I found a drug can on the side of the road while picking up trash with my kids!!
By brokentia
@brokentia (10389)
United States
December 14, 2006 5:24pm CST
Each day I walk my children home from school. My high schooler walks with us also. While we were walking, we all noticed how much trash there was all around. So as a family, we decided to make a difference by picking up the trash each day filling a WalMart bag on the way home.
Of course I have rules for them to keep them safe...but this was one thing I guess I did not think we would come across...it is not as if we live in a bad nighborhood. We will not let this stop us from cleaning up the neighborhood. But it is something that I will make sure we are more cautious of.
Do you think it should stop others from cleaning up the trash on the side of the road?
Do you liter? How do you feel about throwing something out your window when you are driving? Would this be something you would think someone would throw out their car window?
Please know that I am a good parent and do not want to be critized. I teach my children knowledge of dangers to better avoid it in the future. This just happened to be the lesson of the day.
12 people like this
38 responses
@crosschk (818)
• United States
14 Dec 06
My car is a mess because I don't toss anything out of the window. I used to when I smoked, but then it was only the butts (Still Bad I know)
As far as keeping cleaning, I would say you should. Its important to keep the environment clean
As far as the can goes, I've done that myself a time or two in my youth
2 people like this
@killailla (1301)
• Canada
15 Dec 06
thanks for sharing with us! It is great that you are going this, and even better that your kids are getting involved, it is such a shame that people are so ergh i dont even know the word lol i am mad that someone would leave this lying around
2 people like this
@magikrose (5429)
• United States
15 Dec 06
Ewww that is nasty to think that people just dont care like that. My van is 1 big garbage because I refuse to throw things out my window. I do need to clean it out but I will have my garbage can outside with me when I do. I wish I had the ability wo walk my kids to school and pick up the garbage along the way to help try to make a diffrence. Unfortunately I have a medicle condition that limits my movement so I drive my kids.
2 people like this
@Lushlie (572)
• United States
15 Dec 06
I just wanted to commend you on your great effort to clean up the enviroment! Way to go! There needs to be a bunch more people just like you. It is great that your kids are doing this with you, it's teaching them so many great things. I agree with the above posting however that maybe you should get some gloves to wear. I would hate to hear that you or one of your kids got hurt while doing such a great thing for your community.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
16 Dec 06
I have nylon gloves...the only problem is that some of the hands are too small for the gloves. But we are working on it. Thank you for your concern and encouragement!!! :)
@sexysilver (928)
• United States
15 Dec 06
I think it's great you & your children are helping clean up your neighbor hood. And an even better parent than some because you are teaching your children ethics.
I have to ask though (just outta curiousity, & not to be rude), but do you put trash w/ trash & recycleables w/ recycleables? I recycle & even pick up other peoples empty cans & it's doesn't add up to much, but enough for a special treat for my kids at the end of the week, or every two weeks, just whenever I feel I collect enough for my husband to recycle & get a little something special for them.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
15 Dec 06
We do recycle cans. We do not have the roadside for all recycleables, but soda cans are something I teach the kids to crush and save. There is a recycle center down the road that takes the aluminum. So, at this point, that is all we are able to recycle. Oh! Except newspapers. There is a recycle dumpster at the library where we can throw them in to be recycled. So we do have two bags when we are walking. One for trash and the other for cans. But this can....it went in the trash! :)
Great question! Glad to hear that you recycle! I wish more people would! But we have to remember baby steps. :)
1 person likes this
@sexysilver (928)
• United States
15 Dec 06
Yeah I agree, that can did deserve the trash pile :)
I don't think we have a newspaper recycling center here.
Where I grew up in Cali we could recycle cans (aluminium), tin, paper, glass, all of it. So I was kinda disappointed.
