Our Actions May Decide: Laws or Common Sense

Spring has finally sprung and the rapidly disappearing dirty snow banks are being replaced by spaces of mud, ruts and potholes in the roads. While many residents are now having to deal with downed tree limbs and blown-apart bushes from winter storms, roadside crews from many towns and utility companies are trying to clean up the mess left by the rough winter.

The amount of litter along the roads is just unbelievable. Plastic bags blown by the winds, filled plastic garbage bags fallen or dumped from pickup trucks, Christmas trees simply abandoned on roads and tons of drink containers of glass, plastic and cardboard! Does no one take their trash home anymore? The clean-up costs would be staggering in some areas if not for the many volunteer groups who adopt a road or choose to do clean-up projects.

America has become a nation of throw-aways. Recycling has helped and some people are very diligent about not littering, unlike those of the “throw it out the window” mentality. But, do we need a law to forc e those others to “think”? It’s not just filthy to see, it is expensive to remove and unhealthy for people and animals who live out there. Do our children really need to find used condoms or needles on their playgrounds, sidewalks, or on the streets or our Rail Trails?

Must we actually have to make laws to alert people to the dangers associated with littering? Because you are at home to view and remedy the situation, it may be funny to watch your cat run around the living room with a paper bag over its head or see your dog struggle to remove his big head from a box of puppy treats. But, what if you were not home? A friend just recently lost his dog when it tried to get treats from a plastic bag in a metal basket. His head got stuck in it and he suffocated to death.

Who will save a duck who has its head stuck in the plastic rings of a six-pack thrown into a lake or pond or onto the shoreline? Who will save the fish who swallows part of a plastic bag or a balloon or is tangled in discarded fishing line? What about the skunk who now wears a plastic bottle as a helmet or the little bear cub with its head caught in a cardboard cookie box? Do you think it doesn’t happen? Think again.
All states have anti-littering laws. Some have laws against the deliberate releasing of balloons into the sky. Why? It’s just common sense that the balloons will eventually la nd someplace and then what will happen? Is some creature going to swallow it, get tangled in the string, or suffocate as it searches inside for food?

New Hampshire does not have a balloon law. We did some years ago, but not now. We pride ourselves on being a state that lives up to its motto of ‘Live Free or Die’. A few representatives would like to pass laws that regulate every minute of your life and every action you make while living. But, do we really need more laws? Must we legislate common courtesy and common sense? Let’s just get the word out again and again that pollution and littering is not desirable. Irresponsible actions can endanger the wildlife population of our state from the birds that fly in the sky, the fish that swim in our waters and the animals that roam our fields and woodlands.

While balloons are pretty, let’s keep them out of the sky. We can remember a lost loved one without sending a message skyward. We can celebrate a birth or marriage without sending hundreds of balloons skyward. A balloon on the loose is a danger and a catastrophe waiting to happen.

I recycle whatever I can at home. When I hunt, fish, hike, I don’t leave litter on someone else’s property. I bring a garbage bag along with me and pick up the junk I find around that was left by some disrespectful, unthinking idiots. When I fish, I make sure not to throw away the length of fishing line that may have gotten tangled, the Styrofoam box my worms came in, the remnants of my lunch, etc. I do my best not to drag weeds from one waterbody to another. None of these actions infringes on my enjoyment of the free time I have to appreciate what our state offers.

Some things I do because it is the law and the law makes sense. Other things I do are out of respect and simply common sense. Treat the outside world as you would your home. You are just visiting. We can all do our part. Before laws are passed to regulate our actions, let’s just use common sense and think about the consequences of our actions..

Bob Harris can be reached via e-mail at: outwriter2@aol.com

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DISCLAIMER:  The opinions expressed by Mr. Harris are not necessarily those of the Goffstown Residents Association or its members

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