I wanted to write about litter and cars. I hate both. It's April 6 and the garbage bins in the parks in KW have still not returned. Never mind that we have not had snow for weeks but since I sit on the Kitchener in Bloom committee which is also attended by a superior from Parks and Recreation I also understand now better why things in the parks here are the way they are. Anyhow, only because there are no garbage bins that does not mean littering is okay. There is tons of posters around the city advocating "The only cure to litter is you" and "people notice when you litter" but opinions on how effective this campaign has been vary widely. In my opinion it all starts with coffee shops and fast food outlets which there are plenty of in this country, not to say chokingly too many. I can't believe the drive-thru line-ups at Tim Hortons every single day for example. No, I really don't get how so many people seem to drink (other liquids than water) and eat in their cars and need to get their food and drinks from drive-thrus. To me it's appalling. North America, grow up, become cultivated, use proper dishes and consume foods at a table. You can tell where all those paper cups and paper food containers end up, not in the garbage bins because there are no drive-thru options yet. The litter along main roads, even in front yards of residential areas, especially close to strip malls and main roads, and in parks of course is not beautiful. But with everyone driving who can be bothered?
After St. Patrick's Day the picnic table that is located right next to the playground in our local park was plastered with fast-food containers. Obviously, a bunch of people had a meal there, maybe even a party, and left everything right there to be spread by the wind because how could one take it home - it would probably overload that car. So I went and picked it all up - why? Because I walk past there every day with Ruby on the way to daycare and we play on this playground. It's disgusting, but not unusual. The park I jog in is very popular with dog owners for example. Apparently, dog owners have called the Parks & Recreation guy and asked where to put their dog's poo bags in the winter. Being told to take them home, some feel fooled and say, they weren't nuts. So what do they do instead? There's a pile of stinky plastic bags in this park I mentioned exactly in the spot where in summer there's a garbage bin standing. Can you believe it? Yes, these dog owners (not all of them) are nuts!
Dog owners aside (you'd think they care about the environment since the take that four-legged buddy of their's for walks every day, but far from it) I think there is a strong connection between restaurants and coffee shops that sell their products in throw-away containers, the habit of people here to drive everywhere, and the litter in public spaces. It's not a pleasant connection though. It's one that makes me say, North America throw away your throw-away culture!
Or suffocate in your very own garbage.
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