Because of our heat that is well above 100 degrees every day, I've not been walking at all. I've attempted to go in the morning and evening after the sun has set, but both times left me feeling very sick.
Today I decided to try a morning walk along the beach thinking perhaps it would be a little cooler with a breeze blowing off the water. Unfortunately, the problem was this.
Trash everywhere. And I can't walk by and do nothing.
So I grab the nearest empty bag floating around and begin to fill it with garbage.
Someone had even torn apart an entire daily calendar and all the pages were blowing all over the place.
It is astounding to me that anyone thinks it is okay to litter. Last week, I watched two 20 something boys fill their ice cooler outside the grocery story, then clean out their car right into the parking lot. On the way home, a father with his children in the the car was throwing their lunch trash out the window. At the beach, people eat and enjoy their time, and rather than using the numerous trashcans all along the boardwalk, they choose to leave it behind, or tucked between rocks.
I have a feeling someone is missing their little tennie shoes right about now.
I did collect some more familiar beach finds other than just garbage.
But after 40 minutes, I suddenly felt the urgent need to get to my car. And sadly, here's the ironic part. I was halfway there when a strong gust of wind blew through knocking over a trash container that was only a quarter of the way full. I had just picked up bags of trash and now there were bottles and debris blowing everywhere. I was so disheartened. I righted the container and put it next to a bench, then started picking up the garbage that had fallen out, but couldn't finish. I felt sick and my legs were getting wobbly. I just wanted to get to my car and some air conditioning as quick as possible. I couldn't even have a drink of water because it is Ramadan.
Betsy at The Simple Life of a Queen had asked about Ramadan in a previous comment.
The fasting hours are from sunup til sundown so there's no eating or drinking in public during this time. Restaurants only open just before sunset and keep later hours than they normally would to accommodate. This is the way it's done in Kuwait; not all countries have this law.
It's 8 hours later and I still don't feel quite right. There are people who work out in the heat every day. I truly don't know how they do it.
Have a blessed week,
Betsy at The Simple Life of a Queen had asked about Ramadan in a previous comment.
The fasting hours are from sunup til sundown so there's no eating or drinking in public during this time. Restaurants only open just before sunset and keep later hours than they normally would to accommodate. This is the way it's done in Kuwait; not all countries have this law.
It's 8 hours later and I still don't feel quite right. There are people who work out in the heat every day. I truly don't know how they do it.
Have a blessed week,
26 comments:
Oh my goodness Tammy, litter bugs drive me nuts too. We have a litter hotline here in SC that you can call to report someone littering from their car. I call them all the time. I did today, as a matter of fact. People throw cigarette butts out like they were nothing. Our beaches are littered with them in the summer. It's sickening. Speaking of sick....please be careful in that heat. We've been having a heat wave too, but our temps have not been as high as yours.
You found some treasures on the beach, and bless your heart for picking up trash. I do that too.
I love the treasures that you found at the beach Tammy. How nice of you to pick up other peoples trash.
Linda
You're so sweet to clean up the litter. My daughter's 4H troop used to do that on a monthly basis at the lakefront in Florida. They always found about 6 bags of trash and it wasn't a very big beach! I'm glad you found some treasures, too. I hope you feel better soon; stay inside, drink lots of water and rest. Stay cool!
Bless your sweet heart for picking up the garbage in that heat! I've honestly never seen anything like that. Here, some people litter, but nothing ever like that. Our trips to the beaches have always been very scenic. Seems like an odd place in some ways but wonderful of course in other ways perhaps (at least because of people like you!)
The humidity here is so high that I get that same sickening feeling when I walk, but somehow I've managed to keep up even though most people do not in this heat. On my last several walks in the hot humid sunshine, I'm the only one out there. Thankfully there is no garbage to pick up!
I do like the really pretty items you found along the shore though. : )
Kindest regards,
Linda
Oh, Tammy, I hope you're better now. You need to stay inside during this terribly hot weather. I know how you feel about litter. I tend to do the same thing. It drives me nuts to see people throwing trash out the window...and thereby teaching their children that it's okay. You did have some nice beach finds though didn't you?
Blessings,
Betsy
Just think.. each time you pick up trash, someone will see you and perhaps think about it next time.. hopefully. You could start a trash pickup fad there.. here people adopt sections of roadside and pick up litter in their section. Oregon has litter laws and fines so people don't litter much.. it costs $150 if you're caught. Can you eat and drink at home during Ramadan? ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Oh Tammy. I feel so badly for you. I just would not be able to take that kind of heat. You follow Ramadan. Do you do it for religious purposes? I was just curious. Keep cool, my friend. You will exercise again when the temps go down. Susan
Hi Tammy,
That is some heat and hope you are feeling better now. I understand you not wanting to walk much out there when it is like that. So awful when people litter and have no regard for keeping the place clean and tidy.
