GARBAGE & LITTER RANT

[flyfishergirl]

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On a recent fishing trip, i was taken to an area on the side of a beautiful river that had what can basically be described as a self made dump. These photos sickened me. I cannot fathom that people can feel good about themselves or even sleep at night when they decide to trash the environment by dumping used appliances, tires and machinery. Cowards!!!

I might add that this is occurring in a town that has two FREE dumps. Yes, you read that right.

Do you have any sort of similar problems on your waters? Do you see any way to correct or curb the problem? Do you think this is more prevalent in certain economic levels in regard to household income?

And, what do you think the legal consequence should be?

#@$%$%$%$#@&^&^*I*%#@$$!@^%$&&^%%$^$#%$@!@#

[kjsteelhead]

I hear banjos!

Unfortunately, I've seen this type of thing in almost every state, province, country, I've been to.

Idiots.

[flyfishergirl]

Yes, sadly - you are right. On both opinions. I am not for calling people names, but a few choice ones that i won't type in here certainly come to mind!

[riorose]

Got back on the river for the first time yesterday for a half day walk/wade in a very special tract of National Forest that recently won legislation to protect it from Natural gas exploration. It is closed most of the year to protect the elk who calve their young along the stream. It's a beautiful place, one of the few places you can catch Rio Grande Cutthroats anymore, and the best office a gal could ask for. I've been going there since it opened in 1980 (my second year of life). Yesterday I came upon a whole picnic left by the stream-not just food, (pasta salad, tamales, hot dogs) but also bottles of Heinz ketchup, plastic utensils, bun bags, beer and soda cans. Napkins draped the flowered bushes nearby. This is not the first time I've see dirty displays like this, but it gets me every time. Who are these people?

On a trip to Morocco some years ago, traveling by Volkswagen Rabbit (it had been souped up to withstand the six foot sand drifts of Mauritania and was destined for Senegal), I saw a mountain in the distance. As we drew closer, I could make out many different colors on its slopes; whites, pinks, yellows and blues. I found it beautiful and imagined a mountain made of flowers out here in the desert. We were headed for a waterfall that was supposed to be a hidden locals oasis near there, so I guess flowers weren't too far fetched. But of course the mountain wasn't made of flowers. Up close it was covered only in stunted brown bushes, but these were all adorned with tattered plastic bags waving in the wind. In every hue, a mountain made entirely of trash. I was heartsick long after it faded from view.

[flyfishergirl]

Hey Rio,

Loved your rant.

I think that we humans are sad. Really. I mean, as a culture, can we all be so unobservant? Really? Is it as possible and obvious as it is? Guess it is...

I cannot fathom not only leaving garbage behind but purposely dumping it, but lots of people treat the outdoors as an adventure, one to 'party, party' in, while leaving behind all momentos of modern day society.

While out in the 'middle of nowhere', i observe heli's and people that now and then show up, and they bring with them garbage. Usually a lot of it. Left over soup, salad and food peels thrown over a log (in the middle of the bush it is rather disturbing), cigar wrappers, and misc. 20+ mono all over the place (these 'sort' of folks don't fly fish in my general opinion). It makes me sick.

City or not, wtf?

How can people sleep at night, doing this sort of thing? In the pics posted, we observed a full set of mustard, ketchup and relish...guess they were in a hurry to get rid of the old fridge.

Gak.

As it always seems...society in a hurry.

I don't want to participate...one of the reasons i fly fish...i guess to get away from all of that.

Your story reminded me of a time when i first cooked for 'a lodge'. A mountain of garbage made up the cliff outside. It was decorated very well, with many colors and shapes, and it made me sad to know it would not only never get dealt with, but most likely would grow.

Ugg.

Excuse me if i sound cheesed off, i just get passionate about fly fishing and conservation.

[fflutterffly]

People who do this type of thing come from everywhere. I see this type of activity on all the rivers with easy access near largely populated cities. After the los angeles river floods each year the trees are covered with plastic shopping bags. Summer brings out a special kind of people from the Kings to the Kern. The local small streams are strewn with baby diapers and all their content. What are people thinking.

In terms of trash I'd like to find an envelope tucked forgotten in one of the bags near the appliances and return all that stuff in the middle of the night! Now that's a gift!

Funding aside, if this is a familiar dumping area I'd like to see motion activated cameras placed high in the trees and get a few choice snaps.