Litter is art

This morning, the wind blew a large plastic bag across the sidewalk. It fluttered like a butterfly in front of me and my dogs and then skittered away. Last summer I would have grabbed it, but 2010 has brought new insights.

Once I regularly picked up broken glass, fast food containers and empty liquor bottles. I thought it was sacrilegious to our beautiful natural environment for people to throw trash. But as the snow melts, uncovering glass shards, styrofoam cups and snack bags, I have to guess people like it this way. I’m trying to see the beauty others must see when a snagged plastic bag blows in the wind. I’ve learned that kids who throw candy wrappers on the ground are simply expressing their youth, much as the carload of teenage boys last summer who threw cans out the window as they passed me on my bike – barely missing me, by the way, but kids must always be excused.  It’s OK for picnickers to leave their empty containers where they fall. After all, who wants to take that stuff home? And what is more natural than those nocturnal couples who leave used condoms, bottles and cigarette butts in green spaces. Besides, no one wants to defile their cars; cars are used to spew litter, not collect it. So the classic “trash blown from the back of a pick-up” is OK, too.

If you subscribe to the newspaper, you receive FREE access to all the exclusive content of the web site! Simply register to receive uninterrupted access to our award-winning and in-depth local online content!

Renew Current or Past Subscription / Register for Online Subscription

If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Los Alamos Monitor, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.

Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.

Newspaper Acct. ID:
Street Address:	(exactly as it appears on the label)

If you are a subscriber and you do not know your account ID or don't have a copy of your newspaper available that shows the information on the address label you can click continue below to search for your account.

New Subscription/30 Day Free Trial Account

If you are new to the award winning Los Alamos Monitor and wish to get a subscription or simply gain access to our online content then please enter your ZIP code below and continue to setup your account.

ZIP Code:

Create a limited access account.
Register to participate in community forums, post on the community calendar, blog etc. This registration does not give you full access to read our award winning content, etc.

The Los Alamos Monitor | lacirculation@lamonitor.com | 505-662-4185
256 DP Road, Los Alamos, NM 87544
Office Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday