One of the issues best photographed this time of year, when everything
is beginning to melt, is the plague of litter. Litter is a constant of
the human existence, and sadly one that is adding to the destruction of
our environment. Whether in a river, on the side of a highway, or on the
beach, litter is even worse than the trash pouring into landfills
because it has an even more direct effect on the fragile ecosystems that
human society exists within. People often do not realize when throwing
their trash out windows what a lasting effect it will have. This was the
point of the photos and the movie, to show people exactly how long
their litter would sit, not decomposing, to be eaten by any animal
walking by, washed into our water supply, polluting a food source.
Lifespans of Litter (video)
Here are some more commonly littered items and their decomposition times:
Plastic 6-pack cover 450 years
Rubber boot sole 50-80 years
Leather up to 50 years
Nylon fabric 30-40 years
Plastic film container 20-30 years
Painted wooden stake 13 years
Wool clothing 1-5 years
