A diver posted on the r/DeTrashed subreddit to express their frustration with trash pollution that continues to threaten the safety and beauty of natural lakes and rivers.
"Another dive, another load of trash and treasure out of our lakes and rivers!" the post reads, showing a picture of a diver with a literal bag full of trash.
Items in the bag include watches, sunglasses, golf balls, scissors and pliers, coins, phones, and disposable vapes.
The sheer number of items this diver found is not only disappointing but also a direct threat to the delicate balance of the lake's ecosystem.
The majority of the items found were made from plastic, which does not decompose in nature but instead breaks down into harmful microplastics that, when ingested by animals or humans, are linked to a host of digestive and cognitive issues.
Animals can ingest larger pieces of plastic or become tangled in plastic netting or sacks, and microplastics can leach into soil, directly inhibiting the growth of surrounding plants.
The disposable vapes found are especially a nuisance. Despite laws put in place to better regulate their disposal methods and use among youth, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates that at least 150 million disposable vapes are thrown away yearly. That's the equivalent of about 6,000 Teslas worth of lithium, which is also very harmful to the environment.
Posts like this, calling out instances of plastic litter pollution, are key to raising awareness of the problem and encouraging local action to clean up and better care for the environment. You can also take initiative by using less plastic in your daily life or supporting businesses that have made eco-friendly initiatives of their own.
Other Redditors were frustrated over the river litter. "Man, every time I see those 'disposable vapes' I can't help but reflect on how wasteful and environmentally damaging they are. I hate finding them on clean-ups because I can't just toss them in the garbage but instead have to take them to an electronics waste depot," one user commented under the Reddit post.
Another commenter shared their gratitude, writing, "Thanks for saving the fish and protecting clean water!"
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