How to change the mindset that littering is okay? (Knoxville: appliances, schools)

[DaveinMtAiry]

Oh man, I remember that jingle very well.


We live in a small town in Maryland and there is one particular section on our road that is always collecting garbage. I do as BadBird does, a few times a year I will take a few trash bags and use one of those things elderly use to pick up a can from a top shelf. It's probably no more than 1/4 mile and I don't go deep off the road, made that mistake only once as it's endless half full bottles, but I pick up 2 full lawn bags each time.


I honestly think it's a rural, small town thing at least here. But I've never seen anyone do it, it would really bother me to see it happen.

[grampaTom]

I have lived in Eastern Tennessee for only a couple of months but I cannot see that the litter here is nearly as bad as Eastern Oklahoma where I grew up, or even Pensacola, Florida where I lived before moving here. Maybe it's just because I live close the Smoky Mountains?

[hiknapster]

Worst trash alongside the roads that I have ever seen was in Fort Myers, FL. If it weren't for the criminals working the highways, it would be a lot worse.

When traveling through Knoxville, I have seen people throw fast food bags out of vehicle windows on the interstate more than once.

I've been in Knoxville for going on 12 years and I constantly drive. I've never seen that happen. Pretty odd that you have.

I don't think litter is a huge problem here. There are lots of people that pick up thanks to the Adopt A Road program. People are also paid to pick up along the highways.

[JOinGA]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Worst trash alongside the roads that I have ever seen was in Fort Myers, FL. If it weren't for the criminals working the highways, it would be a lot worse.



I've been in Knoxville for going on 12 years and I constantly drive. I've never seen that happen. Pretty odd that you have.

I don't think litter is a huge problem here. There are lots of people that pick up thanks to the Adopt A Road program. People are also paid to pick up along the highways.

I have seen it happen twice. The first time....eh, isolated incident. The second time raised my eyebrows. It is just not something typically seen where I live....as in, I cannot remember seeing it at all. I am not in Knoxville often. Perhaps I was just unlucky that it (fast food bags stuffed with trash thrown out windows of moving vehicles) happened in front of me on the interstate twice, but since I was not the one who initiated this thread, clearly some people (other than me) see litter as a particular problem. Maybe not so "odd?"

[Reactionary]

This is the litterbug song I remember:

https://youtu.be/bM22dhuce_s

Litterbug, litterbug, shame on you.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by JOinGA

I have seen it happen twice. The first time....eh, isolated incident. The second time raised my eyebrows. It is just not something typically seen where I live....as in, I cannot remember seeing it at all. I am not in Knoxville often. Perhaps I was just unlucky that it (fast food bags stuffed with trash thrown out windows of moving vehicles) happened in front of me on the interstate twice, but since I was not the one who initiated this thread, clearly some people (other than me) see litter as a particular problem. Maybe not so "odd?"

The OP wrote about litter in Knoxville. What you are writing about is very unique. I've been in Knoxville for 12 years, lived in several areas and have put about 3,000 miles a month on my car, for the past two years, while driving around Knoxville. Never saw it happen. I'm going with odd.

[JOinGA]

Originally Posted by Reactionary

This is the litterbug song I remember:

https://youtu.be/bM22dhuce_s

Litterbug, litterbug, shame on you.

I didn't remember that one. Catchy! The one I remember is at the end of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd_iM4hMWyI


I guess these really made an impression on us as kids. Might be time to bring them back (updated of course!).

[ctr88]

This is my first time to Knoxville. I'm from the west coast and have been checking out TN extensively. I also noticed the terrible littering problem across the state of TN. I have never noticed it consistently this bad in any other state I've been to, and I've been to a lot. Yes there are areas in every state you see it, but they are usually urban areas off exit ramps, major freeways, etc.... Here I have noticed it also on semi rural TN backroads too. So you know it's locals (not visitors) doing it if it is on those back roads. TN has such beautiful landscape, it's such a shame that these people just chuck their garbage out the window and desecrate the land like that. I'm amazed that so many people in this day and age are raised that poorly to not give a crap about chucking their garbage right out the window. Amazing.

Maybe a marketing program statewide would help. Have billboards, TV and radio ads, with a catchy slogan to encourage people to stop littering and keep TN beautiful. Kind of like similar marketing/awareness programs I've seen to stop forest fires, drunk driving, texting while driving, etc...

[JOinGA]

I have a co-worker who often hikes in the Tennessee mountains. He said the same thing about litter problems in the more remote areas.

[NYS2Tennessee]

Originally Posted by NJDevil

Probably the best way is to educate children (in school) and then they go home and spread the word. It's very hard to change adult behavior, and they are more likely to listen to their kids than strangers or the government.

What I'd love to see are cleanup incentives. They have adopt-a-highway programs which are great, but it's volunteer. Even though this is the volunteer state, it's harder than you'd think to get people to come out and do things for free. Years ago when I heard Obama talking about free college in exchange for community service, I loved the idea, that sure is an incentive. Why can't a city government offer some free gift cards in exchange for cleaning up a neighborhood? The cleaner neighborhoods will attract more home buyers, so the gov't could get reimbursed from the realtors. They make enough money. LOL I'm just thinking out loud

I love the incentive idea!