When Miranda Preston's family visited Twin Hills Park over the weekend, she discovered something several others undoubtedly saw first.
She described "dozens and dozens of polyester petals laying around, blowing into the pond," in the caption of a photo she shared on the Northwest Florida Daily News' Facebook page.
Immediately, people expressed outrage. The city should be able to trace the source of the petals, which looked like leftovers from a wedding, they said. Finding the culprits should be easy if they reserved use of the park.
But Miranda — justifiably "disgusted" by the sight, "a huge choking hazard to the turtles, ducks and fish living at the park," she said — channeled her outrage into something positive.
She and her young son returned to the park, with a plastic grocery bag in hand, and cleaned up the petals.
In that moment, Miranda set an example in active citizenship, responsible stewardship of the Earth and effective parenting.
People who live here should invest in it by giving back, or at the very least taking care of it, and our planet. When we do this, as Miranda had, those around us (like her son) learn a lesson they will not soon forget, and that molds them to do the same.
Littering is something I have never understood. Because if you have the physical ability to grasp something, you also have the physical ability to dispose of it. It's just plain laziness if you don't. And that laziness can be costly — if caught, it means a $100 civil penalty, according to Florida Statutes.
And dangerous.
For example, all it takes is a gust of wind to send that Doritos bag you dropped on the ground into sewers. It takes just a little rainfall to wash that bag into storm drains and eventually end up in oceans, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Then the problem's more than just a dirty park. One careless action can cause pollution and death — marine animals can swallow the debris and suffocate — and a chain reaction of environmental detriment occurs.
Fortunately, there's help.
The volunteer-driven Okaloosa County Environmental Council annually organizes two beach cleanups, and the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council funds efforts to remove debris.
But it's still worth mentioning: Let's cut litter off at the source — ourselves. Always properly dispose of that Doritos bag. Or that cigarette. Or, as the case may be, plastic petals.
Why wouldn't you?
What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR'S DESK: Littering — a lazy, deadly action (VIDEO)