A hiker who shared a frustrating scene of litter at a beloved locale sparked an important conversation about conservation.
"Who is trashing Jordan Lake?" they wrote in the r/NorthCarolina subreddit a couple of years ago. "Sunday morning at my favorite beach spot on Jordan Lake. It's like this every weekend morning. Dirty diapers, cans, shoes, fishing line, corn cobs…scattered everywhere. GROSS!"
The garbage included empty bags of snacks, dirty paper plates and napkins, aluminum cans, and plastic water bottles — even the remnants of a largely uneaten watermelon.
"Sigh. This is why we can't have nice things," one commenter wrote. "The few who ruin it for the rest of us."
Jordan Lake is a reservoir along the New Hope River outside of Raleigh that was completed in 1982, displacing 2,000 people, who may have been underpaid to relocate from their valuable land. Indigenous tribes had lived in the area for 10,000 years.
In November, the remnants of towns rose from the depths of the lake when water levels sank because of a drought.
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The disrespectful behavior of those who left behind the trash had Redditors up in arms, and users noted the area was prone to such abuse. One commenter blamed park rangers for failing to police such misdeeds.
But even with the enforcement power of officials, it's up to all of us to preserve natural beauty and leave no trace of our adventures. Sometimes, this means cleaning up after carelessness, which can set a good example and inspire others to do the same.
The desire to protect rather than exploit nature helps us toward a cleaner — and maybe even plastic-free — future.
In this instance, almost all the litter could have been more responsibly handled. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, food waste is compostable, and disposable bottles and plates can be swapped out for reusable ones. (Try using bamboo plates, cloth napkins, and metal water bottles. Aluminum cups are a thing, too.)
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"It's really a shame!" the poster added in the comments. "We always take trash bags and pick up their garbage first so we can enjoy the spot. Then we leave only footsteps because everyone should be able to enjoy this great resource of ours."
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