People Who Dump Garbage are Scum

Last Friday I was taking a walk around my neighborhood. It's a neighborhood in transition at the moment. On one side of us are a mix of homes, dating anywhere from 1890 to 1990, some (like ours) with acreage, and on the other lurks the alley behind the strip mall. On my walk, I saw that our neighbor has once again become the victim of illegal dumping. Since the mall was built ten years ago, garbage and illegal dumping have become one of the many problems in our neighborhood.

When someone dumps garbage, it is the responsibility of the property owner to clean it up. Because of both easy access, and a lack of sight lines, many people now use our neighbors property as a free garbage transfer station. In addition it seems the strip mall employees sometimes join in the fun. Currently there are about 15 shopping carts and other assorted discards from the mall. Even worse are the items the illegal garbage-dumping scum leave behind at night.

From what I saw during my casual stroll, our neighbors' pond is currently being polluted by a computer monitor, a stove, several bags of mixed garbage and a pile of what look like unwanted toys. Even the King of the Misfit toys won't be coming for them. It's appalling.

And who pays? Who has to clean up? Our neighbor, in his 80's and on a limited income. His son, who comes over to clean up when he can. Even The Saint and I, who also pick up some of the garbage and haul it away as well. It's disgusting.

The mall was contacted a few years ago about removing their part of the mess, and assured us, and the local press, that they would remove it as soon as possible. The carts are still there, rusting away, and the garbage keeps piling up. The cars keep pulling up in the middle of the night, throwing their unwanted crap over the side, and making it someone else's problem.

A nice walk spoiled. A peaceful neighborhood - trashed again by garbage-dumping slime.