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NOTE:
We must pack it in and pack it out when recreating
in the back country and on our trails. We need to set
the example and show our kids how to be responsible
in our pursuit of motorized and non-motorized recreation.
There
I was, lying in the cupboard, minding my own business
like any good napkin, when this paper plate starts coming
on to me. Oh, she was cute all right, all decked out
in flowers and looking good. But like any single male
napkin, I played hard to get and not interested.
She
kept chatting away, being all flirty, and finally I
started to like the way things were shaping up. Hey,
you never know, she might be the one.
She
kept telling me that we should get together and go on
a date. You know how paper plates can be. Pretty soon
my resistance waned and I gave in to a date. We decided
to give it a shot and I thought that this might just
work out great.
Then,
old what’s-his-face decided to take us on a picnic
out in the woods. He loaded us up in his old truck and
off we went.
Next
thing I know I’m on this picnic table with a bunch
of other paper products and old what’s-his-face
has a bunch of his friends gathered around eating greasy
chicken. But my date is nowhere to be found. I don’t
see her anywhere. Now I figured I’ve been stood
up. You know how paper plates can be.
Well,
old what’s-his-face finished his chicken and wiped
his greasy mug on me then threw me in this clear plastic
trash bag with the rest of the low life trash. By then
I could care less because the possible love of my life
was nowhere to be found.
What’s-his-face
threw us in the back of his rig and we headed for home.
As we pulled out of the woods and onto the pavement,
I saw her. Yes, it was her!
There
she was, stapled to this fence post with a bunch of
writing on her backside and big arrow pointing to our
picnic area. My heart sank. What’s-his-face left
her there, and as we headed down the road I waved good-bye
to her knowing I’d never see her again.
Well,
I guess by now you’ve figured out my message here.
This is something many folks do, not realizing that
leaving paper plates stapled to sign posts and message
boards, is just another symptom of a larger problem
; trail sanitation.
In
our crowded world today, we all must make sure we pack
it in, and pack it out. Leaving trash and waste of any
sort is something we must not do. Our trails are too
precious to lose because of a trash and waste problem.
Leaving
trash only contributes to campaign by the anti-access
folks to mess with our form of recreation. It gives
us a bad image and makes our next outing less enjoyable.
It gives our opponents more ammo to shut us down and
lock us out.
I
am fully convinced that our future lies in not leaving
our past behind. J
Not
only do we taint our image, but I can only imagine the
disgust of the poor USFS or BLM employee who has to
go around every Monday morning and pull down paper plates
(not to mention pick up trash left over in campgrounds
and on trails). It must cost us taxpayers a lot of unnecessary
money.
Human
waste and associated trash are a significant part of
this problem too. For example, on the Rubicon Trail
in one summer period, 35,000 trail users generated 70,000
pounds of human waste. This is an enormous sanitation
issue that we are dealing with.
You
can help. You can pack it out. It’s that simple.
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