Hope you have a lovely week
hugs
Carolyn
Hope you're feeling better by now. Lovely treasures you did find. Diane
Dear I do hope you are fully hydrated by now and feeling so much better. Sun/Heat stroke is serious. You are one of the very few who care for and take care of your surroundings...Bless You! I cannot imagine throwing or leaving trash/litter/debris anyplace but in the proper disposal containers. People need to respect their surroundings and others at all times. Cool and Shade for you my friend!
Oh Tammy, please be careful. The heat is beyond comfort levels. Appreciate your efforts for cleaning the beach. Like you , I always want to understand what these people are thinking when they are throwing trash on beaches.
Your beach stone collection is nice!! I can understand the trash problem, we face it everyday. Don't stress yourself in this hot weather, stay cool.
My heart goes out to you---you worked hard---for you beliefs and he well being of others. I hope your efforts didn't go unnoticed. Are there laws for littering?
Please don't overexert yourself, please...you are a precious soul.
Jane x
So very boble and nice of you to have tried your hand at picking up trash. This is something we need to build in our children.... ingrain in them that it is bad to litter. Only then, with time this problem might ease.
so nice of you to do so much Tammy...glad to see you could find lovely treasure too from the beach
I applaud your effort to clean. At least you are trying. Please be careful in the heat. Sunstroke is a real possibility with those temps and not being able to drink in public could prove dangerous.
Hugs,
Sharon
I can very well understand your frustration, Tammy. It makes me angry when I see people throw out their trash wherever they just find it comfortable. It's so annoying and egoistic.
What a shame that the temperatures make it difficult for you to take a walk. How about walking through a big air-conditioned mall? Just for walking, not for shopping :).
Hugs,
Julia
I am sorry you got sick and hope that you get better soon... Whenever we go to the beach or on a picnic, I always clear the place up if there's garbage and even take it with me on the way back to throw it into a container. Twice I even found dirty syringes in the sand. Made my hair stand on ends. I am pissed off with people that litter and do nothing about their trash.
I'm sorry, Tammy, that you have been feeling ill. The heat and lack of water can certainly have a strong effect on one's body. Littering makes no sense to me. Don't people want a clean environment everywhere? I guess not. Bless you for picking up the trash. I hope you're feeling better.
Seeing all that trash breaks my heart, too. I don't understand why people litter like that. I get very sick in the heat, too. Please be careful! I hope you don't mind me asking you a few questions about Ramadan. I am not judging in any way, I am just very curious as I don't know anything about it and would like to learn...I understand the fasting, but why can't you even have water in public? Could you keep a water bottle in your car and take a drink when no one was around to see you? And with the no eating or drinking in public...can you eat and drink at home?
Dearest Tammy,
While living and working in Indonesia we sure could not understand how people cope with this tough Ramadan rule. It makes you very weak in the heat of the day when not eating and worse, not drinking!
The same about the garbage we experienced in Indonesia. People are not raised that way; they absolutely don't care! Even here in Georgia it is getting worse and worse... lazy butts.
Hugs,
Mariette
How upsetting that your beautiful beach and neighborhood...country?---is so littered and trashy. I never realized how blessed I am where I live, until someone mentioned on my blog that everything looks so clean. Rarely does anyone litter, and if things blow loose they are picked up promptly. Sadly at time the tides do bring trash from the ocean, and the sight of the washed ashore garbage is shocking and disenheartening. We do what we can. And as you mention in your next post, beauty is everywhere, if we stop and see it.
Oddly the treasure we sometimes seek---seaglass, driftwood, even fabric washed up on the tide--all of it was garbage once, now the sea glass is a jewel to be searched for.
lizzy
You are so lovely to try and pick up after everyone, especially in that heat. You must take care of yourself and not get overheated especially if you can't even drink in public for a while.
Hugs to you Tammy,
Meredith
Sweet Tammy, I am so sorry you did this on your own......but I am glad you tried. Maybe someone saw it and will think twice about littering.
At least you didn't just walk past it in disgust...you actually attempted to do something about it. What's that saying I love..."you're either part of the problem or part of the solution". You are definitely part of the solution just don't try it during Ramadan or when it's over 100 degrees out! So sorry you felt disheartened....it happens to the best of us. I would never have gotten out of my car at over 100 degrees! You are a better woman than I!
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