We are bombarded with the possibilities of global warming. Excessive carbon dioxide emissions, greenhouse gasses and carbon-based fuels have negative effects on the world of today, according to many experts.

Emerging industrial nations like China and India are polluting the atmosphere faster than anything we’ve ever seen, but they are not alone. Our nation’s coal-burning power plants are spewing millions of tons of pollutants into the atmosphere, causing acid rain, increasing mercury levels, destroying lakes and rivers, and killing our forests and fish.

We are supposed to be stewards of the Earth and guardians of the environment. We are supposed to be in charge of things, but we have failed.

Although governments, industrialized nations and large corporations are to blame, we are, too.

I am appalled to see litter along the road as I drive down the highways. I must live just about the right distance from town. Although I’m 6 miles from Interstate-88, it seems more like I’m a Big Mac or a Whopper and large fries away from the fast food spots. It must take 5 or 6 miles to consume those items before the wrappers and bags are thrown out against the guard rails.

Highway workers and volunteers groups constantly pick up the litter, but amazingly, it reappears the very next day. People, possibly our own friends and neighbors, just don’t care.

Last fall, the state repaved Route 23 from West Oneonta to Morris. They widened the shoulders and packed new blacktop on them, making it a great place to ride my bicycle. It’s wonderful except for the newly broken beer bottles that appear on a regular basis. I often stop to remove the splintered glass in order to avoid a potential flat tire.

After only a week of steady riding, I have concluded two things: Many people don’t care, and several obviously drink and drive every day. I guess they aren’t concerned with recycling and nickel deposits, either.

As you know from reading my stories over the past few years, I love the mountains, the rivers and the wilderness. I’m sure many of you have heard the expression that true wilderness is reached "when you get beyond the last beer can."

I’ve picked up plenty of cans and garbage while wandering around in the woods. I always wondered why people couldn’t carry out something empty when they carried it in full. I guess they are just too lazy and really don’t care.

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But there are people who do care about the Earth and the environment.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of hiking across the Adirondacks from Northville to Lake Placid. That’s 125 miles of wilderness.

During that 12-day journey, I didn’t see one discarded beer can. I never found a misplaced gum wrapper, either. But drive the three miles from my house to West Oneonta and you could fill a pickup truck with the litter and debris that’s along the highway.

Let’s all try a little harder. Take it home and start to care. Do your own small part as a steward of the Earth and our environment.

Rick Brockway writes a weekly outdoors column for The Daily Star. E-mail him at robrockway@hotmail.com.