sunflower seeds = littering?

[DevinB]

I've always got a bag of sunflower seeds sitting in my jeep to munch on as I drive around. And every time I spit out the shells, I wonder if I'm littering, in both the legal and moral sense. What do you guys think? If a copper saw me, would I be in trouble? Should I have to talk to my bishop to cleanse my soul of my moral wrong-doing?

Devin

 

[Cody]

I chew lots of seeds on the trail and have never felt bad about spitting them on the ground. I figure in the climate we live in, they'll be totally biodegraded in a month.

Cody

 

[scoutabout]

I'm sure it's not illegal, but I think it's uncool. Same with throwing out orange or banana peels. Take only pictures, and leave only footprints (or tire tracks as the case may be).

 

[CJJ92yj]

Consider it "Feeding the birds". It's all good.

 

[spencurai]

I'm sure it's not illegal, but I think it's uncool. Same with throwing out orange or banana peels. Take only pictures, and leave only footprints (or tire tracks as the case may be).

umm those tire tracks are more destructive to the environment than my sunflower seeds and bananna peels. bananna peels turn into nothing in a matter of days, I know because I have performed informal experiments at work. If it is highly bio degradable I will let her rip!!

 

[scoutabout]

It's not really about destruction in my opinion. I just think it's disrespectful to other back country users to throw garbage (of any kind) on the ground. Too many people don't make the distinction between tossing orange peels and tossing out beer cans. It's black and white to me. Trash doesn't belong on our public lands.

 

[spencurai]

It's not really about destruction in my opinion. I just think it's disrespectful to other back country users to throw garbage (of any kind) on the ground. Too many people don't make the distinction between tossing orange peels and tossing out beer cans. It's black and white to me. Trash doesn't belong on our public lands.

What we are trying to say is that we DO make the distinction between natural items found in NATURE that can return to nature naturally...and natural items such as metal that have a hard time returning to nature.

 

[scoutabout]

Yes, I see that you are making the distinction. I'm saying that most don't. When "off-road educated" people say it's ok to toss biodegradable trash, some people won't make the distinction. Not necessarily here on RME, but out in the field, etc.

It's a mix. Some FS Rangers I know will write tickets for tossing orange peels. Others I know will toss orange peels themselves.

I personally do not toss any trash biodegradable or otherwise, and all I can do is encourage others to follow the same policy. I don't like to pull up on a nice picnic spot on the trail, and be greeted by peels or any other biodegradable waste. I've been out on extended trips where I felt like I could have been the first person travelling there in years. Then I see the trash, and the illusion is broken. Just my way of looking at it.

 

[scoutabout]

For the record, I don't consider spitting seed shells from a moving vehicle to be littering or damaging. I don't think it's a good LNT practice, but that's just my opinion.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Should I have to talk to my bishop to cleanse my soul of my moral wrong-doing?

No, I’m not of the LDS persuasion but, are you sure that’s all your “soul” needs to be cleansed of?

:greg:

 

[bruzer]

BIODEGRADABLE, I spit seeds to, no worry's.

 

[DevinB]

No, I’m not of the LDS persuasion but, are you sure that’s all your “soul” needs to be cleansed of?

:greg:

Yup, pretty sure that's it. I'm pretty much perfect.

I can see it both ways on the trail. What about around town? If you see someone spitting seeds at a stop light, what are your feelings? Seriously, would a cop see it as littering and write me up? Or should I spit to my heart's content?

 

[ace]

Don't think of it as littering, think of it as enriching the topsoil

 

[wally]

Well I really would not spit them out on the road or the trail. I do however spit them into a cup and then throw the cup away.

 

[Brett]

I just spit them all over my Jeep, then vacuum it out when I get home.

 

[spencurai]

I spit them everywhere on the trail, on the street, on the rig roads at work, in the home depot...I am a walking talking seed spitting machine...I have a reputation to upkeep!!

 

[Meat_]

I won't dump out a pile of them but I spit them constantly as I'm going. I won't throw out peels of any kind, but I have no problem with food that will be eaten by critters quickly. I WILL throw out that damned lettuce crap (why do they all think everyone likes lettuce?) on the highway were ever I'm at.

 

[rockreligious]

save it all up and dump it in your garden for mulch.

 

[Hickey]

I think it's a disgusting habit, but I wouldn't bother someone about dropping seeds on a dirt road.

 

[Cody]

I wouldn't throw peels on the trail, orange or banana or whatever, but I do spit my sunflower shells just like a ton of people

here is my point. I've run Pritchet canyon on a thursday and a saturday-----both days I was spitting seeds. I also ran it the following saturday (one week later) I never noticed one shell.

there is a point where you go to far to protect the environment. I'm not going to pack out my urine, and I'm not going to pack out sunflower seeds.

Maybe I'm barbaric

Cody