What a load of rubbish

I like picking up rubbish. I don't really know why. After all, it's not exactly the most exciting thing to do is it. Some people like to throw rubbish. Out the car window, or leaving it behind after a picnic etc. Just because they don't want the inconvenience of responsibility. Why should they be responsible anyway? Doesn't the world know how important they are! Someone else will pick it up because I am the centre of the universe.

So I was wondering why. Why do I have this underlying compulsion to pick up other people's rubbish, garbage, trash, etc? And it got me thinking about how much I love nature. Or in particular, how being out in nature makes me feel. I love being in the great outdoors, whether it's riding my bike, swimming in the river, walking, lying on the grass in the park, or snoozing in the sand dunes... Nothing brings a clearer perspective and inner peace in to my life like contemplating about things bigger than me, in an environment that is clearly bigger than I am.

And then wham! A McDonald's paper bag rolls in to view and I feel my anger rise. Goodbye inner peace and perspective. Why must people be so lazy, arrogant and selfish?! What's the point of trying to be a better person and helping others if they won't even put their trash in the bin. We live in a beautiful world and it is the pride and arrogance symptomatic of the trash biffers that is the main reason behind the world's problems. (please note that I am judging them, so I am no better!)

anyway...

I'm not saying that dropping rubbish is causing all of our world's problems, even though some environmental problems are a direct result of littering. Such as polluted waterways etc. What I am saying is that the attitude people have when they drop rubbish without caring is what is causing most of the world's problems.

So next time you think about dropping, or leaving rubbish somewhere, consider this. I am making the world an uglier place, both physically of course, but also because of my ugly attitude towards other people. Way to ruin things for the rest of us who just want the world to be a better place.

So it's not that I enjoy picking up rubbish per se, but my attitude when I choose to do it is making the world better for myself and those around me. I reckon that could be why I enjoyed getting detentions at school.