TAKING THE GOLDEN RULE OUTDOORS
            Weekly trash collections around the county bear witness to the fact that, together, we produce a very large quantity of waste. Reducing waste is a worthwhile goal. Disposing of our waste in a manner that protects health and environment is equally important.
            Most of us go traveling through the countryside to natural areas, beaches, parks, museums, ball games, and other events. We usually have trash that travels with us. We have a responsibility to make sure our trash gets disposed of properly. Somehow the vast expanse of air, water, and land we set about to enjoy suggests to us that our little bit of trash will somehow disappear. We really know better. We know that it lands in the living space of other living things. Wherever we tote our belongings, including our trash, we should be sure to tote them out with us.
            An organization known as “Leave No Trace” (www.lnt.org) for many years has worked to make us aware that wherever we travel and camp we need to have a plan for leaving the places we visit without a trace that we have been there. Their guidelines are good rules for wherever we go – even in our yards or at events in our own community.
            Highway Clean-Up groups provide a valuable service to keep our roadways looking good. If every traveler fulfilled their own responsibility to ‘leave no trace’, these highway clean-ups would hardly be necessary.
            A trash-filled beach is not very inviting and neither is a trash-filled river or stream. Without realizing it, our scrap of candy-wrapper or drinking cup carelessly disposed of can end up in the river after a rain that washes debris from yards, streets, and parking lots into a curbside storm drain where it goes directly to the river. Trash in the streets that washes into storm drains can be carried to rivers and streams that, in heavy rains, carry it to oceans and seacoasts. In addition, as boaters and fishermen, we may dispose of unwanted materials directly into the water where they affect aquatic life, shorelines, and seacoasts.
            Besides taking good care of all of our trash, with a little planning we do not need to impact the environment when we use the outdoors. Off road vehicles make for interesting advertising but not for good environmental stewardship. Limit yourself to established trails and campsites. Leave what you find; avoid transporting non-native species; and don’t leave structures or trenches you fashioned for your use. Build fires only where permitted and in established fire rings; burn all wood and coals to ash, put out fires completely, and then scatter the cool ashes.
            The Golden Rule applies: treat all living things as you would like to be treated and treat the places you visit like they were your living room.

Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water
Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 07/09/08/08
(for publication on 07/19/08 in the Journal-Standard, Freeport, Illinois).
Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org