To The LitterBug That Threw A Starbucks Cup Out Their Car Window

I know I’m not supposed to call people names. I know. I’m sorry! But I can’t help it this time…

People that casually throw trash into the streets are inconsiderate jerks.

A few nights back I was driving home from giving a presentation at a Cal State University. It was night time and there were a bunch of cars out. I pulled up behind a car and saw something that infuriated me. It made me wish I could write a letter to this individual…so here it is:

Dear Litterbug,

I pulled up behind you in your Volkswagon Jetta in the left hand turn lane in order to go toward the freeway as we were leaving the college. After a few seconds of sitting there, your window rolled down just enough for you to toss your Starbucks Cup out of the window and into the street.

Dude! Whoever you are! What the heck were you thinking? Is this something you do everyday? Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone did what you did?

The littering was one thing…but it was the nonchalant way in which your cup came out of your window that really got me going. There was no shame, no hesitation, and you must have silently thought to yourself…”someone else will just pick it up” before you tossed that cup out of your window.

I take that back. You probably didn’t even think about it. It’s probably become second nature to you.

Couldn’t you have just kept the empty cup in your cup holder until you got home? What was the point of throwing it out of the window? Just to sabatoge the earth and everyone else?

[Tweet “Please don’t throw your @Starbucks cup out of your car window!”]

It’s interesting the circumstances in which you decided to leave a trail of garbage behind you. We were in San Bernardino…a city that was recently forced to declare bankruptcy. There’s trash on the ground all over the place. Most people don’t want to even stop there as they pass through on the 215 because of how dirty it is in many places.

I wonder why.

It’s most likely you’re a student based on all the cars that were coming out of the college. Were you a business student? Did they teach you to leave a place worse than you found it in class? Or did they teach you that successful people go into a situation and improve everything they come in contact with. I wonder which lucky employer is going to hire you? If they only knew what they’re getting into with you.

[adinserter block=1]

It seems like I’ve been seeing a lot of your kind lately. The other day I saw some guy go road-rage-berserk when he saw someone throw trash out of their car like you did. It really makes someone mad when they live in that city and want to try and keep it nice. Then you just come by with one swift flick of the wrist and junk it up.

How would you like it if people came by your house every day and dropped some trash in your front yard? Maybe dumped their soda on your windshield…because “someone else will clean it up” right?

Do you have a dog? If not…I have a couple that I’d be happy to bring them over to your front yard after they’ve ate their dinner…

Would that be fun?

It seems like people like you aren’t even worried about people seeing you do it anymore. It’s become second nature for you to expect someone else to clean up your mess?

I sit there on the freeway off-ramps and wonder why there’s so much garbage on the side of the road and now I see why. It’s because of you!

Here’s the sad thing in all of this. Based on what you just did…I can probably describe you perfectly. Tell me if I’m right?

• You never seem to be able to get ahead in life.
• You complain all the time about your current circumstances.
• Your house it a pig sty because you can’t really throw trash out your house window.
• Your car is not a pig sty because you just throw stuff in to the streets.
• It’s always someone else’s fault.
• You do the bare minimum to get by.
• You expect other people to clean up your messes…but you’ll never admit that.

How many did I get right out of 7?

[adinserter block=2]

The type of personality that always creates a mess for others to clean up is the same personality that continues to run into failure. The person that becomes an expert at cleaning up messes and improving their surroundings is the one that seems to always run into opportunities.

But you still haven’t figured that out have you?

Alright…I’m not mad at you anymore…but seriously…stop being a litterbug-drain on our society. The streets are dirty because of people like you. Neighborhoods are dirty because of people like you. Is that really the mark you want to leave on the environment and on society? No one likes a litter bug!

Just an observation.

Hope you the best in your school pursuits.

I hear there’s some job openings at the local landfill!

J/K, but seriously 🙂

Your friend,

Greg