Don't Litter!
Help Clean Up the World
Research Questions
What is Littering (definition)
How does it affect wildlife?
What can we do to help?
What is the cost to clean it up?
Does it happen more in certain places?
Summary of Research
Littering is becoming a serious issue in our world today. Litter is any “piece of paper and other small objects that have been thrown out and are left on the ground in public places” Small objects can be more trouble than they’re worth. Marcus Garner, Urban regional extension, states, “An estimated 1 million animals are killed or injured daily by cars on United States highways.” Think of it this way. For every soda pop can or bottle you drop on the ground and don’t pick up, that’s just one more little furry creature that you have killed. But you can also think of it as every can you throw in the garbage can, that’s one more animal you have saved. But litter costs more than animals. “Litter clean up costs the U.S. more than an estimated $11.5 billion each year.” Think of all the things we could be using that money for besides cleaning up what could have been cleaned up for free. The most likely spots to find litter at are, “special event venues, roadways and highways, high traffic and everyday locations, and what KAB refers to as "Transition Points.” Notice that most of these locations are roads. That is a huge animal killer. Animals go on the road searching for food, but then they choke or get run over. Some solutions are, keep a trash bag in your car. Tie the end of plastic bags. But mostly, DON’T LITTER! You’re litterally destroying the world.
Sources
"Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary Reference Book with ..." 27 Apr. 2015 <https://books.google.com/books?id=pqlRO2jdI2gC&pg=PA557&lpg=PA557&dq=piece+of+paper+and+other+small+objects+that+have+been+thrown+out+and+are+left+on+the+ground+in+public+places&source=bl&ots=zGUGwj1S7Q&sig=6zYE1KkSWqEjadnQaqeavnTCUBo>
"Alabama Cooperative Extenson System/Urban/MetroNews ..." 2010. 27 Apr. 2015 <http://www.aces.edu/urban/metronews/vol9no3/Littering.html>
"Litter Cost - Keep America Beautiful." 2010. 27 Apr. 2015 <http://www.kab.org/site/DocServer/LitterFactSheet_COSTS.pdf?docID=5183>
"Litter Prevention - Keep America Beautiful." 2007. 28 Apr. 2015 <http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=litterprevention_why_who_where>