Trash Talk

It is beyond my comprehension to toss trash out the window of my car or to casually let it drop to the ground as I am wandering about. Seeing garbage on the side of the road really irks me. Partly because I like things neat and tidy, partly because I was successfully indoctrinated by the Public Service Announcements interrupting Saturday morning cartoons during the 1970s.  I often hanker for a hunk o cheese, for instance.  And I think reading is fundamental.  And, as Woodsy the Owl taught me, I give a hoot and don't pollute.  So I am one of those people. Those people who take walks and pick up trash along the way.

Several times per year, I go on a Trash Walk down our hill. It is about 2 miles round trip. If I haven't tidied up in awhile, I can easily fill up two or three big trash bags. Well, fill up to just below my inability to safely carry them. On those really productive outings, I leave my filled bags along the road so Rob can retrieve them later. We make a good team.

I took a Trash Walk today, the first in many months since my foot is still healing. I only did about 2/3 of my typical walk but the road already looks a ton better. It fascinates me, though, the items I find and the patterns I have noticed over the years.

For instance, it's rare that I find an empty container of something healthy. No discarded empty bags of quinoa, no empty cans of V-8 juice, no granola bar wrappers. But fast food (especially McDonalds), candy, beer, soft drinks, Starbucks, cigarette boxes...lots and lots of those. I also get to see the ebb and flow of habits and vices. For a few years, there were lots of tall empties of a particular Coor's beer tossed along the east side of the road. Then for awhile I found lots of Marlboro Gold wrappers. Today, someone seems to have a penchant for Arizona Sweet Tea and Jolly Ranchers.

I also find clothing, mostly belonging to kids. And mostly socks. Sometimes I finding building materials. Roofing shingles are popular. Post-holidays are busy walks, especially after Halloween and Easter -- LOTS of candy wrappers. Early July is also fruitful, after everyone has set off all their not terribly safe or sane fireworks. I am still surprised how much debris those light shows leave behind...often many yards away from their launch pad.

I occasionally find unexpected treasures. Like the waterlogged paycheck I eventually put in the proper hands. Or the AC/DC cd that seemed in good shape; I couldn't really blame them for tossing it out the window. Today I found a 6" section of lead pipe that had numbers painted on it. I had to leave it there since it was too heavy to carry and would have ripped my bag. I also came across a full case of containers of Safeway sour cream, none opened and very heavy. That, too, is still on the side of the road awaiting my next drive down the hill. Unless the coyotes get to it first with some onion soup mix and potato chips.

A few times over the years, people have waved to me and given me a thumbs up as I am poking around ditches with my grabber. A few folks have even stopped and rolled down their windows to thank me. Today a number of cars drove past me with parents and kids in them, since today was a school holiday. As I waved to them, I really hoped a few of those kids asked their parents why I was picking up trash.  And I really really hoped a few of those parents revived the memory of good old Woodsy and helped spread the word.