Why are California highways so littered? (taxes, living in, cost)

[JGC97]

California highways are littered because many people are pigs. They treat their environment probably the same way they treat other people.

[tehsquishmeister]

Vast majority of litter on the freeways is actually from garbage trucks, though there's obviously a ton of lazy pigs around too.

The reason the roads aren't cleaned is the state is too busy squandering money and paying hefty pensions.

Also, we wouldn't want prisoners cleaning up the roads, because, you know, that's hard work.

[Chimérique]

Littering and dumping trash is a huge pet peeve of mine. I think it is disgusting and depressing to witness. I see it everywhere now, urban areas, rural areas, rich areas, poor areas, etc. People who toss their cigarette butts anywhere also disgusts me.

I witnessed 2 guys(strangers in their 40's) leave their trash on a picnic table in the park, some of the trash fell to the ground and they didn't bother to throw it away when a trash can was just 10 feet away. While sitting there they just tossed their cigarette butts on a walk path, into a pond and on the grass at the park. It enraged me so bad I walked up to them and said, "why aren't you throwing away your trash". "Don't you have any respect or pride in your environment, in your city". I think I called them "pigs and disgusting". To my surprise they were slightly fearful and contrite after I scolded them and picked up their trash. They actually looked ashamed. Same thing happened with a set different of people on a different occasion, they didn't take my scolding too well, as they threatened my life and chased me off.

I have many theories but I dare not say what some of them are or I will be attacked for being political incorrect or worse.

It's been many years since I've seen "work crews", or "inmates" cleaning the roadways. It's not politically correct anymore, liability, lawsuits, etc are probably some of the reasons.

Isn't it ironic, how we are the most environmentally conscience as we have ever been, yet there is tons of trash and litter everywhere now, every roadway looks horrible, our city streets just as bad or worse.

California has a huge "underclass" of people who simply don't care at all about their environment.

[JGC97]

You're very brave, Chimérique. If I were to walk up to someone and chastise them for not picking up their trash, I'd probably end up looking down the barrel of a 9mm and them telling me to mind my own business - only they wouldn't use exactly those words.

It's astonishing how brazen people can be about littering. I see a lot of trash at freeway on and off ramps. Couldn't understand how those areas could get so dirty until a guy right in front of me stopped, rolled down his window and threw his empty McDonald's bag out the window, followed by a cup and straw. Pigs, I tell you. And yes, it's disgusting to see. smh

[evgeniusleo]

I really care about this question!
What can be done about this?

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I don't recall seeing litter by CA highways. Is this mainly in certain areas? There used to be a stiff fine for littering.

"Too cheap to buy garbage bags"?? Paper grocery bags are free. Plastic produce bags in the grocery stores are free. It doesn't cost anything to have a receptacle in your car. You can use an old cardboard box. Strange reasoning, OP. Your earlier theory may play a role though; maybe there aren't many volunteer groups doing highway "beautification"/cleaning.

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

What 10 cents for a paper bag? That's a hardship?

I guess they are not free then. No its not a hardship or anything. I don't specifically agree with the bag ban though. Retailers were paying for the bag already. I knew more people that used the bags for trash bags after they were done with them. Now they have these recyclable bags that they sell you and no one wants to use those as a way to throw their trash away.

[JGC97]

Originally Posted by evgeniusleo

I really care about this question!
What can be done about this?

Around my area, the sheriff's dept uses low risk inmates for road clean up. Not sure if they do it in your area but you could call the the sheriff's office in your county and ask if they do the same. If they do, tell them of specific areas that need attention. If they don't utilize their inmates to do this type of service work, call the city manager's office and inquire. Make your voice heard and keep asking. Eventually, someone will listen. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by tehsquishmeister

Vast majority of litter on the freeways is actually from garbage trucks, though there's obviously a ton of lazy pigs around too.

The reason the roads aren't cleaned is the state is too busy squandering money and paying hefty pensions.

Also, we wouldn't want prisoners cleaning up the roads, because, you know, that's hard work.

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

I guess they are not free then. No its not a hardship or anything. I don't specifically agree with the bag ban though. Retailers were paying for the bag already. I knew more people that used the bags for trash bags after they were done with them. Now they have these recyclable bags that they sell you and no one wants to use those as a way to throw their trash away.

Yes prior to the bag bans which started around 2012 in different cities around the state and statewide since last November. Most of the litter issue was from recycling trucks as they encourage trash not to be bagged for easy sorting, but it also makes recyclables easily blow alway in the wind during collection both when it is dumped inside by the claw as well as when the recycle truck is under way. This is really a bad idea. We should require recyclables be bagged too.

After the bag bans, which for some reason only applies to checkout bags but no other. Shoppers and stores started to use even more plastic packaging these days. Shoppers also use multiple protective bags to prevent their groceries from spilling into their paper or reusable bag or onto their car. Also what happens is that those checkout bags are the best in containing other types of litter until they can get to a trash can and when they are collected which also keeps them from blowing out of the garbage truck. Nowadays trash including the numorous other type of plastics are either dumped directly or tied by bin liners or glade bags and less often paper bags which do not have handles and often rips apart easily causing them and the trash bag itself to fly out the back of trash trucks. I witnessed this quite a number of times when garbage trucks are on the road and see many piles of trash in addition to the bin liner that once hold them together on the side of the road.

While its The bags were included in price but it was a very tiny overhead cost back then for grocery giants probably less than one cent a bag that was much more offset by the advertisement they provided and the good customer service. Safeway was greedy enough to make this a few cent profit machine not considering the negative consequences such as shoppers buying less and increased shrinkage and security costs associated with it. Many stores are now forced to installing expensive barriers to combat the issue. It appears now they got Honolulu to join in as well as they were mad that Honolulu forced them to increase their overhead cost by requiring them to use paper or biodegradable bag since 2015 without requiring customers pay a fee for them.

I lived in places and noticed that the trashmaggeden in the cities always follows in the months after they pass a ban and fee policy. While the areas that are not covered remained much cleaner. But the same thing happens right after they too pass the same policy. All these couldn't be mire coincidental. SFDFW waste audits also shows a sharp increase in plastic trash in the years since SF passed a ban.

Another interesting thing is that these days when one goes to a 7 11 now they end up carrying a bunch of unbagged plastic chip packages and candy bars. You will know what happens when they finish eating but has no bag to hold their garbage until they can get to a can. Even if they don't want to litter the trash would blow out of their hand. You wouldn't use reusable bags even if you have one to store broken ice cream bar packages would you or sticky candy wrappers?

California should really get to know they are causing more a problem than they are solving and ban bag bans around the state and replace it with a measure to produce real compostable bags whenever plastic packaging is used and design them practical for trash collection purposes. Also they should try to get in state manufactures and brandnames to reduce using plastic for packaging. Charge manufactures a tax for using plastic packaging. I notice these days with the exception of Whole Foods many retailers are using plastics in applications where they once used paper or other materials i.e egg cartons.

Save the environment, BAG the Ban.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Save the environment, BAG the Ban.

[mountainrose]

Illegals cost California $30 BILLION a year -- almost 18% of CA's total budget.
No wonder there's no money for frivolous things like infrastructure or road cleanups......

https://www.nationaleconomicseditori...on-california/