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Let’s Talk Trash! SEPT/OCT 2017
©2017 The Keenan Group, Inc
TRASH! TRUTH or TALE... 6 types of trash that harm local animals
The Deadly Truth about
A look at the litter that harms local wildlife and what you can do to help Be a good neighbor to our local wildlife friends by helping to remove these 6 types of harmful litter: Fishing line and accessories Fishing line can get tangled in legs and wings, and when eaten it can cause lethal obstructions. Lead weights look like food to many birds and can cause lead poisoning. Fishing line also takes a very long time to break down. Styrofoam Food remnants found on styrofoam takeout containers encourage animals to eat the container too, which can lead to choking and digestive problems. Styrofoam is quick to breakdown and the tiny pieces are eaten by fish. The Anacostia Watershed Society reported that by volume, a quarter of the trash that is collected from the river is Styrofoam. Plastic bags Aside from being a dangerous choking and digestion hazard, once consumed, plastic chemicals can cause excess hormones. In fact, over 80 percent of male small mouth bass fish in the Potomac are intersex (have female egg cells). Cigarette butts Cigarette butts are toxic for animals when eaten, are not biodegradable, and can leach toxic chemicals in the river when soaked in water. Chewing gum Gum is more than a nuisance that gets stuck to our shoes. It can get in fur and feathers and inhibit an animal’s movement. And unlike food, it doesn’t provide animals with nourishment. Balloons Innocently letting go of a balloon can mean danger for local animals. Balloons are sometimes falsely marketed as “biodegradable.” Latex balloons actually contain chemicals and take years to break down. When an animal swallows a balloon, it can block its intestinal tract, leading to starvation. SOURCE: https://potomac.org/blog/2016/10/17/litter-pollution-potomac-river-volunteer
What does “Taking for Granted” mean?
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