An American national park has decided to set the record straight for its visitors who have the unfortunate habit of letting themselves be dragged along.
In a fiery Facebook post, Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico challenged its followers to discuss the “huge impact” that something as simple as tossing a bag of chips along the trail can have, CNN reports.
“On a human scale, a spilled snack may seem trivial, but for life in the cave, it can change everything,” the national park writes.
“The processed corn, mixed with the humidity of the cellar, forms the perfect environment to create microbial life and fungi,” it also reads.
The message reminds hikers that all sorts of insects can then disperse the food seeds, mold spreads to high surfaces, fruit rots, and the cycle continues.
In fact, the forest rangers reportedly spent more than 20 minutes meticulously cleaning the mold and picking up small pieces of trash scattered throughout the cave.
“Contrary to popular belief, the cave is NOT a big trash can,” Carlsbad Caverns National Park finally insists.
This national park only allows the consumption of still water. Something the owner of the bag of Cheetos probably should have noted.
