Is litter really that big of a deal?

Absolutely!

Litter isn’t just ugly — it’s dangerous and expensive. Roadside litter causes hundreds of car crashes every year. Many types of litter, like cigarette butts, leach harmful chemicals into the environment. Despite our best efforts, litter is a growing problem. Even with millions of dollars of cleanup efforts every year, we can only collect a fraction of the litter accumulating in our state. With a car litter bag and a little bit of effort, you can help keep our state healthier, tidier, and litter free.

https://ecology.wa.gov/Waste-Toxics/Solid-waste-litter/Litter/litter-prevention/Simple-as-that