What We Found While Picking Up Trash At The River #2. Or Is It #3?

Heck I don't know. I've logged so many hours picking up trash this fall that I cannot remember how many times I've done it, done blogged it, and done been annoyed and angry that people give so few craps about this beautiful land.

ANyWAY....

Here's some more of the ridiculous, sad and bizarre sights we have beheld while picking up trash on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.

YOOOOO HOO! We see YOO using the riverfront as YOOR own personal landfill!

Did you see what I did there?

What can I say? I'm an artist. Not a comedian. Er, comedienne? I'm really not too sure.

My litter has a first name-it's O-S-C-A-R...

I got a million of 'em...

Styrofoam. And plastic. Blindingly white. Not even a slight chance that somebody could accidentally leave this stuff behind.

Again, large piece of styrofoam. No way you could miss it as you left the riverside.

Piece of styrofoam that had been around so long it had actually begun to camouflage itself. Cheeky monkey.

What's that? Yes, MORE styrofoam! This styrofoam is masquerading as a habitat for grasshoppers.

At this point in the day, I was really starting to feel like maybe we should just ban styrofoam altogether. And plastic. And fishing line. And beer. And humans.

Hey, Billy Cramer! I found your Dreft bottle!

This was an interesting find. It is a dried out piece of fish carcass. You can see the eye hole there towards the top. Underneath was a stunning set of bones still attached to the skin. The skin was very hard in some places, and quite papery in others, but had no fishy smell. I was pleasantly surprised by all of these observations, as dead animals are not something I spend much time examining. Bones are extremely inspiring, though.

This is the underside of the fish carcass. It is just an absolutely stunning, sculptural network of points and lace and frilly bits and bobs. I never knew bones could be so beautiful. But look there in the middle and what do you see? A little bit of paper. Trash.

You can see it better in this closeup.

I mean, how dang disappointing does it get? I find this beautiful bit of nature's trash and even it has been affected by human trash.

SIGH.

Come on, humans. Stop being so lazy. Put your trash/recyclables in their appropriate receptacles. Is your car so small or cramped that you cannot fit a soda bottle or drink box or bit of styrofoam in it, so that you can take it home to dispose of?

No. It isn't.

We only have one Earth. It really is true, you know. Isn't it better for all of us if we just do our danged part and help keep her clean?

Help put me out of my self-appointed, non-paying, part-time job by picking up after yourself and your offspring, man!

Thank you.