 
DEP Secretary David
E. Hess recently had the opportunity to sit
down with the Litterbug to discuss the insect’s
nasty habit of dropping trash everywhere he
visits. |
Secretary:
Let's get right to it. Litterbug, why do you
litter?
Litterbug:
Why not?
S: Why
not? Many Reasons!
L: Name
One! It’s fun, convenient and it doesn’t
hurt anything.
S: Really?
Did you know that littering is a fire hazard
and that every 12 minutes a fire starts in
litter?
L: Big
deal, I don’t cause those fires. I don’t
even smoke!
S: That
may be, but you contribute to the mess that
feeds that fire.
L: Okay,
I’ll give you that one, so I’ll
only toss stuff that biodegrades, like fruit.
What will that hurt?
S: Did
you know that it takes two years for fruit
to biodegrade?
L: Well...
then... it will feed hungry animals.
S: It
probably harms more animals than it feeds.
Thousands of animals are injured or killed
trying to get to food littered along highways.
L: Really?
Well, by littering I am creating jobs for
people!
S: Actually,
you are costing Pennsylvania money. Without
volunteers, we would spend more than $50 million
a year for litter cleanup. Cleaning up litter
costs about nine times more than it costs
to collect trash from public and private trash
receptacles.
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L:
Okay, okay, but one small wrapper here and
there isn’t going to matter. It’s
so small, who will notice?
S: All
it takes is one piece, and then another and
another. . . The next thing you know, birds
are choking on paper, accidents are happening
from people throwing trash from their car
windows, people are catching diseases from
the rats that thrive in litter and...
L: Alright,
I get it. You shouldn’t litter ANYTHING!
S: Exactly!
L: But
I’m not the only Litterbug. What about
other people who litter?
S: Call
the litter hotline! If you see any kind of
littering — uncovered trucks, political
signs or advertisements on utility poles or
trees, abandoned vehicles, tire piles or just
plain tossing of trash — call 1-888-LITTERBUG.
We’ll catch those litter bugs and stop
them in their tracks.
L: Cool.
I guess littering isn’t as much fun as
I thought.
S: No.
But now that you understand why littering
is unhealthy for the environment,
you can make a difference in keeping Pennsylvania
beautiful.  |
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ver watch helplessly as someone in the car ahead
of you tosses trash out the window? Well you’re
not helpless anymore!
Call the Highway Litter Reporting
Hotline. Simply take down the vehicle’s license
plate number, a brief description of the vehicle,
where and when it happened and call 1-888-LITTERBUG.
The owner of the car will receive a letter indicating
that he or she was caught in the act of littering,
accompanied by information on why littering is bad
for the environment and a litter bag for the car
to discourage future littering. Learn More:
www.GreenWorks.tv
(GreenWords “Litter Prevention”)
or www.litterbug.org.
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 hat
happens to that cigarette butt after it’s casually
flicked out the car window, onto the street or into
the woods? Wind and rainwater typically break down
the cigarette, releasing the toxic chemicals the
cigarette filter is designed to trap and allowing
those chemicals to leak out into aquatic ecosystems,
threatening water quality and aquatic life. Cigarette
butts may seem small, but with an estimated 4.5
trillion butts littered every year, the toxic chemicals
add up! Learn More: www.GreenWorks.tv
(GreenWords “Litter Prevention”) or
www.litterbug.org.
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 s
there an unsightly litter problem in your area?
The Litter CLEARinghouse can help. Now available
through the Litterbug Hotline (1-888-LITTERBUG),
the Litter
Clearinghouse (Community Litter Education and Action
Resources) has the
tools you need to fight litter in your neighborhood
or community. From customized litter-removal advice
and assistance in organizing community cleanups
to notifying municipalities and agencies when necessary,
the Pennsylvania Resources Council and the Litter
Clearinghouse empower Pennsylvanians to put a stop
to litter. Just call 888-LITTERBUG to report pesky
litter problems. Learn More: www.GreenWorks.tv
(GreenWords “Litter
Prevention”) or
www.litterbug.org.
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 o
combat illegal dumping and littering, PA CleanWays
has organized volunteers across 18 counties. Through
dumpsite cleanups, “adoption” programs
and specialty recycling events, PA CleanWays is
clearing out the messes that already exist and helping
to prevent new ones from starting. “People
– A Solution to Waterway Pollution” is
one video among many educational materials that
PA CleanWays offers. The video explains how litter
and trash are polluting our waters and demonstrates
how people can help reduce these problems. Learn
More: Watch
the video online at www.GreenWorks.tv (GreenWords
“PA CleanWays”). Check #4 on your
Free Stuff Card (page 7)
for information about volunteering with PA CleanWays
or the Forest Lands Beautification Program.
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 bandoned
tire piles are not only ugly, but they are
a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Also a fire
hazard, tire piles can burn
for weeks, causing rubber to decompose into
oil, which may pollute ground and surface
water. So, next time you buy a set of new
wheels, don’t dump your old tires; leave
them with your retailer where they can be
recycled.
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Pennsylvania companies turn used tires into
all sorts of useful products, including buckets,
No Tire Tossing! shoes, mousepads, dustpans
and lots of other great products. |
When you change your tires,
make a change for the better. Help protect
the environment and beautify your community
by leaving used tires with the retailer where
they can be recycled. Learn More:
www.state.pa.us,
PA
Keyword: “Waste
Tires.”
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