So Trashy

One recent evening as I was stopped at a red light just before turning into my neighborhood, I happened to see a guy in the car ahead of me toss a soda bottle out of his car window. He TOSSED A BOTTLE OUT OF HIS CAR WINDOW! Who does that?

Apparently, quite a lot of people. As I turned and drove down the street I noticed garbage everywhere. Bottles, cans, french fry containers, candy bar wrappers. Of course I've seen this all before, I drive on that street almost every day. And it's not just my street, it's every street. Every highway. I suppose I've always seen it without really seeing it. And I think somewhere in my naive brain I assumed it must all come from garbage cans that had been accidentally tipped over by drivers who backed up and drove away, unknowing of the mess they left behind on windy days. Because, I can't fathom that anyone would purposely treat our world as a trash can.

Does this guy walk around his house and toss garbage on the floor? Is his yard littered with Twinkie wrappers and empty cans of Red Bull? That corner may not be my house, but it's where I live. This planet is where I live and excuse me if I don't want your crap all over the place. Oh my...I'm getting all worked up again just thinking about it. At the time, when I saw the bottle fly out of his window, tumble onto the curb and roll into the grass, I wished I was a different person, a braver person, who would have gotten out of my car, picked up the bottle and handed it back to him saying "I think you dropped this."

But my look of horror and disgust in his rear-view mirror will have to do.

I was personally offended by what he did. He may as well have gotten out of his car and approached my window saying, "You're ugly." His actions said that he cares nothing for my neighborhood, my home, or me. I'm completely at a loss as to how he, or anyone who litters, decides that throwing their trash on the ground is a better choice than throwing it in a garbage can. At least there's some sport to getting the object in a can. Among other things, littering is totally unsportsman-like.

I know that I'm more sensitive regarding this subject than others may be. I use cloth diapers, for crying out loud (and don't get me started on recycling -- you have so much to look forward to in this blog). But really, is there anyone out there that can explain to me how or why littering is ever an acceptable choice? Last I heard we are stewards of this Earth, and I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean we should trash it.

I'm guessing that the guy in that car will never read this post, but I hope that he did happen to see my face in his rear-view mirror. That he saw the surprise, hurt and complete disapproval in my eyes, and that he'll remember it the next time he finishes a refreshing beverage and is about to toss it out of his car. And if that's not the case, I hope it's a windy day and the bottle blows back in the window and whacks him in the face.