The Hound's Bark
Healdsburg High School
Annika Rose Torske
Mar 3, 2022
I know you’ve been in the dirt and I know you’ve played in it. Why disrespect it?
I know you’ve been in the dirt and I know you’ve played in it. Why disrespect it? I’ve witnessed trash roll across concrete everywhere I go, and people don’t realize if they picked up after themselves, there wouldn’t be trash anywhere. It can start with you.
Trash, Trash, 2,800 Yards of Trash.
We’ve all heard of the pacific garbage patch and how it continues to grow due to the carelessness of humans. The pacific garbage patch is currently 1.6 MILLION square kilometers and weighs 63,000 lbs. With its outstanding size, it beats France by 3 times the size and Texas by 2 times the size.
There are 63,000 pounds of trash (which sounds like a lot doesn’t it?), and there are over 36 million people just in California. If everybody picked up 1 pound or less out of the patch, it could make a big difference. This is called the butterfly effect. Never think that one person never made a difference because everybody and every decision, action, and thought counts. Everybody is just one more person to help by picking up the mess they made, and if everyone does their part, there will be far less left to do. You had time to make the mess, so you have the time to clean it up.
A small way of helping is by using parts of the earth and recycling them instead of throwing them away. For instance, Julia Dolph and I make jewelry out of natural crystals that are ethically sourced and wrapped by hand with silver and copper wire. They’re an inexpensive, colorful, stylish, and environmentally friendly way to celebrate the Earth!
LOVE YOUR PLANET PEACEFULLY