Editor:
The “Tooth Fairy” is who picks up the bottles and cups tossed over the walk way at Johnston Canyon, beside our trails, roadways, in parking lots and everywhere else.
She picks up the bags of garbage left beside garbage containers instead of inside, lost masks, soiled baby diapers, old clothes, furniture, cigarette butts, and who knows what else. That is what some people must think, or maybe “litter fairies”; seriously, what else could they possibly think?
More and more locals are becoming “Tooth or Litter Fairies” by taking the initiative to pick up litter instead of walking past it. Thank you to all who are leading by example.
We applaud the participants of the regional cleanup that happened in the Kananaskis and Abraham Lake areas organized by Okotoks Residents.
Let’s hope that now school classes have begun, teachers will teach non-littering and other appropriate behaviour when outdoors. In Canada or anywhere, we do not leave rubbish behind and this includes toilet tissue, we stay on trails while hiking and biking even if we get muddy and we do not pick wild flowers.
Each year Canada welcomes many new residents from various countries around the world who do not have the customs we have. Some of us born in Canada as well as some of our wonderful new residents need to know what it means to be good stewards of our land and in so doing we help keep our precious wildlife safe.
I personally would like to see the $100.00 littering by-law increased, signs posted and enforced. Sometimes the best way to teach people is through their wallets.
Rock climbers have a reputation to maintain, they keep the base of crags clean so please, don’t leave your sunflower seed and pistachio nut shells, cigarette buts, orange peels, TP, etc. for other climbers to pick up after you. No matter what grade you managed to send that day, if you leave litter behind, I guarantee you are impressing in a way you did not intend.
We don’t want to have to look at cigarette butts at bus stops or anywhere else either so if you must smoke, butt out your cigarette and then take it with you and maybe pick up a few more for your fellow smokers who haven’t learned to do that yet.
Let’s hope that this Covid crisis will have a silver lining and will end soon. We can all do our part. Let’s wear our masks, be grateful and respectful of each other, our beautiful country and our planet. Health is wealth.
G. Folden,
Canmore
