What would you have done?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (101456)
United States
August 11, 2025 12:40pm CST
I hesitated to bring this up, but it made me wonder when my childhood best friend (the constantly misdiagnosed one who was eventually diagnosed with POTS) was texting me last night about a trip she had been on with her family and another group. They were at a national park, and standing at an overlook near a family from another country (one of her family spoke their language (no, they weren’t from Mexico)) so they knew they were on vacation too. One of the little girls from the other family on vacation had a scrape on her leg. Long story short, the other family (an adult) threw two dirty (and slightly bloody) paper towels on the ground, and kept admiring the beauty they just marred.
She asked me what I would have done, and I said I would have gotten something to pick up the towels, given them a pointed look, and thrown them away. What did she do? She marched over to them, pointed at the paper towels, and told them to pick them up. The second time she told them, they picked the towels up. She said while her husband thought she was too harsh, another group who had walked up thanked her for saying something.
What would you have done? I don’t litter in my own country, let alone the other countries I have visited. And hey, they may very well treat their country like a trash can too, but I was glad my friend said something. They probably were a very nice family; they just weren’t very respectful (a problem every country had with their citizens…I’m not about to dump on specific countries).
What would you have done?
10 people like this
13 responses
@snowy22315 (194357)
• United States
14h
Probably would pick them up throw them away and give them a dirty look. Maybe also saying something like trash belongs in the trash can, and hope they were embarrassed.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (87891)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10h
From my very little days my mother taught me to give her all used tissues and naptking when we were outside, She put them in her pockets and then disposed of them when a trash can was nearby, There is no excuse for littering and we must remember wildlife who get into all kinds of messes when humans litter,
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (39781)
• Philippines
6h
I think your friend handled it in a direct but fair way—sometimes people genuinely don’t think about the impact of their actions in the moment, especially when they’re distracted by a beautiful view or busy with family. Approaching them and pointing it out gave them the chance to make it right without it turning into a bigger conflict.
If it were me, I might also have picked up the towels myself if I sensed they weren’t going to, but I’d still hope to address it politely so they understand it’s not just about one scrap of litter—it’s about respecting a shared space. And you’re right, this isn’t a “one country” problem; every nation has people who are respectful and others who aren’t. The important part is encouraging care for the environment in a way that doesn’t shame someone’s culture but reminds them of our shared responsibility.
@luisadannointed (8141)
• Philippines
13h
Your friend is so brave. But I will do the same thing, pick up the towel and give them a scary look.
But my sister will definitely do what your friend did.
@xstitcher (35106)
• Petaluma, California
14h
I probably would have picked them up and put them in the trash myself.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (360465)
• Rockingham, Australia
38m
I wouldn't have tackled them. I'm too much of a coward but I would have picked up the towels and glared at them.
@LooeyVille (74)
• United States
12h
I would have just picked them up and thrown them away and mumbled something under my breath.
1 person likes this
