Litter has been found in every corner of the globe, from oceans and remote islands to polar regions. Some shocking footage shared by a woman on TikTok highlighted that no environment goes untouched by human trash, even ones that are hard to reach.
Filming from the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana, TikToker franziska (@ecofran) shared her frustration at being able to find trash left by people inside the wildlife refuge. “The litter out here never ceases to amaze me,” Franziska wrote.
Finding lots of trash is even more frustrating in this area because it is quite remote and only accessible by boat, meaning fewer tourists. Yet despite this, all sorts of garbage could be found in the marsh, including a basketball that had been left behind.
Garbage littering the environment is a common problem and one that can cause all sorts of issues. Lots of this garbage is made of materials like plastic, which can contaminate the soil and water with harmful chemicals and microplastics as it breaks down. These chemicals and microplastics can then enter the groundwater or be ingested by animals, ultimately ending up in the food chain.
According to the UN Environment Programme, one-third of all plastic waste ends up in soils or freshwater, which is bad news for human health and the health of the planet.
Garbage can also cause other issues for wildlife. Sometimes, garbage can be mistaken for food and ingested by the animals, which can be a threat to their life. Additionally, some animals have become trapped in thrown-away items such as plastic containers and packaging.
The best way to prevent this from happening is to take your garbage home, where it can be disposed of properly. The issues can be further reduced by getting to know about recycling programs in your area and reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills. This helps to reduce the amount of garbage that accidentally ends up in the environment during the transportation process, further protecting our wild habitats.
People in the comments were outraged by what Franziska found. One commenter wrote, “It’s so sad!”
While another thanked the woman for her work, writing, “Thank you for all of your work, it’s very inspiring.”
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