One disgruntled pedestrian came across shards of glass strewn across their walking path at Mission San Luis Park in Tallahassee, Florida. Upon closer look, the pieces of glass showed handwritten words on a once-whole plate, smashed as part of a social media trend to let go of emotional situations and frustrations physically.
Posting to the r/Tallahassee subreddit, the pedestrian expressed their annoyance and concern.


"So I guess there's some trendy thing where you write your frustrations on a plate and then smash it. Which is cool if that makes you feel better, but not if you just leave shards of glass everywhere on a foot path in a public park," the original poster said.
The OP emphasized that the shards of glass posed an extreme risk to pedestrians — especially children — pets, and bikers who use the path. They were shocked at the outright disregard for other people's safety and well-being.
"Plus, you've just left a bunch of non-biodegradable trash in a green space," the OP continued.
Cleaning up broken glass at home is risky enough. The trash being outdoors makes it more dangerous and difficult to clean up.
The immediate thought might be to carefully pick up the shards of glass and consolidate them in a bag to throw in the dumpster. However, this method of discarding broken glass endangers sanitation workers and others who might access the trash, including dumpster divers and wildlife that might rummage through the garbage.
Glass, unlike single-use plastic, is a sustainable material that can be recycled over and over. However, broken glass is a hazard and is typically not accepted at recycling facilities.
The safest way to discard broken glass is to wrap the pieces in a T-shirt and seal it with tape. This way, the shards will not cut anyone who might come into contact with them.
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Unbroken glass, however, can be reused in many ways. One brilliant consumer turned her empty kombucha bottles into spray bottles by adding a spray nozzle. A mom replaced her travel coffee mugs with foolproof empty pasta jars.
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"If you just need to smash something, put the plate in a pillowcase and swing that b**** at a wall!! Sooo satisfying…don't ask how I know. Rage responsibly," one commenter suggested.
"'Rage responsibly' is the coolest phrase I've heard in a minute," another commenter replied.
"They should put a tarp down, break s*** then clean up. Ugh trashy people," a third commenter said.
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