The Sydney Star
December 18, 2012
A1
$1.00
An O'Shea Production
TNT at 10:00 p.m.
Channel 40
(540 in HD)
Litter at an All-Time High in Virginia
By Cory O'Shea
itter in Virginia is at an all-time high. Litter is being
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reported everywhere from the side of the highway to streams and rivers. Cigarette butts, snack wrappers, take-out food, and beverage containers are the most commonly littered objects. Cigarette butts are one of the most commonly littered item and it
is also the most harmful. Cigarette butts take 12 years on average to disintigrate. Not only that, but while it is disintigrating it gives off toxic gases such as lead and arsenic. Research has shown that a lot of littering has come from lazy teenagers who just don't feel like going out of there way to find a trash can. They are just throwing it out of their windows when they think no one is watching.
If everyone just did their part we
could cut down the litter. States such as California, Alabama, Florida, and Virginia are spending millions on the prevention of litter, but it still just isn't enough. Groups such as Keep America Beautiful and Auntie Litter are also putting time, money, and effort it, but everyone still needs to do their job. There are very simple things you can do to help like making sure nothing accidently slips out your car and keeping your trash can lids on tight so animals can't get it. Even something as simple as remembering to pick up your trash when leaving a park or any public area. It is very simple things, but every step makes a difference. The group Keeping America Beautiful with its 2.8 million workers picked up 200 million pounds of litter in 2007. They also put in a huge amount of money for the education of litter prevention; knowing what will happen when you litter stops a lot of people from littering.
The law in Virginia states that, "It shall be unlawful for any person to dump or otherwise dispose of trash, garbage, refuse, or litter." With the law comes a harsh penalty. As Harry Singh said, "It should be common sense for people to throw their trash in the garbage." Some counties in Virginia have put out some police officers who are just trying to catch litter violations.
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