My experience...   

     I have lived in Bellingham for the past seven years, and over the time I have resided in this beautiful town I have noticed mass amounts of trash discarded on the ground on the streets, parks, and trails, and it pains me to see trash in the environment.

     I do see people picking up trash all the time, but it should not have to be their job to be the people to clean up messes created by other people. I admire the people who do try their best to clean up, and I give all my thanks to them.

The problem...

     The trash (especially non-biodegradable plastics,) that are littered around these public spaces are hurting the environment and ecosystems and are actively involved in climate change by releasing greenhouse gases as it breaks down, which can take hundreds of years for plastics to break down. 

     Litter also involves itself in the marine world too, often being consumed by sea creatures and adding toxic chemicals into the waters, which is something I have seen in the bay. 

A solution...

     There are many solutions to help stop littering in our city, but this is a more “passive" way by hopefully stopping people from littering before they do, to avoid the consequences of a higher fine. Of course, not all littering can be cleaned, or spotted in the act, but we can, and should, always try and find ways to help our planet. 

     If we work as a community, we can do a lot to help.