If it's not your garbage, who's is it?

Littering is a huge pet peeve of mine, and I've heard ALL the excuses, 

I took this photo in an open 
field by a truck stop along
the freeway. Even though I
tried to keep the litter out
of the shot, you can still see
it all along the ground.

"Gives others something to do.", "What they say about garbage piling up is eco-fiend lies.", "It's not my responsibility.", "Everybody does it.", etc. None of those excuses excuse you from your responsibility. 

I'm not talking about keeping the Earth clean, I'm talking simple responsibility. If I grab your newly bought candy bar, you'd accuse me of stealing. I mean you paid for it, right? It is your property. But once there is only the packaging left, suddenly it doesn't belong to you anymore. No longer your responsibility. Garbage. And, yet, it IS still yours and your responsibility.

Ever complained about finding 'garbage' on your lawn, stuck to your car, on your front step? Pisses ya off, right? Yet it doesn't stop you from doing the same thing. Ever had your kid hurt them self on a broken bottle, piece of discarded metal, step on a used diaper or sanitary napkin? Yet that doesn't curb your littering tendencies, either. 

Let's be real folks, you are just plain lazy. Good ole fashioned, and becoming quite famous, American laziness. 

Don't you dare give me any of your excuses, "I didn't know the wind would blow it out the back of the pickup truck.", "There is no such thing as non-biodegradable.", "Isn't that what immigrants are for?", "I can't afford my trash bill so I figure those do-gooder, adopt-a-road people will take care of it.", "Everybody does it.", blah, blah, blah. And let's not leave our lovely smokers out. Flicking that butt is just as bad. Why it's reflex isn't it? You don't even give it a moments thought do you? Spreading your DNA around the world like some kind of lazy way to mark your territory. Why don't you just spit instead? At least that IS biodegradable. No, instead you want people to remember you every time they see a Marlboro filter on the sidewalk, in the road, floating in the lake, tracked into their house, picked up by their kid, in a pile next to a bar door... "Why look honey. Pink lipstick. Lisa must have been here!" 

So how do you train your lazy ass self not to litter? Having some respect for your own self helps. Then realize that even when the contents are done, the packaging is STILL your property and your responsibility. Lastly, have some common courtesy and decency for those around you. I'm not asking for your respect. Hell, I don't even know you. Just walk those few extra steps to put garbage where it belongs is all anyone is asking of you and all other litterers of the world.