Leave the area better than you found it. Sound advice that carried on with me from an early age when I first heard the phrase as a young Boy Scout. It was something we focused on collectively at the tail end of every activity in which we participated. The phrase certainly stuck because even now as a family we have actively made it a part of our routine.

My friend Beau Jackson in Indiana has more sage advice. The beauty of it is its simplicity: Leave a clean trail. Stick to the simple goal of picking up litter that is within reach of the path in which you are already walking. It is hard to do all that you would like to do, but if you simplify your approach, and do a small part in keeping our world clean, over time, the cumulative effect can add up to be a lot. And you’re not really going out of your way in the process.

I try to live by that. Mindful of my impact and my footprint. And furthermore actually, my legacy, be it unknown to anyone but my own conscience. Except for my daughter, Keely (pictured). She’s almost 4 years old, living amongst this natural beauty of the Outer Banks. As any parent knows, your children do what you do and say what you say. They are natural mimics at an early age. The quarantine certainly emphasized that. So, naturally, this mindful way of life has rubbed off on her. So much so that Keely now says,
“I clear the trash from my path.”

It’s a straightforward way to do your part. And it’s something anyone can make into a daily practice. Now when I see trash on the beach, I ask myself, “What would Beau Jackson do?” Or even more importantly, “What would Keely do?” Perhaps the trick is to turn this lesson into a personal obligation in which you never walk past litter again without feeling the need to do something about it.

“People forget to pick up their trash, so I help them.”

Did someone forget or did they simply not care? Personally I think it’s hard to forget to pick up after yourself, so Keely is giving folks the benefit of the doubt. If you are guilty of trashing our earth, turn it around with basic action the next chance you get. It is important to remember it doesn’t take much to have a positive impact. Your contribution is significant; not only to our natural environment but also to the people in our community.

Would people change their neglectful actions if they knew a young child was picking up after them? Keely thinks so. Would it change their overall morale in taking care of the earth? And can we all collectively conquer environmental issues together with our actions, no matter how small they may seem? Keely thinks so. Keely sometimes reminds me that she’s a big kid who can do lots of things on her own. For that, I am proud of her. But I’m more proud of how incredibly thoughtful and caring she is becoming when it comes to the world around her. Hopefully she can help inspire other families as well.

Author: CoastalLife