Litter Bugs Me

Remember those "Litter Bugs Me" commercials? They used to run when I was a kid. Or maybe that was just in Hawaii. I know it's only in Hawaii that we say "malama ka 'aina," which basically means "take care of the land."

Either phrase sums up my commute this morning. As I sat in some unusually slow traffic on the 24 West, I noticed that the guy in front of me let bits of trash go out his window. They looked small and possibly like food, so I thought nothing more of it. That is until every few minutes more trash would fly out of a window or his moon roof. I was tempted to roll down my own window and yell at him, but I was behind him and figured it would do no good.

Instead I called Seth and had him write down the license plate number in case I could figure out a way to report this guy. Then I spent the rest of the car ride debating whether or not to post the license plate number on my blog. I think it would make no difference whether I post the number or not since few people follow this thing, but I have decided not to post the number. However, in the hopes that somehow Mr. Audi gets the message, to the universe I yell, "Your litter seriously bugs me Mr. Silver-Audi-Station-Wagon! And I do have your license plate number--even if I don't know what I'm going to do with it!"

By the way, Silver Audi Station Wagon, I checked and according to California Law it is a misdemeanor to throw anything from a moving vehicle. That includes your food bits, or whatever it was that you were throwing, tossing and spitting out of your car. According to the Caltrans campaign Don't Trash California, it costs taxpayers $41 million for litter prevention, clean-up and disposal. So, even though we're in California, malama ka 'aina man!