90% of plastic ocean waste comes from 10 rivers, 8 are Asian, 2 are African!

[ReinyDays]

As the snow melts every spring, I am disgusted by the sheer amount of garbage I see around the metro of the Twin Cities. Careless jerks who throw rubbish wherever convenient. Sure as hell isn't conservatives in these areas.
Out in the exurbs we have issues with urban dwellers who drive into the country at night to illegally dump trash, televisions,tires, mattresses etc. We have illegal dumpers who hit our construction site dumpsters with inappropriate trash that my boss gets stuck paying for. We have had several busted because they were dumb enough to have their mailing address in their refuse.
Recycling containers are a pathetic joke as people who apparently can't read put waste with the recycling, or just throw it in the street.
The sheer amount of waste taken out of the Mississippi river in Mpls, is staggering. View attachment 483871
View attachment 483872
View attachment 483873
Just think of the Cities to the south getting water from the river and adding even more trash to the flow. Now add those face diapers to the mix.
This concerns me far more than a slight increase in global temperatures.

Sure as hell isn't conservatives in these areas ...

I've found this problem to be much worse in rural conservative areas ... Western Carolina was horrible ... whole communities dumping their trash in the rivers for generations ... "Grandpappy dump all his trash in this here haller, by gum I'm gonna dump all my trash here too" ... the French Broad flooded the Spring I lived there, when the water receded there was a thick solid layer of trash on both banks for twenty miles ...

The landfills there were free of charge ...

My understanding is that "bluest of the blue" Portland, Oregon is beyond crisis regarding all the trash on the streets ... maybe someone from up there can say why liberals are no better (or worse) than conservatives when it comes to dumping trash just anywhere ...

=====

Trash breeds trash ... not literally, but places where there's trash on the ground will always gain more trash ... places that are picked up all the time tend not to gain trash ... human nature, "it's already trashy, mine makes no difference" or "geez, I better not toss this, looks like someone cares about this place" ...

 

[petro]

As the snow melts every spring, I am disgusted by the sheer amount of garbage I see around the metro of the Twin Cities. Careless jerks who throw rubbish wherever convenient. Sure as hell isn't conservatives in these areas.
Out in the exurbs we have issues with urban dwellers who drive into the country at night to illegally dump trash, televisions,tires, mattresses etc. We have illegal dumpers who hit our construction site dumpsters with inappropriate trash that my boss gets stuck paying for. We have had several busted because they were dumb enough to have their mailing address in their refuse.
Recycling containers are a pathetic joke as people who apparently can't read put waste with the recycling, or just throw it in the street.
The sheer amount of waste taken out of the Mississippi river in Mpls, is staggering. View attachment 483871
View attachment 483872
View attachment 483873
Just think of the Cities to the south getting water from the river and adding even more trash to the flow. Now add those face diapers to the mix.
This concerns me far more than a slight increase in global temperatures.

Sure as hell isn't conservatives in these areas ...

I've found this problem to be much worse in rural conservative areas ... Western Carolina was horrible ... whole communities dumping their trash in the rivers for generations ... "Grandpappy dump all his trash in this here haller, by gum I'm gonna dump all my trash here too" ... the French Broad flooded the Spring I lived there, when the water receded there was a thick solid layer of trash on both banks for twenty miles ...

The landfills there were free of charge ...

My understanding is that "bluest of the blue" Portland, Oregon is beyond crisis regarding all the trash on the streets ... maybe someone from up there can say why liberals are no better (or worse) than conservatives when it comes to dumping trash just anywhere ...

=====

Trash breeds trash ... not literally, but places where there's trash on the ground will always gain more trash ... places that are picked up all the time tend not to gain trash ... human nature, "it's already trashy, mine makes no difference" or "geez, I better not toss this, looks like someone cares about this place" ...

Yeah. I can agree with that. Truth being that slobs exist across the political spectrum. But to be fair, those that care about the environment also run across the spectrum. Many on the right hunt and fish spending a ton of time in wilderness areas and waterways. Paying license fees and donating to agencies that support conservation of wildlife habitat.
My cheap shot is in response to the false notion that conservatives don't care about the environment.
At the same time I will not be receptive to criticism from the John Kerry's or Al Gores of the world who believe I should limit my use of resources as they consume products and generate far more carbon than I ever will.
My carbon footprint is like that of an ant compared to their elephant print. So I won't feel guilty about my Hemi powered SUV.
One thing can we all agree on?
It is far past time to demand as consumers the elimination of wasteful unnecessary plastic packaging.