Story: How I became a Mission Viejo Trash Walker

I'm a resident of Mission Viejo and every once in a while, I have found myself getting fed up with all the litter that collects along the sides of our roadways here in town. It's not horrible, but it is substantial as stuff that flies out of cars and trucks lands in and among the very nicely maintained slopes that we all pay good money for and which really make our little city shine, in my opinion.  So, I'd grumble about the litter to myself and drive right on by.

Meanwhile, as an adult leader in a local youth organization that does a lot of backpacking, it is very typical behavior for us to see some trash on a nature trail and immediately pick it up and put it in our pack or pockets for when we next get to a proper trash receptacle.

So, another day and another grumble, and it just so happens that I drive by Lake Mission Viejo and what do I see but what looks like hundreds of "beautiful people" getting their exercise by marching around the lake. I have read that the distance is about 3 miles.  I thought to myself, "I'll bet that path is spic and span... too bad they don't walk other places...", and I continued on my way.

So I recently came back from a one week backpacking trip to Yosemite.  Kicked my butt at first, I must admit, but by the end of the week I felt real good, with the exception of a couple small blisters on my feet.  I was pleased to find that I had lost 12 pounds!  That was pretty inspirational to me and I thought I should keep it up and start walking as a good form of exercise.  So I dragged my kids with me on a 3 mile route adjacent to my home to try it out and as we were walking, son of a gun if we didn't see a bunch more trash at 2.5 miles per hour than I had even seen at 35 to 45 mph.  I grumbled and passed it by thinking that I wished I'd brought a bag and luckily enough, a saw a discarded plastic grocery bag  in the bushes.  I retrieved it and the kids and I made a game out of finding and retrieving trash the rest of the way back home.

Then it hit me...  Why not by a trash grabbler wand (whatever you call 'em) and make a point to walk a different path, or different side of the street every day and pick up the trash as I go.  Good for me, good for Mission Viejo....

And that is the story of how I became a Mission Viejo Trash Walker.

So this message goes out to all the beautiful people everywhere...  Try walking a path less traveled and pick up some trash along the way.  Same exercise, and you will feel better physically and spiritually as you make a very real difference for the benefit of your city and your fellow residents.