across the ground like wine stains on fabric. It was saddening. This beautiful place was defiled by the carelessness of humanity.
So, the next time you go outside–it doesn’t have to be a park–anytime you go outside, please mind your trash. If you leave something in the street or even your yard. You never know where it’s going to end up. The wind could carry it to a park and spoil someone’s view of nature. Or it could wind up in the ocean, choking a sea turtle.
The Earth is precious and beautiful, but it isn’t going to stay that way unless we take care of it. So, please. Help care for our parks and environment by minding your litter.
nikki diekemper 