A Small Act with Big Rewards: 8 Benefits of Picking Up Litter

Picking up litter. A simple, oh so simple action that can have tremendous benefits.

This small act not only benefits our immediate environment, but has significant advantages for you as well. The folks at the wonderful company Waterhaul described them in great detail.

Let’s take a look at eight benefits I have found as well while driving to work the other day. I am sure there are more!

1. Make a Positive Impact on the World

By removing litter and long-lasting plastic, metal, and glass from our surroundings, we contribute to the overall health of our living space. Plastic waste, especially, poses a significant threat to wildlife and ecosystems.

Each piece of trash picked up is a step towards reducing pollution and preventing destruction of habitat.

The 2021 study released by Keep America Beautiful showed that there are more than 50 billion pieces of litter alongside roads and waterways in the United States, so this is a definitive problem and there is LOTS to do!

2. Gain Instant Gratification

Unlike many long-term environmental efforts, the act of picking up litter provides immediate satisfaction. The moment you see a cleaner street curb, sidewalk, trail, or riverbed, you feel a tangible and fulfilling sense of accomplishment, enriched by knowing it is the result of your work!

It's a reward that reminds us of the power we possess to bring about positive change, one small step at a time.

3.     Enhance Physical Coordination

Engaging in litter cleanup exercises our hand-eye coordination and allows us to work with our hands in a purposeful way. The simple act of bending down to pick up trash and properly disposing of it helps us develop and refine our motor skills, leading to improved coordination and dexterity. As author Robert Greene rightly points out in his book “Mastery”, even if it is only as a side activity, you should find a way to work with your hands.

When we work with our hands, we learn how to sequence our actions and how to organize our thoughts.

So while you may not realize it, picking up litter in fact provides a good mental workout.

4. Get Out of The House!

Litter cleanup offers an opportunity to spend time outside, which has countless benefits for our well-being.

Breathing in fresh air, basking in natural sunlight, and immersing in nature has been shown to reduce stress levels, boost mood, increase vitamin D levels, and improve overall physical and mental health. In fact, I wrote an entire article on this topic, which has been peer reviewed by Dr. Reed Omary, of the Green Leap Blog. Dr. Omary is the Carol D. and Henry P. Professor in the Department of Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tennessee and has 25 years of experience as an interventional radiologist, scientist, and educator.

5. Tapp into Our Natural Instincts

Deep within us lies a natural instinct, inherited from our ancestors, to hunt and gather. Picking up litter taps into this instinct and satisfies our primal need to actively seek and acquire resources. The latest tools, such as the ones provided by Garbo Grabber, make you feel like a hunter on a Mission!

By channeling this instinct in a positive way, we find a sense of purpose that surpasses the fleeting satisfaction offered by other endeavors that tap into the same instinct such as computer games and virtual reality.

6. Lead by Example and Connect with Others

When we pick up litter, we become role models for others. Our actions demonstrate that each individual can make a difference and become an inspiration.

Taking the lead creates a ripple effect that encourages a collective effort towards a cleaner and more environmentally-aware society.

Once you start cleaning up litter, you become part of group of people who also care. There is a growing community of folks who clean up, and organize larger groups of volunteers to tackle larger areas.

That is rewarding and provides additional opportunities, especially for folks who may otherwise be perhaps less inclined to socialize with others in more typical settings.

7. Be the Rebel (which is Exhilarating!), but with a Worthy Cause

In a culture where litter is often ignored or dismissed, picking it up can in fact be viewed as a counter-cultural act.

By going against the grain and taking responsibility for our surroundings, we become a part of a movement that challenges societal norms, but in a good way.

In this sense, picking up litter becomes an act of rebellion, but a profoundly positive one. It is a declaration to the world that we refuse to accept a living space, our living space, tarnished by carelessness.

8. Help Reduce Crime

Maintaining public order is key to reducing crime. According to the “Broken Windows Theory” of crime which dates back all the way to 1982, people can be attracted to trespass, litter and even commit theft if they sense from their environment that it’s OK to disregard rules such as when “no litter” signs are ignored.

Studies conducted in 2008 in Europe tested the Broken Windows Theory, by setting up a few experiments. The researchers set up real-life situations in which random citizens would be tempted to do something unruly, illegal, or antisocial. Then, they discreetly watched what happened, without the passers-by realising they were under observation. Scientists discovered that when an area was purposely exposed to excessive litter, the crime rate for nuisance offenses doubled.

Now there is a clear, demonstrated connection between the presence and accumulation of litter and antisocial behavior. As one of my old (US Army-trained) colleagues and bosses used to say, “a correction not made is a new standard set.”

So go clean up a bit, make an impact, and trust me: You Will Not Regret It!