reasearch project
Mary Anne Lopez
Project Research
May 28, 2008
Understanding and preventing litter, Be informed.
It is a common knowledge that Littering is one contributing factor in pollution
created by US yet, do we really take the time to understand what littering
means and how it affects us and how can we prevent litter? Littering creates a problem
that affects our daily lives, our animals, most importantly our environment. Educating
ourselves is the best solution in cleaning up our environment, knowing and
understanding the facts. We can begin doing this in our home. We teach our children
while they are young to be a part of their daily lives, everyday routine to endure
cleanliness of our environment. “When most of us think of litter, we picture someone
casually dropping a candy wrapper while strolling down the street. According to experts,
there are seven major sources of litter: pedestrian, motorist, loading docks, improper
household containment, improper commercial containment, construction and demolition
sites, and uncovered trucks.(www.co.monroe.pa.us/litter_control).
Litter includes plastic bag, paper, candy or gum wrapper, coffee cups, soda cans,
soda bottles or beer bottles, the most common one cigarette butts and multifarious items
that is easily seen scattered along the highways, ocean banks, parks, school or even the
streets near your home.
There are various reasons why we should stop littering. It can be really harmful
to animals in land or in the ocean. When it rains, it washes away the waste materials and
drains leading to the sea. Long after, it will cause our ocean dirty and polluted. More so,
The marine animals will mistakenly think this as food that could cause them to choke and
die. We all need this water for drinking and for recreation. Litter can be dirty not only it
does not look nice and untidy .It also carry germs. Animals that are scavengers can pick
up germs and become carriers it means they can spread the germs that could cause human
being to get sick. Imagine, what kind of diseases that could lead to? Littering can be
really bad to our environment as well causing landfills.
Litter wastes our Natural resources. Aluminum cans, bottles paper and plastic
are a great resource for recycling .Glass can be made into many things such as making a
new bottle for various beverages .“Glass is completely recyclable and saves precious
energy resources. Making products from recycled glass uses less energy than starting
from scratch. Recycled glass is made into new beverage bottles, food jars, insulation and
other construction materials (http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste)
When litter is exposed to element it may start to decompose that will cause a foul
odor in a place that has litter. We certainly don’t want to go on our favorite places with
bad odor, an example of air pollution.
Litter Facts and Research
Main Types of Litter
|
Type of Litter |
Percentage |
|
Fast Food Waste |
(33%) |
|
Paper |
(29%) |
|
Aluminum |
(28%) |
|
Glass |
(6%) |
|
Plastic |
(2%) |
|
Other |
(2%) |
Source: Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) survey of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers – 1994
How long does it take to decompose?
|
Object |
Decomposition Time |
|
Styrofoam container |
> 1 million years |
|
Plastic jug |
1 million years |
|
Aluminum can |
200-500 years |
|
Disposable diaper |
550 years |
|
Tinned can |
90 years |
|
Leather shoe |
45 years |
|
Wool sock |
1 year |
|
Paper bag |
1 month |
|
Banana peel |
3-4 weeks |
http://mdc.mo.gov/nomoretrash/
Various states are very concern about littering thus, its cost in trying to clean
up our environment. Different cities and states are the following that are participating on
this problem clean up our community, our city and our country. These funds toward litter
clean up maybe be put to a better use for new school, medical health, for planting more
trees. We can make a big difference by being responsible. “The Missouri Department of
Transportation spends $5.8 million annually to clean litter from Missouri highways,
money that would be better spent improving Missouri roads.
“Throwing trash out on the highway is literally like throwing money out the car
window .In fiscal year 2003, Georgia DOT estimates $17 million will be spent to pick up
litter on Georgia’s interstates and highways. This figure is $2 million more than was
spent in fiscal year 2002. This includes contract crews, prison crews, equipment, staff
time, etc. statewide. This does not include what local governments, other state agencies
and community organizations are spending. As more and more cars and trucks travel
Georgia’s state highways and interstates, the cost to keep them clean increases by
approximately 20 percent each year. The Georgia DOT expends nearly $3 million
annually in litter pick-up in metro Atlanta alone.”
(http://wwwb.dot.ga.gov/communications/publicawareness/litter/litterfacts)
We can prevent litter by good knowledge and understanding. Why we need to
clean up and and how to prevent this. Be responsible for own actions. Be aware of your
surrounding, Be educated. Participate on various programs that helps clean up our
community. Recycle, by putting recycled material in proper bins such as papers, glass
or plastic . You should Change your attitude from being careless to careful and more
concern of the environment. A better environment means better air to breathe, A pleasant
home to live in. Do not just throw trash out of our window when you are driving. Keep a
bag for as trash in the car so when you get out of your car you may carry your trash to the
designated bins. Simply pick up the trash!
Doesn’t feel good to make a difference in your life? Now is the
time. Let’s stop littering! One little deed makes a whole world happy.
References:
http://www.greenct.org/litter.htm
http://www.stoplittering.com/links.html
http://wwwb.dot.ga.gov/communications/publicawareness/litter/litterfacts.shtml
http://www.cigarettelitter.org/index.asp?PageName=Education
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/RECYCLE/Recywrks/recywrks2.htm#glass
