Last week I spoke about litter. Specifically, those ‘illegal dump sites’ that we find on the side of those quiet and beautiful side roads. I lamented the beautiful road that now has trash piles. But no need to rehash the entire article, you can read it for yourself.
We know others litter; we see it on our rides. Before we go future … allow me to lay some groundwork. A reminder to some and maybe new information for others. Let’s speak of your spheres. No, not the spherical litter, but your Sphere of Concern, Influence and Control. You are familiar with those terms? Check out the image.
First – Simply put if we draw a large circle and we write sphere of concern – those are things that we are concerned about … but do not really have any influence in that area. An example might be the weather. You cannot change it. You can adapt or prepare (but that is altogether in another sphere). Weather is weather and it will not change for you.
Second, inside that large circle draw a smaller circle. That is your sphere of influence. You cannot control that sphere, but you do have influence. However, that might be. Maybe you cannot change a law, but you can write a letter, vote, or lobby for change. You can use your influence to try to make change occur.
Third, draw another smaller circle inside the second circle. That is your sphere of control. You can control what happens in there. Usually that is limited to what you do. But, maybe in your job/life you have control of some other things. You can change what you eat, if you exercise, if you floss or brush your teeth.
So alas – that is all to say we need to focus on our sphere of control (what we do) and our sphere of influence (how we can influence the actions of others). The sphere of concern is nice, but do not make yourself crazy over there. In fact, there are already enough people whining and posting on social media about those things anyway … they do not need you to add your voice to ‘doing nothing’. Use your time wisely. OK, enough of that background.
We know others litter. We are concerned about it. Let’s bring this home. Does your group have a problem? Thankfully, most people that ride bikes seem to understand the problem with litter and not only refrain from littering but also pick up that which is cast out there by others.
But let’s talk about it anyway – just be sure we are staying the course.
That wrapper that came off the ‘bar’ you just ate. What do you do with it? Hopefully you put it in your pocket to properly dispose of later. But…
Some do not – please start.
Some put it in that pocket but when they reach back there again to get something else, it comes out. Please, we can prevent that. Simply put it in another pocket. We have problems solving skills.
Some rip open the gel package and then discard that small piece of the wrapper believing it is small. It is still litter.
What about mass events. The bike race/event that comes to town periodically. Some have visually witnessed mass discarding of litter in races. That does not mean that it is good. It also does not mean that you see the entire picture. At a race, there is section to dispose of those items. They are not basketball players, so shooting an empty gel package at a trash can as you pass at 20mph likely will not result in scoring a goal. So, at races there is an area to dispose of those items, and someone makes sure that all things are picked up and disposed of properly. That part is not shown on TV. That part is not available on your group ride.
Tubes, spent CO2 canisters, those little plastic presta valve covers, patch kit cellophane (does anyone use a patch kit anymore). Some believe it is OK to throw that stuff out. It is not. Just in case you did not know. Now you do.
We should want to keep the environment clean. We are out enjoying it. That is not what we want to see or ride through. Surely, of all people, we understand that. I think most of us do. But there are still those that have not yet come to that conclusion.
My plea. Please, let us be good citizens and apply the hikers code to our sport. At least the part about leaving no trace of your presence … better said in this context – leaving nothing behind.
What? You want another personal story? Sure, you know I have them.
Many moons ago … why do so many of my stories all start so long ago? Racing days. Training with my team. Middle of nowhere – farmlands all around. Group in a paceline. Pothole comes out of nowhere. HOLE!!! But we are moving fast and someone in the back hits it. FLAT!!! We stop to fix the flat. Guy that flatted is upset. A string of obscenities is flung into the world. Tube in. CO2 worked. Tire full of air. Wheel on. Pull off empty CO2 and toss as far into the field as possible out of frustration (with cursing). Then, yet another string of obscenities flows into the world. Yes, he realizes that his inflation head was still attached to the spent CO2 cartridge he flung in frustration and is now resting far away in that field.
Does that relate? Sure, it does. Even if you are frustrated, please do not choose to litter. Choosing to not litter might actually have some very personal and very prompt rewards. Even if it does not – please dispose of your litter properly. Your turn … tell me.
The only thing I disagree with is calling the Leave No Trace principal the hikers code. In my travels in the woods and desert I see much litter left by hikers. Kleenex, TP, dog poo in bags on the side of the trail. Are trail runners considered part of the hiker user group? I think so, and they are some of the worst as they are frequent, repeating, and unrepentant Surface Shitters. A Surface Shitter is somebody that poops on the ground without burying it or at least doing it under a big rock. There are people that whenever they start running they have to poop. The same people do it on every weekly group run, never bringing a shovel or anything more that the TP they leave on the ground next to their shit. Surface Shitters are one of the lowest forms of humans.
As a long time mtn biker (from back before it got all mainstream) and a moto rider, I have had plenty of conversations with people that “hike” that think that they are better than us because they don’t have the “impact” on the trails that wheels do. They LOVE to put all of us in the same basket as the few knuckleheads that leave trenches in the trails, or blow past other trail users at high speed. I LOVE to tell them that the homeless people living in the woods that make piles of trash and start forest fires, since those people walked into the woods. Therefore: hikers.
But I digress, because sometimes trying to convince these people otherwise moves from Things I Can Influence to Things I Can’t Control because you just can’t change some people’s kids’ minds. One thing I’ll try to control is how much time I am on this computer this morning, and won’t even get started on the relative impacts on wildlife when comparing the noise/motion of mtn bikes and motos compared to off-leash dogs…all of which I love and am guilty of myself!
edit: I LOVE to tell them that the homeless people living in the woods that make piles of trash and start forest fires are hikers, since those people walked into the woods. Therefore: hikers.
I swear I proofread twice, but the coffee hasn’t fully kicked in.
I can’t claim complete innocence on this one. I’ve lost wrappers in that way and likely teenagered an empty beer can or two. But, for decades I have tried my best to not contribute to the flotsam and jetsam of the world. I will pick items up as I’m able. Especially while walking the dog on garbage day where there are plenty of places to dispose and not lug around the neighborhood.