Thursday, August 18, 2011

Got Butts?

Why is this still OK? People blatantly flick their butts everywhere and no one says a word. Do we accept this behavior? Stop flicking them. They aren't biodegradable. They are hazardous, contain plastics and other chemicals, they cause fires and they ruin the beauty of our communities.
  • It is estimated that several trillion cigarette butts are littered every year.
  • Cigarette butts are not made of cotton, they are made of chemicals and plastic
  • Penn State spends roughly $150,000 cleaning up cigarette butts each year.  



Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Are we all blind to it, or do we just need to slow down...

 Have you ever thought about how quickly we buzz around in our vehicles, not taking a moment to absorb our surroundings. We go from one end of town to another without a moment of hesitation or observation. When we slow down we observe things we have never seen. Houses, signs, flowers, hidden ponds, tree forts built by kids, these are the hidden gems of our communities. But you will also see the toxic tumbleweeds of our community. We have been all over our bikes, skateboards and running shoes lately. I was on my daily run the other morning and I paid close attention to the trash circulating through our community. It is unbelievable. There wasn't a single garden, front yard, sidewalk, storm drain, wooded area or grassy patch that was litter free. We all just breeze right by it, as if it isn't there. And I must mention how much of it comes from fast food chains that will remain nameless. We aren't asking you to go pick it all up, let's take the first step, go for a walk and pay attention to how much trash you see on the ground. That is it. If you choose to pick it up, SERIOUS good karma, but for now, just slow down and take a look at what we are missing. Hopefully you see something beautiful or interesting you have been missing all along.