If you've ever walked through Minnetrista, biked along the Cardinal Greenway or watched the sunset in the country just north of Muncie you may have experienced some of the natural beauty of eastern Indiana.
For many college students who don't explore anything outside of the village, Muncie looks, well - ugly. However, the big problem here isn't the lack of trees, attractive birds or even rivers in the city of Muncie, it's the lack of consideration given to the land.
Apparently we can't see the forest for all litter. I know it's been a long time since many of us sat in our third grade classroom with Smokey the Bear or Woodsy Owl and learned about the unpleasant and dangerous effects of littering.
So here is a recap. First of all - what is litter? According to Wikipedia.org litter is "A waste type consisting of any tangible personal property which has been unlawfully scattered outdoors." So the pizza box from the atrium you decided to toss on the side of the road on your way to class is in fact considered litter-and illegal.
Second: How can my trash effect the environment? In a variety of ways. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site, street litter such as plastic bags, cups and candy wrappers gets swept away with rain water into storm drains and ends up floating in the ocean or washing up on our beaches. Wind also carries litter to parks and rivers, sometimes resulting in wildlife being poisoned or choked. Also a great deal of street litter takes hundreds of years to break down and become harmless to the environment. So, if it's impossible for you to consider the harm you do to the land in Muncie, remember that what you do here ultimately affects the lovely white-sand beaches you flock to during spring break.
Third: Who cares about litter? Surprisingly-Everyone! Biologists consider it interference when attempting to study our natural environment, not to mention a serious threat to the wildlife and habitats they are studying. Several theories in Sociology and Criminal Justice suggest that living in a highly polluted and littered neighborhood leads to a negative opinion of one's surroundings and thus, an increase in crime. Economists define the effects of litter as a negative externality, meaning a trashed lawn may result in a decline in property values in the area. The military sometimes refers to the dangerous potential of trash and debris as Foreign Object Damage- applied to civilian circumstances this means your discarded broken glass bottle could end up in the foot of a young child or someone's bicycle tire. Several environmentalists I talked to had a number of terms for people who litter-all of which I agreed with and none of which I can repeat here. There are also many cultures, including some in the United States, that believe the land is just as important as we are, and how we treat it is a direct reflection of how we treat ourselves and each other...if you think about it- this makes complete sense. So if you are littering-please stop and remember what Woodsy Owl said "Give a hoot. Don't pollute."
Write to July at jrlam@bsu.edu
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