Overflow of Trash Discarded by Tourists
The unique waterfall landscape of Yosemite National Park in the United States is under threat. This is due to an increasing number of tourists not cleaning up their trash. The national park authorities have taken to social media (SNS) to directly plead, "Please clean up your trash."
On the 9th (local time), Yosemite National Park management posted several photos on their official Instagram account. The photos were taken near the park's waterfall area, showing white tissues scattered around the waterfall. The management pointed out, "This has become an all-too-familiar sight," adding, "Used tissues remain around the Lancheria Falls."
They continued, "Tourists can bring sealable plastic bags to clean up their trash. No one wants to accidentally find trash left by others," they emphasized.
The management also warned against burying trash such as toilet paper in the park's soil. Ordinary toilet paper takes about 1 to 3 years to fully decompose. Before that happens, other animals may dig up the soil, causing the trash to resurface.
They added, "Some animals even use trash as nesting material," and pleaded, "Please do not leave any trash behind and take everything with you to keep the park clean and pristine."
Yosemite National Park is located in central California, USA, and was designated a World Natural Heritage site in 1984. It was originally designated as a national park about 120 years earlier, in 1864.
The park's centerpiece is a massive waterfall reaching up to 180 meters in height. This waterfall is known to have been formed by glaciers carving through the granite that once covered the park. Such a process created a waterfall unique to Yosemite National Park on the entire planet, which contributed to its recognition as a World Natural Heritage site.
In fact, Yosemite National Park is also very popular as a tourist destination. It is said that 4 to 5 million visitors come to the waterfall area every year.
After hearing the park managers' plea, American netizens responded with comments such as, "This is proof that people are increasingly disrespecting nature," and "It's not that hard to just bring one more bag for your pet's waste."
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