National Park Eliminates Trash Cans, Why?

Today was a great Father’s day. My child woke me up at 8:00. Later in the day, we drove to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and drove around Cades Cove loop.

We stopped at the Cable Mill and I picked up a piece of trash in the parking lot; because that’s just what I do. When I looked for a trash can, there was not one to be found. So I carried the trash into the small store and asked if they could throw it away. I was told that they removed all of the trash cans. I said, “Excuse me?” That's what my brain defaults to when I hear something so absurd that I can't formulate a response.

The gentleman behind the counter said that they removed all of the trash cans on the site (except I did notice one in the bathroom for “diapers only”). Now, the GSMNP is perhaps one of the cleanest, most pristine, areas that I know. The water is clean, the trails stay relatively trash free, and you don’t notice litter along the roadways. So, what genius decided to make a policy to take the trash cans out of a major destination? How many people carry a trash bag in their car?

If you have a car full of kids and they are eating snacks, drinks, and using plates and napkins, wouldn’t it be a good idea for them to have a place to clean out the car? Wouldn’t it be cheaper to take out the trash everyday than to clean trash up along the roadway?

I’m sure that they have a theory, about how eliminating trash cans is a good idea, to keep the park beautiful; no I’m sorry, really? I can’t even type that line without my brain looking back over the sentence. I’m sure that somewhere in a file is a memo that outlines the rational and I would love to read that and know who signed on the dotted line.

This policy should seriously be reconsidered and I am asking everyone to call the Ranger at (865) 436-7777.

Oh, by the way, while walking back to my car I picked up another piece of trash, yeah, just because that’s the way my father raised me.