I know it's littering but does it really count?

[Acc0untant]

Often take an apple or banana on my dog walk and when I'm done I'll throw the peel or core in the bushes, brambles, whatever.

My mum was gobsmacked and said I shouldn't do it, that it's littering. Am I unreasonable?

No you can't. There are bags which claim they are compostable/biodegradable but they aren't. There's a really good Sliced Bread episode on this.

With banana peel you need to check there's no label on the banana as they're often plastic.

I wouldn't worry about banana peel, tbh, but orange peel is a no-no.

@Acc0untant you may find this interesting

When I eat an apple there's usually nothing left except for the tiny little stem and the tiny little bit that was at the opposite end where the flower used to be. Everything else gets eaten, including the seeds. I deem them biodegradable and so just flick them into the grass.

I definitely wouldn't throw a banana skin away in the same way, nor indeed any other organic matter of substantial volume.

Try googling ‘dropping banana skins’ - am stunned to discover it is a really bad idea and that the skins can be toxic to some wildlife. Apples seem fine though.

I completely agree.

In some areas they have wild apple trees and it’s not different to when the apples fall on the ground.

Gardeners will often put out banana peels and orange peels as they’re good for the soil and all the little critters.

Apples yes definitely! Probably nothing else.

absolutely would not orange peel

My DH does this, it’s good for the environment apparently

My first thought was dogs getting to it. They're little buggers like that.

😂

Discarding apple cores in a city centre would constitute something improperly discarded, but that’s not the context the OP is describing

You do need to be careful. Not only does some fruit peel, eg bananas, take months to biodegrade, fruit discarded near roads and cycle paths can attract wildlife onto verges, and then into the way of danger and death 🙁 I used to happily chuck apple cores into hedges before discovering this.

sure they’re good in your garden or compost.
However, a lot of wild plants need a low nutrient soil - increasing fertility may encourage rank weeds rather than some of the more delicate native plants.

I wouldn't but cannot get overly bothered about others doing it. Banana skins are probably best binned though.

Vile. Great way to attract vermin. How do you feel about people coming to your home and leaving their food waste behind. Honestly people’s standards are so low.

Anything organic is good in my eyes!

I mean in the woods obviously

Chucking banana skins on the ground/under a bush is absolutely unacceptable. Almost every wildlife/wilderness charity agrees on this. They take months to break down, especially in upland areas. Going on a hillwalk and seeing banana skins casually thrown by the side of the path is a regular and depressing experience.

Attract vermin... to the outdoors? That place where squirrels, rats, hedgehogs, voles etc already live?

Hope the view is nice on that high horse of yours.

My beautiful late dog had to go through the same operation as your dog did. She choked from swallowing a plum seed someone discarded. I don't understand why people can't take their waste back home with them or simply put it in a rubbish bin in public places.

no the average is two years! imagine if everyone threw their banana skins in a bush and they were just left there?? depending on where they are it usually takes longer!

I chuck my apple cores into open fields near me for a deer to find. I wouldnt chuck anything else though.

Attract vermins? In the woods?

Sometimes I truly fear for our future.

The view is nice but a bit foggy.

I told my granddaughter to chuck her strawberry heads in the bushes the other day - she was horrified at my behaviour 😂 (she’s 5)