A nature-lover recently had to vent about something especially irritating to the r/hiking community on Reddit.
"Anyone else get pissed off with seeing plastic sculptures and garden ornaments on walking trails in a nature trail?" wrote the original poster. "I was wondering why people think this is cute or fun to bring their garbage into a walking trail where nature is beautiful on its own."
The poster described how they had seen painted rocks, troll houses nailed to trees, and large plastic turtles next to the trail. Sadly, this isn't an isolated incident. Other hikers have stumbled upon trees given the full Christmas treatment along trails.
While this kind of decoration is well-meaning, it produces the same risks as illegal dumping, which also introduces plastic items to natural habitats. This is all on top of the everyday litter public trails are already subjected to.
Wherever it comes from, plastic waste poses an immediate safety hazard to wildlife inhabiting natural areas. Abandoned fishing lines are particularly lethal. Worse still, over time these objects shed particles which find their way into human food supplies.
When we ingest microplastics, they can increase a wide range of digestive, renal, circulatory, immune, endocrine, neurological, and reproductive risks, according to a growing body of research.
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Those who are genuinely interested in beautifying shared natural spaces can pour that energy into local volunteer groups, which help groom paths and fight off invasive plants. When exploring nature, practice "leave no trace" principles and know what to do with your plastic items.
Reddit commenters were able to relate to the original poster's gripe of plastic items along hiking trails.
"It's litter. It doesn't belong," said one community member.
"I don't even like the painted rocks. People need to keep that nonsense in their own gardens, not out in nature," replied another.
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