My Neighborhood Is Not Your Trash Can

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Ask Velvet Podcast. I'm your host, Velvet, and today we're talking about something that probably frustrates a whole lot of people, especially those of us who actually care about where we live. This morning I stepped outside expecting to enjoy a peaceful moment. Maybe sip my coffee, take a deep breath, and appreciate the neighborhood. Instead, I was greeted by trash, not just one piece of trash, bags, cups, wrappers, bottles, garbage that somebody decided didn't belong with them anymore. So instead of putting it where it actually belongs, they tossed it into my neighborhood and onto my property like somebody else would take care of it. And guess who that somebody ended up being? Me. Now here's the part that really gets me. There is an actual sign that says please do not litter. You can't miss it. It's not hidden, it's not covered up, it's right there. So every time I walk outside and see more trash lying around, I can't help but wonder can people not read or do they simply not care? Because those are really the only two explanations. The sign says don't litter. Yet somehow people still decide that's exactly what they're going to do. I'll be honest, picking up someone else's garbage is not how I wanted to spend part of my day. I didn't wake up thinking you know what would make today perfect? Cleaning up after grown adults. But I did it. Not because it was my mess, not because I enjoyed it. I did it because if I didn't, nobody else was going to. Sometimes taking pride in your neighborhood means doing things you shouldn't have to do. And while that isn't fair, it's better than allowing your community to become a dumping ground. Here's what I've never understood. I'm willing to bet that many other people throwing trash out of their cars would never do that in front of their own homes. They wouldn't toss fast food bags into their own yard. They wouldn't throw bottles onto their own sidewalk. They wouldn't leave garbage where their children play. So why is it okay to do it somewhere else? What makes another person's neighborhood less deserving of respect? Communities don't stay clean by accident. They stay clean because somebody cares enough to protect them. It doesn't take much throw your trash away, keep a small bag in your car if you need to. There are so many options besides tossing it onto someone else's property. Littering may seem like one small act, but one person becomes ten. Ten becomes fifty. Before long, an entire neighborhood starts looking neglected, not because the people who live there don't care, but because other people don't. I believe every neighborhood deserves respect. Whether it's a million dollar community or a working class neighborhood, people deserve to wake up to clean streets. Children deserve to play without stepping over trash. Families deserve to sit on their porches without looking at somebody else's garbage. And that's something worth protecting. I'm proud of where I live. No neighborhood is perfect, but it's home. And I refuse to let people treat my home like it's their personal trash can. Here's my challenge for everyone listening. The next time you're about to throw something out of your car window, don't. Hold on to it. Find a trash can, take it home. It only takes a few seconds to do the right thing. But those few seconds can make a huge difference in someone's neighborhood. If each of us did just that one simple thing, our communities would look completely different. As frustrated as I was while cleaning up that trash, it reminded me of something. We can't always control what other people do, but we can control how we respond. I'll continue taking care of my neighborhood because I love where I live. I'll continue speaking up because somebody has to. And hopefully, conversations like this remind people that respect isn't complicated. Sometimes respect looks as simple as throwing your trash where it belongs. Thank you so much for listening to the Ask Velvet Podcast. If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who takes pride in their community. I'd also love to hear from you. Does your neighborhood deal with littering too? What have you done to help keep your community clean? And before I go, I have one more favor to ask. If you've been enjoying the Ask Velvet Podcast, I would truly appreciate it if you took a few minutes to visit my website at WWW dot Ask Velvet Podcast Seven dot com. That's WWW dot Ask Velvet Podcast Seven dot com On the website you'll find so much more than just the podcast. You can read my letter my latest blog post, explore my short stories and poetry, catch up on new podcast episodes, and stay up to date on everything happening with the Ask Velvet Podcast. It's the home for all my creative work and I'd love for you to be a part of it. While you're there, feel free to browse around, share your favorite post with family and friends, and come back often because there's always something new being added. Thank you so much for your continued support. Every listen, every share, every visit to the website, and every encouraging word means more to me than you know. Until next time, this is Velvet from the Ask Velvet Podcast, reminding you to take care of yourselves, take care of one another, and remember, every neighborhood deserves respect. I'll see you on the next episode. And I hope to see you over at www.askvelvetpodcastseven dot com.