Things that "litter"

This tree is littering the ground with it's waste. Yet, there is a difference between the litter that we throw on the ground and these leaves. Nature's "litter" is part of a cycle. It is part of a system that is reused. It's a closed system. These leaves break down after only a few months into new top soil for future growth. Our paper, metal, and plastic waste takes years and years to break down. It is part of linear cycle of resource to product to waste.