Whose Garbage is it anyway? Trash starting to pile up in National Parks due to government shutdown
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The government has been shut down for 11 days and our national parks continue to be affected. Garbage in some spots in San Francisco is still pilling up as the staff isn't there to collect the trash.
Those people exploring the Land's End Trail, suddenly encountered an abrupt reality, one of the many consequences of the government shutdown.
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"That's terrible, people are pigs," that's one hiker's reaction after seeing all the trash left behind.
The path is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and therefore, services like trash collection have been put on hold. People had a lot to say about who, at this point, should be responsible for this mess.
"You want people in Washington to do it, you do something too, it's your doorstep. Everybody should be a little bit more respectful," said another local resident who walk on this path every day.
One man thought a bear had gone through the garbage, but when we told him it was because of the government shutdown, he didn't hesitate to add his dog's waste to the pile.
"I think it's disgusting. I think it reflects really poorly on our city and we have a lot of visitor from other places and it's terrible," expressed Sarah Esterkyn who lives near the path.
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We found one of those visitors. Emelia Rio-Scaddin was visiting from Australia.
"Hopefully, they'll do something about it because it's not hygienic and it doesn't make the city look very inviting," said Rio-Scaddin.
"Look at the garbage and people should pick up their garbage, that's all. You pack it in, you pack it out, that's what we do," said that first hiker.
It was a different story in the small area of the Presidio where the Warming Hut café is located near Crissy Field. It's managed by the same National Park Service, except that, the nearby Presidio Trust is helping with clean up efforts.
The Presidio Trust is a federal agency, but because it doesn't receive taxpayer support, it is never affected by a shutdown and the staff is providing the needed assistance.
Individual households are also helping. This morning we found Margaretta and Jack Colangelo picking up garbage there.
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"We all love to be out and walking and sailing and we're so lucky to have this," said Margaretta Colangelo.
"I just wanted to keep it clean, maybe start the new year with a good start," said her son, Jack.
