Imagine this: you are looking at the clear blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds that look like cotton balls; at the emerald green grass that can sometimes gleam just like the jewel; flowers in every color imaginable. You breathe in the air; the clean, pure fragrance of life.

Now picture this: the same place, fifty years later. The clear blue sky is now masked with a layer of smoke. The grass that one day was possibly green is now dead and yellow, resembling hay instead of emeralds. The flowers are long gone; now colorful old tin cans and gum wrappers and empty bags of chips stand in their place. You will probably choke yourself trying to breathe in the air around this place, with all the pollution.

What happened? If people don’t take good care of their own communities, pollution will take over and make a once beautiful place into a dump. Don’t worry: there are things you can do to prevent this. Some ways are really simple, like throwing your trash in a garbage can, or riding your bike more often. You can also get others in your area involved: the more, the merrier! You can help with community service, like taking a Saturday morning to pick up trash from your local park. It might not pay, but it’ll sure make you feel a lot better! And even though it might seem like what you’re doing is not helping at all, believe me, in a few years, the difference will be noticeable.