Aproximently an hour south of Buffalo New York there is a town with the name of Ellicottville, a small town with an economy based on a ski resort named Holiday Valley Resort. Holiday Valley is a four season resort including an eighteen hole golf course, pool, skiing, hiking, and biking trails. Needless to say, growing up I spent the majority of my time there.
             However, one day stands out from all the others. I was out biking on a warm summer afternoon. Pushing my limits, as I flew through the flats and enter a mean set of switchbacks. My front fork bottomed out sending me over the handle bars. I landed in a pile of brush and garbage. This shocked me that people would misuse this beautiful place. I then decided to investigate a little more. Coming to the conclusion that the trail areas were cleaner than the rest of the mountain. I rode near the ski lifts and the path under the chairs and found countless ski poles, ski gloves, empty cigarette packs, and other random garbage. I could not believe my eyes. The thought of someone senselessly neglecting their own environment makes me ill. They must think that if they no longer see it than it does not exist.
             It is not as if the pollution is anywhere near any streams to spread this contamination to other surounding areas. Although, the wildlife in these parts are in danger of consuming hazardest materials. It blew my mind that this mess is simply left to collect year after year. The millions of dollars in profit is obviously not even partially being put back into the area. You would think that the resort would employ environmental advisement to offer insite in maters of clean up and prevention.
             I would have to say that this experience of mine has changed the way I think and act in nature. Instead of looking around to see if anyone is looking before I discard a piece of trash on the ground, I looked around to see if there is any trash near by that I could pick up...