source ⟩ hypertext ⟩ public ⟩ misrule ⟩ 2021 ⟩ trash ⟩ en.pug

//- meta
	slug: "misrule/2021/trash"
	lang: en
	title: "Walking and picking up trash will benefit *you* personally — Quinn Casey"
	description: "I normally walk at an incredibly brisk pace. I have found a zen to slowing down to A) pick up the garbage and B) turn around slowly and admire the clean patch."
	pageCreated: "2021-12-20"

extends ../../21.pug

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		h1, h2, h3, h4 {
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	h1 Walking and picking up trash will benefit <em>you</em> personally
		span.credit: a(href="//quinncasey.com") Quinn Casey

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	h2#1-forces-you-to-walk-slower 1. Forces you to walk slower
	p
		| I normally walk at an incredibly brisk pace. I have found a zen to slowing down to 
		span.all-sc A)
		|  pick up the garbage and 
		span.all-sc B)
		|  turn around slowly and admire the clean patch.
	h2#2-a-pass-to-roam-in-less-than-public-land 2. A pass to roam in “less-than-public” land
	p
		| I’m not talking about hopping a fence into someone’s farmland. There are areas in the 
		span.uppercase US
		|  that are legally private property, but in practice are wild, unused spaces.
	p For a rule-follower like myself it’s a “you know it when you see it”. Some real life examples of property I regularly trespass on and cleanup:
	ul
		li
			| A paved sidewalk that ends onto an 
			span.all-sc HOA
			|  stormdrain, with well trodden dirt paths throughout.
		li Government / Utility company land
		li Land beside train tracks, under bridges, and on maintenance roads
	p Picking up trash adds a layer of innocence to your case when pleading ignorance of your trespassing. Even if you are never confronted, it may help immerse you and ease your law-abiding mind.
	h2#3-repeated-hikes-are-prettier-than-the-last 3. Repeated hikes are prettier than the last
	p
		| Paths you roam frequently will be cleaned faster than they accumulate garbage, and there comes a point where the space looks 
		em natural
		| , untouched by human kind. In my opinion, having those wild spaces close to where we live is essential to mental health.
	h2#4-an-excuse-to-go-for-longer-hikes 4. An excuse to go for longer hikes
	p I’m stubbornly attached to the (unhealthy) notion that a productive day is a successful day.
	h2#5-a-problem-local-enough-to-solve 5. A problem local enough to solve
	p Where does this trash go when you bring it all back to the bin? Does this encourage more consumption/litter, since the waste isn’t immediately obvious anymore? Is litter even a substantial environmental problem, or is it just aesthetic?
	p I don’t pretend to know the answer to these. These are problems for a society, a larger than life culture. For too many years this was the excuse I used to not care at all. To not take any action whatsoever.
	p What’s the point of helping at all?
	p Well now I’ve found one. (5, if you’ve been keeping count) reasons to take action in a localized, meaningful way.
	p Small but constant effort by everyone is just as impactful as a one off million dollar idea. For true change we need to alter our behavior for the long term.
	p Relax, take a walk. Bring a bag.