Bro/sis, I pick every tiny bit I find, ALL of it. Bottle cap or glass shard? Hell no, in the bag it goes. OK, tiny bits of glass go in the river or creek, they’ll be smooth soon enough. Get a rock tumbler and you’ll see what I mean. Still find most litter unacceptable. But stay your hate a bit!

Much of what I catch is unintentional. We all lose shit in the woods and waters. I’ve picked up my own trash a dozen times. “Hey! Free coozie! Ah fuck, that’s mine.”

Wife and kids used to grief me. “Dad! Don’t go after that beer can! (from our little boat or off trail)” Now they compete to find trash. Wife makes me turn the boat around if she spies a fishing bobber. Hit the creek yesterday, didn’t find a single thing! Fuck yeah! Also, people see you picking up shit. We’re not only heroes but role models!

I clean the woods around here and have seen the “broken window” effect when I’ve been off trail for a month or two. Keeping it up? Nah, stays clean. Fight the good fight! Not a tiny bit of trash!

The important thing is to haul out more than we drop. I’ve drug hundreds of pounds of crap out of the local woods. Join the fight! (I know you already have, and you’re a welcome ally and hero!)

Wish I knew you IRL. You sound exactly like me.