“I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. And then I realized I was somebody.”

—Lilly Tomlin, American Actress

Photo from Flickr by Nomadic Lass

Do you have pet peeves, things that annoy you or drive you to distraction? Most people do.

One of mine is litter. I notice it most often when I’m leaving a movie theater and see empty cups and popcorn containers strewn about, and in the parking lot of the gym I visit every morning.

Some years ago, I noticed myself complaining about litter fairly often, without my complaints making any difference whatsoever. That day, I promised myself that if I came across an empty water bottle or other not-too-nasty litter, I would pick it up with a plastic bag and place it in the trash.

EXERCISE:

Although picking up a single piece of litter is hardly going to alter the environmental challenges we face, what do you think might happen if you and seven billion other “somebodies” took initiative on the issues you/they assumed were meant for someone else?