The harmful effects of litter

By Gloria Stovall

Litter harmfully affects the environment in numerous ways, and even though all states have littering laws that make the act of littering illegal, people insist on doing it. Sadly, almost 80% of roadway litter is from motorists and pedestrians and it is no surprise littering is a deliberate act as people litter due to laziness, carelessness, lack of trash cans, lenient law enforcement and because of the presence ion litter already in the area. When people litter, they think someone else will come along and pick up the litter and dispose of it properly and in more extreme circumstances, people think littering is accepted and do not see anything wrong with doing it. 

Litter is consequential for wildlife, pets, humans, rivers, lakes, oceans, the environment, our communities, and the entire planet. 

Litter gives rise to pollution! Did you know as litter degrades, chemicals and microparticles are released? These harmful chemicals are not organic to the environment and can, therefore, cause numerous problems. Cigarette butts contain poisonous chemicals such as arsenic and formaldehyde, which make their way into the soil and freshwater sources, negatively impacting both humans and animals, not to mention up to 60% of water pollution is attributed to litter. Litter also easily pollutes the air; and disturbingly, more than 40% of the planet’s litter is burned in the open air, which releases highly toxic emissions causing serious respiratory issues, numerous health problems and may even trigger acid rain.   

Animals are the innocent victims affected by litter every day and researchers estimate that over one million animals perish each year after because of being entrapped or ingesting litter. Plastic litter is the most common killer of animals and marine animals are the most notably affected. Each year over 100,000 marine animals including dolphins, fish, whales, turtles and more, suffer by drowning after becoming entangled in or digesting plastic litter.

Litter can kill or stunt plant growth as it pollutes the soil by surrounding it with hazardous chemicals, which decrease the presence of microorganisms in the soil and stunt or mutate plant growth across generations. 

Also, many small animals crawl into bottles or jars and being unable to get out, they get stuck and starve to death. Birds, small animals, and water creatures consume or get tangled in plastic bags or plastic 6-ring holders.

Litter increases the spread of disease.

Trash that is not discarded properly is a happy breeding ground for harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites through direct and indirect contact as germs are transmitted directly by physically coming into contact with litter. This easily happens by picking up, touching, or accidentally injuring yourself on improperly disposed trash. Parasites and bacteria are also transmitted through an affected vector, which are animals or insects that are exposed to litter that is contaminated and then transmitting the contaminates to humans or other animals. 

Litter is expensive.

You may not realize this, but litter is super expensive as it costs taxpayers a significant amount of money, literally millions of dollars, for states and the Department of Transportation to pick up litter, which diverts funds from other projects like road repair. For example, taxpayers in Illinois pay about $6 million a year to clean up litter, and the United States alone spends more than $11.5 billion annually on litter abatement! Litter also decreases the property value of businesses and homes, which deters visitors. 

Have you noticed litter in your community? I noticed an influx of litter in my community and surrounding communities, especially when the pandemic was at its peak, and it seems to have gotten worse, so I have decided to do doing something about it. Being a vegan is more than about food, as it involves living a certain lifestyle that is healthy for the environment, but you do not have to be a vegan to care about the environment.  On this Earth Day I challenge you to do something positive for the planet-pick up plastic, plant a tree, walk, bike or take public transportation instead of driving, eat vegan food for an entire day, month or year, use paper bags instead of plastic, bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store, switch to LED light bulbs, wash your laundry with cold water, air dry your clothes instead of using the dryer. 

Thank you so much for following my blog! I pray you are well, thriving and having a fantastic year. My year is going well as I am finally making progress on the goals I had made for myself at the beginning of the year. I wish you a blessed weekend and Happy Earth Day!