I had a friend who passed away several years ago. He enjoyed cooking, loved singing in the church choir, and had a heart of gold. He was also a self-confessed litterer, which drove me crazy. I can’t imagine dropping so much as a gum wrapper on the ground, yet after his fast-food stops (and apparently there were many), he regularly tossed food containers and drink cups out his truck window (I never rode with him, so I’m going by his own admissions, which were confirmed by others). When I pressed him about why he did this, he said he liked to keep his truck clean. I, of course, presented him with a reasonable alternative: Simply wait and throw out the trash when you get to a trash can. He laughed off my suggestion, as though it were ridiculous. We argued about this a lot, mostly because I wouldn’t let it go. I can’t stand littering and I just knew that, with enough reasoning (okay, badgering), I’d be able to change my friend’s habits. I never did.
My question is this: Is everybody trying to keep their vehicles clean? Because there’s a lot of litter out there, and I’m trying to understand why.
I love road trips, especially because Steve and I generally steer clear of interstates, instead taking rural roads when possible. But even as I admire the beauty of the countryside and the quaintness of the small towns, I’m always disappointed and saddened by how often the views are marred by litter.
I know there are times littering isn’t done on purpose. Occasionally an errant piece of paper will flutter away in the wind. A cardboard box will blow out of the bed of a truck. But I also know there are times it is done on purpose. I recall a drizzly afternoon a few months ago when I sat waiting in the car while Steve went in a restaurant to grab some takeout, and I glanced at the large shrubs outside my window. A plastic water bottle and a potato chip bag were tucked in among the limbs, at the exact height of a car window, placed there by someone who, apparently, didn’t want a messy vehicle. Also, someone who was lazy — as there was a trash can just a few yards away.
During the ‘70s, we were inundated with public service announcements for the “Keep America Beautiful” campaign. One series of ads featured a man portraying a Native American who was brought to tears (actually, he was brought to just one single tear) by the sight of litter. I’m sure the anti-litter campaign ran many other ads, as well, but these are the ones I remember. Of course, as an adult, I now view them differently, having come to understand the degree to which Native Americans were hurt by the ads’ reinforcements of stereotypes. But despite the negativity now associated with them, I have to wonder if the ads did (at least) accomplish something. Do they get any credit for my strong anti-litter stance? They must have been powerful, given that they’ve stuck with me all these years.
It’s been ages since I’ve seen any sort of ad sponsored by “Keep America Beautiful.” In fact, I wasn’t even sure if the organization still existed, so I Googled it; it does. In fact, “KAB” is extremely active, with all sorts of campaigns and projects and initiatives; I’ve just been too busy to notice. I haven’t yet taken the time to figure out ways in which I might become involved, but I intend to; it’s too important not to.
But until I become involved in anti-littering in a more concrete way, I’ll settle for this: a simple plea to anyone I know, to anyone who reads this — please, be a little less concerned about your car or truck and a little more concerned about the planet. Let’s all do our part to make road trips more pleasurable for everyone.
