Now, let me tell a story about gravity when it rains. You know that cigarette butt, styrofoam food container, drink cup, or any other piece of trash you see littered on a sidewalk or near a curb? (I know YOU didn't litter it!)
Well, that trash that's left in roadways has to go somewhere. Sadly, it doesn't magically decompose the second it hits the ground. But...wouldn't that be a great way to keep our cities clean!?
Nope, instead, when it rains, that trash gets caught up in the stream of moving water where the road meets the curb, and it runs along until it finds an exit point, AKA a storm drain.
Where does that storm drain lead? To our waterways. The coulees. Eventually the Bayou Vermilion. So guess where that litter is also going. Plus, it clogs up the storm drain system.
Litter in the Bayou Vermilion and other waterways is not only ugly, it can contaminate the water and endanger the wildlife that depends on that water.
The Bayou Vermilion District provided a great image this week of all that litter collected from the waterway with just one inch of rain accumulated. Gross, right?
This is what happens when you litter. It doesn't disappear. It doesn't go directly to a landfill. It doesn't get recycled.
Don't contribute to this pile of trash...keep your trash to yourself and dispose of it in a real trash can. Hint: Roads are not trash cans!
2 comments
This is great. BVD wants everyone to know that we are doing everything we can to maintain this wonderful natural resource, but we can't do it alone. It's a city wide, parish wide, watershed wide problem and the people are the only solution. GO 'HEAD ECO CAJUN!
So true! Change starts at a personal level. If everyone takes responsibility of their own trash, then we would make such a big impact on litter!! People really ARE the solution.
And thank you!! :) I'm happy to share!