1 person likes this
@anjalisk2005 (1492)
• India
15 Dec 06
good job dear!! seeing u do that i think people will who littet will feel ashamed and stop littering around.even i our neighbourhood we started this cleaning campaign.and it was sucessful.say for about 80%.but there are still 20% who cannot not b changed no matter how much u advise them.they are just impossible and set bad examples in the soceity.any way our neighbourhood is far cleaner than any.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
15 Dec 06
That is wonderful to read that you neighborhood does this!!!
It is far better to have a group effort. Congrats!
1 person likes this
@wathanjim (2214)
• United States
15 Dec 06
Be careful.Wear gloves while picking up trash.Feel lucky that it was nothing more serious.There are things out there that We dont even know about.
1 person likes this
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
16 Dec 06
That's so nice of you to teach them such a thing. Keep doing what you do to help keep our environment clean. And thanks for doing that. I think we should all do something like that to help our environment as well.
@cizmapiele (349)
• Finland
15 Dec 06
I think the job you do with your family :
1. puts in danger your family;
2. it should be done by the town - if it is from the street, or by the property owner - if it is by the street, I mean there were people can walk.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
15 Dec 06
Again, if you would have read the whole thing, I stated I did not want to be critized.
1.Obviously the city does not take care of it.
2. There are rules for safety.
3. I see everything they pick up because they do it one at a time.
4. I care and am cautious.
1 person likes this
@josan181237 (1204)
• Philippines
15 Dec 06
how nice of you to clean up your neighborhood. the more you do it, the more people will be conscious in throwing their trash. you're doing great! keep it up! ;)
@nhtpscd (1416)
• Australia
15 Dec 06
Well I had an experience a little worse than the original posted. I picked up 3 of my kids from school one afternoon and between the school and the carpar which is in a church grounds I found a full yellow sharps bin At the bottom of a childs slippery slide. Luckily I carry rubber gloves in the care so I picked it up walked back to the schools office to arrange proper disposal.
1 person likes this
@nhtpscd (1416)
• Australia
16 Dec 06
I dont throw my trash out the window and have taught my kids not to also. I am amazed daily on the number of projectiles comming out of car windows during peak hour. My kids always participate in clean up days at school and clean up australia day. I am also shocked on the number of people using charity bins and surrounds as tips sites. and also the amount dumped at local kids parks. Completely hate it!!!
1 person likes this
@babs6219 (153)
• United States
15 Dec 06
Wow, that's scary. Kudos on teaching your children to be responsible for the earth! I don't litter...I don't even know how anyone dignifies it a acceptable. I guess some people just don't think about it.
But since you're doing this five days a week, maybe you might consider everyone wearing latex gloves? You never know what's beside the can you're picking up....hiding in the grass. Good luck!
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
15 Dec 06
I can't wear latex due to allergy...I have have seriously thought about getting them the nylon kitchen gloves. The only problem is...they don't make them for small hands.
The ages range from 5 yrs to 14 yrs. So the little ones would be able to fit the gloves. But I have thought about it too! If you can think of anything else to use that would fit little hands, I am open for suggestions. :)
1 person likes this
@Faye88 (1009)
• Singapore
15 Dec 06
In my country if you are caught littering by the environment officer you will be fine or being order to do services(pick up garbage with a bright yellow jacket that you can see afar-people know you throw litter and get caught when they see that).So I do not anyhow throw my rubbish.
1 person likes this
@arvee17 (730)
• Philippines
15 Dec 06
i don't like to throw garbages outside. but my car is a bit messy because i don't throw most of the garbages outside. i want my husband to clean it though... anyways, most people don't care too much about our environment and will just do whatever they please.
in singapore, they don't allow litter bugs on the street. they even have some sort of penalty for people who litter. that is why their country is the cleanest country in the whole world. i wish everyone could be the same!
@JustSimplyLissa (547)
• United States
15 Dec 06
It sounds like your a good parent teaching your kids good values.
I don't like to litter.. And When I stop I take the garbage out of my car with me and put it in the trash cans..
I'm sorry that your kids had to see something like that.
1 person likes this
