It’s spring and the sun is starting to shine. You head out to explore some trails in the backwoods during one of our sunbursts and come across a drenched mattress covered in drywall, broken toys and diapers.
How did this happen? Who chooses to trash nature rather than taking personal responsibility for the waste they generate?
It’s a wonder when you consider the lengths illegal dumpers will take to dispose of trash out of the public eye. Whether through sheer ignorance or blatant disregard, litterbugs choose to use nature as a trashcan when many of the most commonly dumped items can be donated or disposed of responsibly.
There are, for instance, options around town for free disposal of furniture, toys and clothing in good condition, lightbulbs, all types of batteries, small household appliances, electronics, scrap metal, used paint, smoke alarms, styrofoam, green waste, kitchen scraps, ovens, scrap cars and more. You can commit to being part of the solution by using these donation and drop-off sites.
If you witness someone in the act of illegal dumping, note any personal information that will help identify them and call in an anonymous tip to Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) at 1.877.952.7277.
You can also use the TrashOut.me app on your mobile phone to locate and photograph trash. Reported sites are uploaded to a map of the area so they can potentially be cleaned up in the future.
People who are especially motivated can collect the trash and bring it to the Trash Bash event for free disposal on Saturday, April 29. A limited list of household items can also be brought for free disposal during the annual event, including mattresses, barbecues, tires, fridges, freezers, washers, dryers, scrap metal, clean and untreated wood waste and household furniture.
Remember that trash attracts trash. Even a discarded Christmas tree can create the beginning of a dump zone in the bush.
Let’s Talk Trash is Powell River Regional District’s waste-management education program.