When people learn I pick up litter daily, many respond with a knee-jerk suggestion I be careful because the litter could be laced with fentanyl or could give me AIDS.
I would ask where this nonsense comes from except that I know it’s their fears based on preconceptions. They can’t possibly imagine I don’t know about fentanyl and AIDS. They can’t imagine they’re helping me. I mean, they’d be fools to imagine either, but I wouldn’t put it behind any environmentalist.
How amazed they must be to learn that I have the remarkable ability to pick up litter without giving myself AIDS or addicting myself to fentanyl.
Anyway, I just wanted to post something they must find amazing. I can lift things off the ground without giving myself AIDS or dosing on fentanyl. Here’s a picture of the free needles given to whoever asked for them. I found them on the ground in the park. I bet people are amazed that I could pick them up safely.
I pick trash using a grabber, which not only Gives me a much greater reach but also removes any risk of contamination. Get a good quality metal grabber; it should last for years and be much more sustainable than the cheap plastic ones that break.
I’m not opposed to using a grabber. It’s just another thing and I don’t go out of my way to acquire stuff. In the meantime, there’s more litter than I could pick up with zero risk and minimal effort. My goal is more about people and culture: restoring a culture where we think of those who suffer for our convenience so we don’t buy things that cause that suffering. If you read my book, Sustainability Simplified, you’ll see I go into a lot more depth and detail. I’m not just hoping for the best but doing what I believe has a great chance of succeeding.
I may be biased, but I recommend the book.