Step 1: Talk about the environment. Step 2. Go outside and do something.
Yesterday was blog action day and while I think it was an outstanding initiative, I wondered what effect that day had on people… I mean, it’s great to get the word out and get people thinking and talking about the environment but that is just the first step. The next step is to actually go outside and DO something.
My son and I talked about that yesterday and I asked him what we could do to take care of our environment. He suggested we “clean up the pollution.” So we got dressed and headed out. I wondered how much litter we would find though… after all, we live in the woods and have more trees than people as neighbors. We were appalled by how much litter we actually did find on one small stretch of road !
We had to leave some behind … clearly we were not prepared for what we found. Frankly, I would have needed a bigger bag and a bigger team to pick everything up.
Seems like beer drinkers and cigarette smokers are a pretty unconscious bunch. We found a ton of beer cans and cigarette packs, gum and candy wrappers, plastic bags, plastic water bottles, a wine bottle and a few beer bottles. Unbelievable ! We even found some old tires, patio furniture and other junk deep in the forest. I just don’t get it.
As you can see, Loik was very proud to be doing his part for the environment. He asked me why people just dumped their trash by the side of the road. What can you answer to that? I don’t know why people do the things they do… sometimes they just don’t think about it…. or maybe they just don’t put the lid on their recycling bin…
Loïk thought about that for a while and then he told me that we should always carry a garbage bag with us so we could pick up the litter as we are out and about walking the dog. I think that’s a great idea!
When we got home, we separated the garbage from the recyclables and we set aside the cans and bottles that can be turned in for a refund. Loïk was excited to learn that he could keep the money from the refunds…
He said, wow! I’m going to get a lot of toys hunh? I told him that he was only going to get about a dollar for those bottles. No, he said. He proceeded to explain that all the stuff we recycle is used to make toys and new things for people to use. That’s right honey - I replied . Can we go and get more pollution right now mom because I want a new robot and a bat mobile and…
Sigh… 
