The Bad Side of Littering and the Projects to Clean the Beaches of Miami

Litter is defined as solid waste that has been displaced, either by wind, traffic, or even water. It travels until it gets caught on something, like a curb or fence[Unk13]. Generally speaking, once litter has been placed somewhere, it invites others to add more to the pile, despite the fines that Florida has in place for such a thing. It impacts people everywhere, from tourists to businesses.

There are many projects out there to help clean up our beaches, but it still doesn't seem to be enough. If more people aren't careful about their littering, it will only get worse. A group called the Environmental Coalition of Miami and the Beaches (ecomb) [ECO10] is one of the wider known groups helping to fight the battle of littering, and describe everything they do and plan to do in as much detail so readers of their site have a better understanding of their advertisements and their projects.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the worse you litter, the worse your punishment. If the waste is less than 15 pounds or 27 cubic feet, and not for commercial gain, it's merely a noncriminal infraction. The fine for this is a civil penalty of $100, and a possible requirement for litter cleanup. If it's over 15 pounds or 27 cubic feet, but under 500 pounds or 100 cubic feet, and not for commercial purposes, it is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, you could be fined up to $1,000, or you could go to jail and be fined. The violator is also required to pick up litter or do some other form of community service. If the littering happened via a vehicle, they violator will also receive a penalty of three points on their driver's license [Nat16].

It's a well-known fact that most everyone litters, it's a habit we've unfortunately picked up as humans. Many places have added in more trash cans, ashtrays, and recycling bins all over their parking lots, parks, and whatnot, to encourage people to litter less, as it appeals to the laziness of humans being today. The easier it is to do something, the more likely we're all going to participate. If we could each just throw our trash away, put bottles in recycling, and/or dispose of our cigarette butts properly, our world would be a cleaner place.

Whether it be in the ocean or on the ground, anything we dispose of improperly is subject to animal attention. Animals are curious, and tend to poke around in the things we leave on the ground. This leads to then getting caught in things, suffocating, chocking, slicing themselves, poisoning themselves, and the list goes on and on. They don't know any better, and it's our job to protect them and keep them safe.

All in all, if we want people to litter less, we have to lead by example. The more people who do the right thing, the more we will have people following what we do. Instead of throwing your trash on the ground, take care of it properly. If everyone throws away just one more thing a day, it makes a difference. Everything we do makes a difference.

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