A visit to a wildlife reserve took a frustrating turn for one TikToker after she discovered trash littered across the reserve.
In the video, content creator Toni Payne (@officialtonipayne) points out discarded paper plates, a foil tray, takeaway containers, and even an egg carton — all left behind on the ground.
@officialtonipayne Why do humans like to litter? Why can't they just discard their trash properly? It's not hard! It is annoying
♬ original sound - Toni Payne
"I cannot begin to say the amount of trash that I have walked across just coming here to film today. It is ridiculous," she said in the video.
Toni's video highlights some visitors' disregard for protected spaces. The reserve is a home and sanctuary to a variety of species.
Littering harms both people and the environment and poses serious risks to wildlife and their habitats.
Improper trash disposal can send non-biodegradable waste into habitats, where it endangers wildlife. A bear in Colorado had to be euthanized after getting sick due to plastic waste blocking its digestive tract. There have even been cases of litter trapping animals, causing death.
Plastic waste can take between 20 and 500 years to decompose, per the United Nations. Plastic straws, for example, can take up to 200, according to WWF.
Even then, plastic waste doesn't completely disappear. It simply breaks down into microplastics, which can get carried away into rivers and oceans and threaten marine animals.
Some cities and parks have adopted policies and methods to help curb littering. Windsor, Ontario, distributed bins with special locking mechanisms to discourage people from rummaging through trash and businesses from overfilling their bins.
Khao Yai National Park in Bangkok, Thailand, on the other hand, took a bolder approach — mailing litter back to tourists in an effort to shame and discourage them from littering.
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Definitely 👍 Individuals can also help by talking about climate with family and friends to promote responsible behavior in natural settings.
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Taking local action by advocating for better wildlife protection policies or engaging in local environmental efforts like clean-up drives can help keep the planet a safer and cleaner place for humans and wildlife.
Many commenters expressed their outrage and disappointment toward people for being careless when it comes to disposing of their trash.
"Leave no trace! Humans can be so disappointing," one TikTok user said. Another added, "Leave the place cleaner than you found it."
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