Asahikawa American English Conversation School
丂
Damn Litterbugs
偛傒億僀幪偰
A damn litterbug, is a person who has the habit of putting trash where it doesn乫t belong. Such people do things like throwing cigarette butts out of the windows of their cars. Why? Because it is much easier than bending down, and putting it out in the ashtray. About the same effort which is required to push a button on their CD player.
Another example of a damn litterbug is a person who takes a box lunch and a bottle of juice with them when they go hiking or camping, and then after they have consumed the contents, just leave the trash laying out on the ground in the great outdoors.
I don乫t get it. A can or a bottle, is much heavier when full of liquid than when it乫s empty. If you were strong enough to carry it into the campground, then why are you too weak to carry it out again???
I just don乫t get it.
The problem must be laziness and lack of consideration for other people and the environment. What else could be the possible motivation for such reckless behavior?
I have also seen people throwing empty cans and bottles from the windows of cars, or while riding their bicycles. Why they do this is a mystery to me.
I don乫t know for sure, but the problem seems to be bigger in Japan than it is in the USA. Before I came to Japan, I had never seen such things as the following:
While climbing along a rocky beach near Otaru and looking for a place to go snorkeling, I came upon the remains of a barbecue party. The damn litterbugs who had the party left everything laying right there on the rocks next to the sea. There were empty PET bottles and cans, Styrofoam trays and plastic wrap, even the barbecue set itself. It was unbelievable! It made me very angry.
Another example. One day when I was driving my car across the Chubetsu Bridge here in Asahikawa, the driver of the car in front of me, suddenly threw an empty milk pack from the window of his car. Why?!?!? Couldn乫t he have waited until he got home and then put it into the trash can?
There乫s more. I often ride my bicycle at night. One of my favorite courses is to ride to the top of Kannon Dai and go to the ski-lift terminal at the top of the Inosawa Ski Ground. One night, while I was standing there and looking at the wonderful night view, a car pulled up and stopped its engine. I could hear the faint sound of talking from inside the car. About five minutes later I heard the door open, and the sound of trash being thrown out onto the ground. When the car left, I went to take a look. There on the ground were the remains of two Happy Meals from McDonalds. What??? Doesn乫t it take less effort to just drive away with the trash and then throw it away at home?
One more unforgettable incident. One hot summer乫s night I was sitting by the banks of the Biei River in Kagura near the Ryoshin Bridge. Behind me, a group of young people were playing with fireworks and enjoying themselves. I thought to myself, 乪I wish I was young again乫. Then the next day, when I was riding my bicycle on the cycling road in the same area, I saw a huge amount of trash laying all over the lawn where their party had been the night before.
Another observation. During the winter when I was beginning to walk across the Chubetsu Bridge I saw a guardman who was supervising a snow removal operation throw an empty can of hot coffee in the direction of the river. Why???
As bad as this seems, it gets even worse. If you have spent much time riding a bicycle or walking along the many wonderful paved cycling roads which are located all around this beautiful city, you may have observed several places where large-sized items have been dumped along the river banks. I乫m talking about things such as old bicycles, tires, sofas, washing machines, even automobiles!
I realize that it costs extra money to dispose of large-sized waste, but think of the future of the environment. If not for yourself, then at least for your children.
I could go on and on, but what乫s the point? The message is clear. There are too many damn litterbugs in Japan, and everywhere else in the world for that matter. But let乫s not forget. We must respect the environment that feeds and clothes us. Remember, every bite of food that you eat, and every bit of clothing that you wear on your back is a gift from MOTHER EARTH. Respect your mother, the earth.
You have no place else to live.
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