Here’s one for you: Did you ever wonder exactly what kind of “footprint” you’re leaving on the planet? Hilary Sloane breaks down the decomposition of everyday trash…
If you throw your “footprint-making” leather shoes out of the car window, they would take between 25 and 40 years to disappear (unless someone picked them up, of course). What about that cigarette butt? 10 to 12 years. Plastic bags, 10 to 20 years; plastic containers, 50 to 80 years; aluminum cans, 80 to 100 years. Even an orange peel will stick around for six months. Styrofoam: Never. At the end of time, all that would be left is cockroaches and the packing from your iPod. Nobody wants to stumble across your litter for decades to come, especially in our windy desert. So think beyond yourself and make a difference, by not trashing our home.
