Hiker raises alarm after finding disturbing signs of neglect along popular forest trail: 'It's a shame'

An outdoor enthusiast shared a Reddit post showing an unfortunately regular occurrence in nature.

The post reveals a photo of a plastic container that once held a THC product. It was left in the middle of a hiking trail.

"The amount of litter I see while hiking is so depressing. I get wanting to have a nice smoke while enjoying the wilderness, but let's please pick up our trash people," the OP wrote.

Luckily for the forest where this happened, the user had brought a bag to collect trash, knowing others would not extend similar environmental courtesy.

Littering is illegal across the United States, with most states having banned it by the 1970s. As single-use plastic became increasingly popular, though, littering has grown into a major issue.

According to a Keep America Beautiful study, 23.7 billion pieces of litter were found along U.S. roads in 2020. While this was a significant decrease from the decade prior, it's still alarming.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

Newer products, including the one featured in the post as well as vapes and other disposable smoking gadgets, are among the recent generation of litter. Many hikers have shared stories of vape trash invading public spaces, such as cluttering a community trash bin. Furthermore, these products are made of more than just planet-polluting plastic; they contain toxic chemicals that can seep into the environment and water.

Drivers have even found their car tires damaged by littered vapes. These products harm lungs and are dangerous for the world and the people who inhabit it.

"I take a trash bag with me and pick up as much as I can," one commenter said.

While this sentiment is useful in helping keep Earth clean, the OP shared their disappointment in having to go above and beyond when others could have respected nature in the first place. "Myself and the environment thank you," they wrote. "It's a shame that we have to constantly be picking up after other people. Thankfully there are still those of us who care."