Texas Trash Talk: You Wouldn't Believe How Much Stuff We Chuck Out Our Windows (Probably Because You Threw It Out the Window)
Hey there, fellow Texans! Howdy and what not. Today we're gonna delve into a topic that's about as scenic as a bluebonnet field after a monster truck rally: Texas litter.
We all know it's bad, we see it piled up on the sides of the highways like a rejected carnival prize claw machine, but have you ever stopped to think, "Dang, just how much trash are we talking about here?" Buckle up, buttercup, because the numbers are about to blow the tumbleweed off your truck.
By the Numbers: We're Basically Swimming in Discarded Napkins
Here's the jaw-dropper: according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT, bless their trash-collecting hearts), a whopping 362 million pieces of litter end up on our roadways every year. That's enough plastic cups, candy wrappers, and rogue french fries to wallpaper the Alamo... twice.
And it gets worse! Some folks estimate the real number is closer to 435 million pieces of trash. That's like finding a whole new state made entirely of yesterday's lunch somewhere between El Paso and Texarkana.
But Wait, There's More! (Because Apparently We Like Littering in Bulk)
Now, you might be thinking, "Okay, that's a lot of trash, but it's gotta be mostly big stuff, right?" Wrong! 70% of that litter is teeny tiny, the kind you flick out your window without even thinking. We're talking cigarette butts, bottle caps, and those mysterious, half-chewed bits of gum that seem to multiply like tribbles.
The Culprits: Who You Gonna Call? Ghostbusters of Littering?
TexDOT's done some surveys, and guess who the top litterbugs are? You guessed it – folks between the ages of 16 and 34. Hey, young whippersnappers, what's the deal? Is it a weird Texas rite of passage to toss your Big Gulp cup out the window? Let's ditch that tradition faster than a tumbleweed in a tornado, shall we?
The Good News (Because There Always Has to Be Some, Right?)
Alright, alright, enough with the negativity. Here's the bright side: Texans are actually getting better about littering! Since 2019, there's been a 17% decrease in visible litter on TxDOT-maintained roads. See? We can do this, Texas! Let's keep that trend going and turn our highways into the cleanest, most debris-free stretches of asphalt this side of the Mississippi (or maybe even the Rio Grande, because we're Texan and we dream big).
So How Can You Help, You Ask? Here's the Cliff's Notes Version of Not Being a Litterbug:
- Don't chuck your trash out the window. It's rude, it's bad for the environment, and frankly, it makes Texas look bad.
- Use those handy dandy trash cans that, shocker, are there for trash.
- If you see someone littering, give 'em the stink eye. Peer pressure is a powerful tool, y'all.
- Volunteer for a local clean-up event. Make Texas beautiful, one beer can at a time.
Let's keep Texas looking like a postcard, not a landfill. Remember, Don't Mess with Texas, and that includes our beautiful roadways. Now get out there and be a litter-fighting champion!
