A shopping cart in the riverbed of the Rhine, in Germany. Not only was it miles away from a supermarket, but <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1082194">Hilke Kurzke</a> said it's nearly impossible to steal shopping carts from supermarkets in Germany. Most supermarkets use carts with wheels that automatically lock when they leave the premises.
Shopping carts in the wild —
A shopping cart in the riverbed of the Rhine, in Germany. Not only was it miles away from a supermarket, but Hilke Kurzke said it's nearly impossible to steal shopping carts from supermarkets in Germany. Most supermarkets use carts with wheels that automatically lock when they leave the premises.
Courtesy of Hilke Kurzke
A shopping cart <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1082038">drowns</a> in East Boston. Shopping carts can often be found in sensitive environments like streams and rivers.
Shopping carts in the wild —
A shopping cart drowns in East Boston. Shopping carts can often be found in sensitive environments like streams and rivers.
Courtesy of Youvathana Sok
Here sits one of those "giant, bulky kiddie car ones that are so hard to maneuver through the store," writes <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1082679">Jeremy Nix</a>. "I always cross my fingers that none of them are available when I take my 3-year-old to the grocery store."
Shopping carts in the wild —
Here sits one of those "giant, bulky kiddie car ones that are so hard to maneuver through the store," writes Jeremy Nix. "I always cross my fingers that none of them are available when I take my 3-year-old to the grocery store."
Courtesy of Jeremy Nix
Nix was inspired to return an abandoned Family Dollar shopping cart he found in Denver, Colorado, to its rightful location across the street. Unfortunately, the store owner did not show him the enthusiasm he was expecting. Instead, he said, she yelled at him for taking pictures in her store.
Shopping carts in the wild —
Nix was inspired to return an abandoned Family Dollar shopping cart he found in Denver, Colorado, to its rightful location across the street. Unfortunately, the store owner did not show him the enthusiasm he was expecting. Instead, he said, she yelled at him for taking pictures in her store.
Courtesy of Jeremy Nix
A mechanic attached a <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1093315">steam jenny hose</a> to a shopping cart that was kept in an old trucking terminal in Rochester, New York.
Shopping carts in the wild —
A mechanic attached a steam jenny hose to a shopping cart that was kept in an old trucking terminal in Rochester, New York.
Courtesy Nick Swann
"This particular shopping cart grabbed my eye as it was shoved up against a building, like it was hiding its face," said <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1081759">Denise Bossarte</a> in Austell, Georgia.
Shopping carts in the wild —
"This particular shopping cart grabbed my eye as it was shoved up against a building, like it was hiding its face," said Denise Bossarte in Austell, Georgia.
Courtesy of Denise Bossarte
<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1082888">Vida Dimovska</a> admits when she was little, "I had a thought to 'borrow' a shopping cart to drive around, play and have adventures. ... In that time, shopping carts were half the size of today's and were actually more practical to carry around." Now some stores, like this one in Kranj, Slovenia, lock up their shopping carts with chains that can only be unlocked by inserting a coin. Customers get their money back when they return the cart.
Shopping carts in the wild —
Vida Dimovska admits when she was little, "I had a thought to 'borrow' a shopping cart to drive around, play and have adventures. ... In that time, shopping carts were half the size of today's and were actually more practical to carry around." Now some stores, like this one in Kranj, Slovenia, lock up their shopping carts with chains that can only be unlocked by inserting a coin. Customers get their money back when they return the cart.
Courtesy of Vida Dimovska
Since 2009, volunteers with the Clean Bread and Cheese Creek organization in Maryland <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1084550">have removed more than 200 shopping carts from the creek</a>, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
Shopping carts in the wild —
Since 2009, volunteers with the Clean Bread and Cheese Creek organization in Maryland have removed more than 200 shopping carts from the creek, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
Courtesy of Clean Bread and Cheese Creek
A cart sinks in the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Shopping carts in the wild —
A cart sinks in the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Courtesy of Peter Gnas
"No place to call home/ shopping cart in the wild/ everything they own."-- A haiku by iReporter <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1083316">Jeremy Nix</a>
Shopping carts in the wild —
"No place to call home/ shopping cart in the wild/ everything they own."-- A haiku by iReporter Jeremy Nix
Courtesy of Jeremy Nix
Abandoned shopping carts are commonly associated with homeless populations, as many homeless individuals use them to easily transport their belongings.
Shopping carts in the wild —
Abandoned shopping carts are commonly associated with homeless populations, as many homeless individuals use them to easily transport their belongings.
Courtesy of Nick Swann
<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1080121">Nick Swann</a> photographed this man carting around bottles and cans. "I have seen these guys wandering around at all hours of the day in single-digit temperatures," Swann said. "Just wandering from Dumpster to Dumpster, garbage can to garbage can, looking for a can or bottle."
Shopping carts in the wild —
Nick Swann photographed this man carting around bottles and cans. "I have seen these guys wandering around at all hours of the day in single-digit temperatures," Swann said. "Just wandering from Dumpster to Dumpster, garbage can to garbage can, looking for a can or bottle."
Courtesy of Nick Swann
A shopping cart is chained to a bike rack with all its paraphernalia in New York City. "I assumed it belonged to a homeless person who locks it up whenever he or she takes shelter from the cold," <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fireport.cnn.com%2Fdocs%2FDOC-1082009">Marjorie Zien</a> said. "Based on the appearance, it is definitely 'owned' by someone."
Shopping carts in the wild —
A shopping cart is chained to a bike rack with all its paraphernalia in New York City. "I assumed it belonged to a homeless person who locks it up whenever he or she takes shelter from the cold," Marjorie Zien said. "Based on the appearance, it is definitely 'owned' by someone."
Courtesy of Marjorie Zien