Here, guys, meet
Mr. Trash Can

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The three adolescent boys hanging out in front of the Salt Lake McDonald's were sipping on milkshakes as my friend and I walked in. A few minutes later, I glanced out the window and saw one of the boys throw his drink's plastic lid and straw on the ground.

He was standing six feet from a trash can.

I walked out and stood before them. "Are you planning to pick that up?" I asked the litterbug. Surprised, he mumbled, "Yeah," and looked away, aware that he'd done something unacceptable.

I went back inside. The boys strutted and preened for a few minutes, trying to act tough, passing the plastic lid around until finally one of them put it in the trash container.

This happens a lot, and to be honest, I'm getting tired of disciplining other people's children. But I have to; somebody has to. And it's not just children -- I see as many adults behaving in this disgusting manner. A friend of mine actually saw someone throw a dirty diaper out of a car window on the Pali Highway.

Broken bottles, beer cans, candy wrappers, fast-food containers and even rusted-out abandoned cars uglify our roadsides, parks and beaches. Is it any wonder nobody wants to come here anymore?

--Nancy Christenson McNamee

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