Employees who care for Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee have had just about enough of people dumping their trash in the woodland.
After one forest worker had to go to the hospital after being cut while dealing with discarded debris, officials have reminded locals and tourists of their responsibilities when visiting areas of outstanding natural beauty.
"The cost for disposal can be up to 100 times more than if a person went and disposed of it properly because we have to treat it as hazardous waste in many cases where it may be something that an individual could dump through their their regular trash services," Christopher Joyner, public affairs officer for Cherokee National Forest, told WVLT News.
Joyner also noted that depending on the trash dumped in the area, the punishment can range from a fine to imprisonment.
"Usually it's going to be a mandatory court appearance in federal court if the person is dumping trash on their national forest," Joyner added.
In addition to the harm it could cause to those charged with cleaning up illegal dumping, the piles of waste could lead to significant environmental damage, too.
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Inappropriate disposal can result in harmful chemicals and substances seeping into soil, which could damage plant life and prevent future growth. Meanwhile, items made of non-degradable materials like plastic persist in the environment for years, impacting animal habitats and potentially leading to small, non-digestible parts being ingested by creatures — resulting in sickness or even death.
It's also unsightly. While this might not have as drastic implications as the former two issues, it still means that visitors can't enjoy the outdoors or connect with nature in the way they should be able to.
Abusing nature by dumping trash is hugely disrespectful and sets a bad example. Green spaces and the animals that live there should be protected or else we all suffer the consequences.
For example, if plant life can't grow in its native habitat due to piles of garbage, that could reduce the number of pollinators, which are considered to be responsible for around 75% of the world's crop supply.
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A lack of tree growth because of polluted soil also means vital natural processes that capture and store carbon are reduced. As a result, more planet-warming gases remain in the atmosphere, leading to longer and more intense extreme weather conditions that can threaten human life.
Whether it's an empty plastic water bottle or a truck bed full of trash, be sure to dispose of your waste properly — and recycle when you can — for the sake of the planet.
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