Prevent Litter Pollution
Volunteers pick up litterGuest post by Newcastle Resident Tyler Rubenstein, Liberty High School Student 

Our ecosystems are under duress from the amount of litter we carelessly throw into them. An ecosystem is the community of living and nonliving organisms in an environment. These ecosystems are intertwined with us in many more ways than you might think. According to the United Nations University, over 90% of our food comes from our ecosystems which also provide us with clothes, medicine, and fresh water. The trash that falls into our ecosystem can contain unhealthy chemicals, and those articles of trash can seep into our soil and into our water. Our forgotten trash can clog waterways, leading to wildlife dying. Trash that finds its way to nature, although you may not realize it, contributes to the 100,000 marine animals that die every year (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society). As you can see, this is a problem that needs solving by all of us. There are many ways you can help, and some of them are listed below. By all doing our part, we can help preserve our ecosystems for ourselves, and for the next generation.

How to prevent littering: 

— Keep a trash bag in your car and empty it when it gets full.

— Make sure your home trash cans are securely closed so your trash can't fly out on windy days and animals can't get in.

— Be careful with your belongings when outside. A strong wind can easily sweep them away turning them into litter.

Proactive Ways to Decrease Amounts of Litter:

— In your backyard, trails by your house, or anywhere, take some time to go out and pick up some trash.

— Like with this article, spread awareness on the dangers of littering.

— Reduce your use of single use items like plastic bottles, straws, and paper coffee cups.

Sources:
United Nations University:
https://unu.edu/publications/articles/healthy-ecosystems-earth-people.html#:~:text=Healthy%20terrestrial%20ecosystems%20are%20vital,clean%20water%2C%20and%20clean%20air.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society: https://www.wdcs.org/wdcskids/en/story_details.php?select=879


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