I’ve previously written about how I believe that it should be standard hiking etiquette to carry out not only trash that you carried in yourself but also that which you find on the trail. Call it “Finders Keepers” or “Whoever Snags it Bags it”, I believe that it makes a difference. Sometimes this can mean picking a single a stray granola bar wrapper the entire hike. On some trails I find absolutely no garbage. I come across much more trash on more accessible trails, likely due to higher traffic or perhaps more families who carry more items; kids being less conscious about the capri sun straws they accidentally drop.
By virtue of hiking with a dog, I always have small waste bags on hand. I keep one open in my bag for any human-laid trash I find on the trail. There are a few trails I frequent where this consistently gets filled in one trip, but on average it’s a just a few pieces. Today’s haul: a Hershey’s chocolate wrapped and a zipper pull tab. Not bad for Mt. Major where the cars overflow the parking lot and are parked a mile down the road.
Of course, only pick up trash which won’t endanger your health. Leave needles and feminine hygiene products where they lay unless you’re equipped with one of those grabber devices made specifically for snagging trash. I’ve previously collected and studied data on trash left at coastal beaches; the biggest offenders there being indiscernible plastic and foam pieces along with cigarette butts. On the hiking trails though I mostly find food wrappers and hair ties both of which are easy enough to snag and throw them right in your bag. If us hikers don’t clean up the trails then who will?!
The Wild East 