ALL ABOUT THE TRASH WE THROW OUT OF OUR CAR

ALL ABOUT THE TRASH WE THROW OUT OF OUR CARS

“Highway to Hell” – sounds like a badass song by ACDC, right? But now picture this: you’re speeding down the highway, and at the end of the road, there’s fire, mountains of trash, and a grinning devil clapping just for you. Sounds dramatic? Welcome to planet Earth, 2024.

We’re racing down the fast lane straight to hell. And it’s not just because of CO₂ emissions heating up the planet like a barbecue. Nope, it’s also because we can’t seem to keep our trash in the car until we reach a proper bin. Over 15% of drivers admit to tossing their rubbish out of the window. Apple cores? Fine, they decompose. But plastic bottles, chewing gum, and plastic bags? Those will stick around for hundreds of years.

THE STORY OF A PLASTIC BOTTLE

You throw a plastic bottle out of the car – no big deal, right? WRONG. Here’s what really happens:

1. The bottle takes a nap. It sits there for weeks, months, or even years. No one picks it up, and no one recycles it.
2. Rain happens. The bottle starts leaking toxic chemicals into the water. This nasty stuff, called leachate, contaminates groundwater, rivers, and soil. Cheers to that!
3. Then it gets worse. The bottle eventually ends up in the ocean. It breaks down into microplastics, and here’s the fun part: fish mistake it for food. They eat it, starve, or die. And those that survive? They end up on your dinner plate, garnished with a side of your very own trash.

Bottom line: Tossing trash out of your car isn’t just a middle finger to the environment – it’s a slow, painful way to poison yourself and the planet.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Honestly, it’s not that hard: Keep your trash in your car! When you pass a bin, throw it away there. Pro tip: trash won’t turn into a monster and eat you alive while it’s sitting in your car. But if you throw it out of the window, it WILL turn into a monster for the planet.

Look at Singapore: they’ve banned littering with fines between $300 and $1,000. Maybe we should all take notes.

BE SMART. BE BETTER. BE DAMN PLASTIC.

• Keep your trash until you find a bin.
• Stop treating the planet like your personal garbage can.
• Make conscious choices – the world will thank you for it.

Damn Plastic says: Tossing trash out of the car is SO last century. Do better. 🌍