Passerby shares photo of upsetting scene found near workplace: 'It's heartbreaking to see this'

A post shared to the r/normanok community drew attention to pollution in an Oklahoma waterway.

The Reddit user, who worked near 24th Avenue and Robinson in Norman, revealed a photo showing dozens of disposable cups, plastic bags, and other debris floating in a creek. The area was near several office buildings and a Sonic restaurant.

"It's heartbreaking to see this local waterway full of garbage," the poster wrote. 

They noted that turtles and fish live in the creek and urged others to be more mindful, saying, "Please take the extra minute to throw your cups in a trash bin."

When we treat natural spaces like dumping grounds, we disrupt the connection between people and their surrounding ecosystems. For residents who find peace walking by a creek or watching wildlife, scenes such as this can be discouraging.

Littering doesn't just harm animals. It hurts shared spaces that belong to everyone.

Commenters echoed frustration with the state of Oklahoma's waterways.

"It's really shameful to me that our state and to a lesser degree our city was founded by rivers, creeks and waterways and yet they are so drained ... and polluted now," one wrote.

Others pointed toward solutions. One user noted that the city leads volunteer cleanups at parks and the lake, adding, "I wonder if they could do other locations."

A third person hoped to see those efforts grow, stating: "Community-led volunteer trash pickups throughout all of Norman should be created and coordinated. I would love to be a part of organizing this."

Small actions, including disposing of cups properly and swapping disposable water bottles for reusable ones, add up. And for those ready to do more, connecting with local cleanup initiatives can make a real difference for waterways such as this one.

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