What others say: Please, clean up your garbage

  • Tuesday, July 15, 2014 6:36pm
  • Opinion

Please pick your garbage up after you let the bears pick through it.

If you don’t, then someone else has to. Often that’s your neighbor, who becomes very familiar with you as a result of picking up your garbage. Your neighbor will know what prescription you take, what and how much you like to drink, whether you practice safe sex and whether you prefer Tide or All to wash your clothes.

That’s not all the neighbor will come to know about you; the list is endless, depending on whose garbage is laid out by the bears. And, it isn’t always your nearest neighbor who will learn these details. Sometimes, the bears drag garbage bags down the street and into other neighborhoods. Or your neighbor tells others in town what was found.

Most often something in the bag the bear tears open reveals who the garbage belongs to. Maybe not in every bag, but it isn’t that difficult to figure out whose garbage is whose. Garbage from homes where children live narrows the possibilities in a neighborhood. Other age and family makeups help to narrow it further.

If you don’t care enough as to what the community learns about you from your garbage, then maybe you would be concerned about the bears. Bears shouldn’t be into garbage, no matter how much they might like it. It is a danger to them to become dependent on it, and the situation creates a potential danger for the community, particularly children who might be playing outside or even just walking to or from home. Adults don’t want to encounter bears in the neighborhoods, either. When dealing with wildlife, it’s not always a foregone conclusion what they will do. Run off? Maybe. But maybe not.

… If you need help, your neighbors who pick up your garbage might be willing to lend a hand. It’s preferable to prevent bears delving into garbage than it is to clean up after they’ve been there.

Of course, if precautions aren’t taken, those unwilling to prevent all of the problems that can occur when it comes to bears being attracted to neighborhood garbage might encounter the law. Fines exist for continually disregarding the city’s plea to properly dispose of garbage and discourage bears from coming into town.

Fines shouldn’t be necessary. Calling authorities out to issue citations just increases the cost of government and takes the time of government employees who could be doing something else for the benefit of the community.

Instead of getting sideways with the law or the bears, just secure your garbage. If you don’t do that, or if you do and a clever bear outwits you, then please pick up your garbage.

It’s your garbage; it’s your responsibility.

— Ketchikan Daily News, July 12

More in Opinion

Dawson Slaughter is president of the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce and a candidate for State House District 6. (Courtesy photo)
Opinion: Children, education, obligation

Our children and the future children of Alaskans must always be the priority and first in our education concerns

The Exxon Baton Rouge, smaller ship, attempts to off-load crude from the Exxon Valdez that ran aground in Prince William Sound, Valdez, Alaska, spilling over 270,000 barrels of crude oil, shown March 26, 1989. (AP Photo/Rob Stapleton)
Point of View: Exxon Valdez oil spill brought out local heroes

When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound 35 years ago, local people sprang to respond long before Exxon provided any help

Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: No Alaska governor has ever so boldly held schools and students as political hostages

‘Star Trek’ reference looks past real argument for school funding

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, a Soldotna Republican who co-chairs the House Education Committee, speaks in favor overriding a veto of Senate Bill 140 during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Rep. Justin Ruffridge: Supporting education

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Rep. Ben Carpenter, a Nikiski Republican, speaks in opposition to overriding a veto of Senate Bill 140 during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Rep. Ben Carpenter: Education is too important to keep getting wrong

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Point of View: Some state lawmakers need to embrace reality, not PFD political theater

State revenues minus public services do not leave enough in the checkbook to pay an oversized dividend

Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, speaks about teacher bonuses during consideration a bill increasing state funds for public education in the Alaska House of Representatives on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Rep. Ben Carpenter: Holding up a mirror to state government

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks in opposition to an executive order that would abolish the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives during a joint legislative session on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman: Ensuring food security for Alaska

Capitol Corner: Legislators report back from Juneau

Most Read