alexander hagen pic

If you have ever spent a single day with me, you would know how much I dislike litter. If I see it around town or on a walk at all, I pick it up. To put it into context, a person that litters is the Wicked Witch of the West to my Dorothy, we don’t get along and I want to melt them for being so rude.

To me personally, litter is pointless and makes absolutely no sense. When someone litters, they are literally destroying the earth and harming wildlife and nature with each thing they carelessly toss on the ground. So, typically I pick it up if I see it and throw it away without making a deal of it. You might ask yourself: “If you don’t make a deal of it in America, why make a deal of it in London?” Well, because it is everywhere.

London should be called “The City of Very Few Trashcans”. Which seems strange because back in 1858 there was a great stink that affected London.  People were dumping human waste into the River Thames (a very popular and central river in London). On a hot day, the sun heated up the waste causing the whole town stink.

Fast forward to 2015, a new epidemic is affecting London: litter. In a radius of 10 miles on the streets of London you will be extremely lucky to find a single garbage can. IF you are so lucky to find more than one in this radius mentioned, it would be very advisable to go out and purchase a lottery ticket, because you are clearly a very lucky person.

Garbage cans that are around town are typically overflowing with garbage, with garbage sitting around and on top. It is a very hard and un-fun predicament to be in. Everyone is littering around me and litter is found everywhere; ground, trees, fountains, subways, everywhere. I either have to carry around my trash for a long long time or set it gracefully on the ground with all of its friends. So far, I have been stuffing it in the purse I carry around till I do find a garbage can.

I only hope that by the end of the trip I have not converted into litterer. I only hope that I, Alexander Hagen, will be able to stay strong, persevere, and keep helping my main girl mother earth by not supporting this disgusting and harmful habit.

–Alexander Hagen