Look, while we may make a fun game of it, no one really wants to go out and clean up litter. We would much prefer to do other things with our time. Litter is 100% preventable, so let's eliminate it!
Litter is simply trash, such as paper, cans, and bottles, that is left lying in an open or public place. Sometimes it is intentionally tossed, sometimes litter is "escaped trash" that has blown out of trash cans or is the result of overfilled trash cans, or even flown out of a truck's bed. Aside from just being an eyesore, litter costs communities millions of dollars each year to clean up or repair infrastructure damaged by litter buildup.
It is important to prevent litter from entering our environment because it poses health and safety risks to both people and wildlife. Take a quick scroll down Google Images searching ecological effects of litter, and you can quickly see we have a big problem. Even litter from inland communities such as the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex can make its way down to oceans by traveling down rivers and streams. Check out our DFW to the Gulf page to learn more.
It is important for us in the DFW region to realize and remember that the Trinity River flows all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. Litter that we produce is likely to end up in one of our river systems and then make its way down to the coast.
With this in mind, we encourage our neighbors here in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, and elsewhere, to think about the impacts that our waste has on our environment. Although it may seem small, efforts to properly dispose and recycle waste can go a long way in keeping our rivers and oceans clean and healthy.
Tips for Preventing Litter
The following is a list of things you can do – besides simply not littering – to help prevent litter.
- Put waste in its place. Make sure you dispose of your trash in trash cans (with lids if outdoors).
- Put lids on trash cans. This will help prevent litter from blowing out on windy days. It can also help deter wildlife from getting in and spreading trash around.
- If your recycle bin does not have a lid, put paper in a paper bag to prevent it from blowing out.
- Do not toss bottles, cans, or trash in your truck bed. It will blow out or bounce out.
- Smokers, please make sure you put out your cigarettes at a designated location. This is so important for fire safety as well as preventing litter. Cigarette butts are one of the most commonly found pieces of litter. Do what you want with your lungs, but please do not trash the planet for everyone else.
- If there is a particular location that generates litter or is always overfilling trash cans, petition your local parks and rec department, community, or business for more frequent emptying of those trash cans or for adding new or more trash cans to that location.
- Clean out your car at a gas station. By removing trash from your car regularly, you reduce the risk of it just blowing out on a windy day.
- When you visit a park, bring a bag for your trash. If you take out what you bring in, then you know you have left no trace and have not littered.
Participate in Community Cleanup Events
Take part in community cleanup events, like the Cleanup Challenge, or one of our many community events listed on our Get Involved page.