Stop Littering

Cans, bottles, plastic bags, and other litter have been increasing in communities. Litter creates a problem that should not be a part of the future. Littering harms the community; it has to stop.

To begin with, littering contributes to higher costs for taxpayers. This happens because of the increased need for manpower to collect and dispose of the litter. According to Keep America Beautiful Inc., “Litter charges the U.S. 11.5 billion dollars each year.” Greenecoservice states, “Workers being hired means the raising of taxes.” Littering costs money and indirectly affects the citizen’s wallet.
Along with clean-up crew wages, the build-up of litter on the streets causes the real estate values of our community to plunge downward. When litter resides on the ground, it cannot biodegrade which causes it to collect. 100% of the informal survey participants agree that litter build up brings down real estate values. The result of the survey in English class reflects the importance of this real estate dilemma caused by litter. While the 4th block English class reports problems connecting litter and real estate, so does Greenecoservices by stating, “Houses for sale in littered neighborhoods usually don’t get the best prices and owners lose money.” Littering challenges the real estate business, so it must stop immediately.

Taking into account that littering costs money, it also endangers the lives of inhabitants in our community. “Every year there are numerous vehicle accidents caused by litter. People in these accidents are injured and sometimes even killed in their attempts to avoid litter in the roadways,” says Greenecoservice, “Young children fall on litter in playgrounds, get cut and need medical attention.” Revealed through my personal experience, it has harmed not only people, but also animals. My Labrador Retriever Boo died from a complication of the digestive system called “twisted stomach” inflicted by consuming road-side trash. These tragedies have impacted lives around the globe because of the ignorance of litterers.
Taking into account the overwhelming increase of litter where you live, it has to halt. Littering costs money, harms real estate business, and endangers the lives of inhabitants in this community; however, it can be prevented through education. The more people that acknowledge the facts and effects of littering, the less they will engage in this harming act.