Littering and its effects on the environment. --- Why we need to fix this.

_{Image: Pixabay.com}

Our nation Nigeria is a beautiful place laced with several beautiful sites that could serve as attraction for tourists from all over the world. However, I fear that somehow, her beauty is gradually being tainted and dented under the weight of some diehard habits of a vast majority of the people. one of them which is LITTERING. However, a closer look at the bigger pictures indicaes that we're not the only one.

What is Littering?

Now, I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time you're getting pep talks on littering, so I wouldn't even dare believe you're ignorant to it. However, if you're 8 and somehow you're reading this, (lol... pun intended) here it is then;

Littering is simply the act of dumping waste indiscriminately and in very wrong places, rather than disposing them appropriately.

Remember that time you threw that little piece of plastic down the drainage, yeah? that was you littering. and I suppose you thought you did well. nope.

So basically, "Litter" refers to a whole lot more than just waste or things being thrown off. One could litter a room with meaningful books or clothes. (I did, back then). However, I'm discussing mainstream litter on our street corners and parks. according to scienceleadership, the biggest source of litter around the globe is cigarette butts. as small and benign as they look, they can be very dangerous. Cigarette butts contain harmful chemicals, including arsenic, that can contaminate water and soil.

Also, Due to increased economic activities couples with swift urbanization, waste generation has increased correspondingly. Tons of junks and nonbiodegradables like Cans, Plastics, Nylons, etc, are making it hard to see the beauty of our nation fully revealed.

Why do people litter?

People always come up with excuses as to why they litter. and obviously we ain't getting tired of giving excuses anytime soon. Some of these lame excuses, and the "justification" they have at the back of their minds could include:

• Laziness to use the trash can. – I mean seriously, dude, it's like a metre away from your sitting position.

• Unavailability of trash can. - So there lol...

• The place is already messed up. – Heck, why should I even care.

• The trash can is filled up. – So I guess I'll just leave this here.

• It's just a small piece of trash. – Don't worry, it's too small to be noticed.

Aside from the disgusting look they give to locations, litters affect us (humans), animals and plants in ways we might not really be taking note of. It can result in an adverse destruction of lives, properties and the environment.

Below are some pictures to prove how bad it could get. I had a friend from one of the campuses in Nigeria, take these pictures and send to me

_{This is supposedly a street}

_{The front of an apartment building for studentsl}

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Effects on Humans

For the record, we're the ones responsible for non biodegradable wastes in our planet.

image source

• Litters can serve as a breeding place for microorganism, pests and insects, they get easier access to our food and water thereby polluting them. Also, the waste products decomposes and pollute our soil – which is one of the many ways our food crops are polluted.– We all know intake of polluted substances will lead to diseases.

• Do you know that PET bottles and dropped on highways could lead to accident? How about a banana peel that has not been disposed properly and no one seemed to notice? Or a broken piece of glass lying around the fields where kids play? Littering can cause accidents directly and indirectly; It could be fatal you know? wouldn't it be best to avoid it.

• Also, littering makes us spend more. Yes! The government and other environmental agencies have to spend more money to conduct sanitations and clean-up exercises to reduce littering and reverse its effects. again, I should clearly state that there isn't anything wrong with sanitations, but, why are we spending so much more than we should? The finances that could have been used in another sector is transferred to waste management programs.

• Littering reducing the beauty and tranquility of a place. Think about it for a second, bad sights, foul air, etc. In a way, it really does directly reflect on international relations and tourism in a country. Tourists won't find littered and I'll planned cities interesting, and as such, such a place is being denied economic flow and world recognition. As evidenced across some cities and places in the world, A littered place will affect the businesses in its locations as fewer people would be interested in such businesses.

Effects on Animals

Oxygen?.. No, Death!

• In an aquatic system, large amounts of organic litter will result in an algal bloom (what that means is that we get to see a substantial increase in the amout of algae in that ecosystem.) rapid multiplication of algae in water is very dangerous to aquatic animals as it reduces oxygen content in water and could cause death. Yup, you read that right.

• According to icontrolpopulation.com,, Researches show that earth's source of clean drinking water is down to a meager 2%. that's sobering to think of. Littering pollutes water bodies, resulting in far more than the scare of oxygen being reduced now, but also an increase in the toxicity of the water. Fishes and other sea creatures would pollute their systems when they ingest these toxins. The toxins could cause blood clotting and other severe medical complications in the animals and they most likely would die of poisoning. Thus, decaying underwater to cause even further pollution as well. Toxins in the water would also destroy the plants at the bottom of the pond or ocean and those surrounding the river banks.

Sorry, little help here bro!

_{Little buddy got himself trapped}

• Discarded plastic substances would block the intestines of these animals if taken in, plastics cannot be broken down and so it would lead to their death. Also, animals could get intangled in pieces of plastics, glasses which would result in injury or death from suffocation.

Last week, a child in my neighboorhood almost swallowed a piece of rubber band, while unattended to.

_{Image: Pixabay.com}

• Animals are also susceptible to microbial attacks too. Granted, littering provides a breeding place for microorganism. As these microbes increase, they spread diseases to the animals.

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Effects on the Environment.

_{Source: Pexels.com}

While the dangers littering has to health isn't all too readily noticed until further tests and studies are carried out, Our environment, however, suffers from even the minutest of these habits.

• As earlier stated, littering causes pollution. Litters would produce foul smell after a while. Hence, they reduce the economic value of the environment as more people wouldn't wish to have anything to do with such a dirty and smelly place.

• Some litters are chemical in nature and their effect on the environment is dependent on the amount present. Since its effect might take a while to show (in some cases), we are often surprised by them. From simple digestive problems to chemical intoxication and sudden death by poisoning, We really have a lot of wrongs going on in this regard.

• Litters can aid fire hazards. Some wastes like plastics, papers and nylons are highly flammable which means they can easily ignite and spread fire to other parts of the environment. Lighted matchstick and cigarette studs could serve as sparks that ignite the fire later on.

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_{Source: pixabay.com}
It really could become quite an exhaustive list if I should go on. But I'd rather talk about the solutions than the problem itself.

For one, organizations and recycling companies could get the public excited to be a part of the recycling process. One really cool way they could achieve that is by offering incentives for return of used plastics and bottles.

Regular personal sanitation exercises is encouraged from my end. If everyone would clean their spaces, then I figure every space would be clean.

Also, there is a thing known as the 4R policy

image source

The rules are Refuse, Reuse, Recycle and reduce.

Refuse –This policy says to ignore the tendency and urge to buying new containers (especially when unnecessary) from the market. Rather, it's okay to use the ones still available and in good working condition. Don't buy new items simply because they are pretty.

Reuse – Some of these Cans from soft drinks and stuff could be put to really good use than simply discarding them. One could for example, use them for some decorative works or as pencil stands and vases.

Recycle - Some stuff could still be used a thousand times over without wearing out. One could segregate waste to make sure that recyclables are collected and taken for recycling.

Reduce – Reduce by slowing down the generation of unnecessary waste. Carry your own shopping bag when you go to the market and put all your purchases directly into it (Rajput et al. 2009). Reference

In the end, it all comes down to you and I as individuals. If we see the urgent need to stop dumping refuses indiscriminately, the whole nation and world would be a better place.
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So, if you insisted you've never had talks on littering by friends or family, I suppose this gives insight and light to the topic. There, hope you feel better now.

Thank you for reading.

@annieben

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References:

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