Why Do People Litter? (suburban, cars, kitchen)

[Copanut]

I don't litter, hate people that do, especially cigarette smokers, probably at the top of my moron list.

[fleetiebelle]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

You could start an awareness group, and start education campaigns or renting billboards for it. Seems like an interesting undertaking.

Polish Hill has a community group and a blog, does it not? Get in touch with someone to put together a monthly litter pick-up. Complaining here isn't going to do much good, but in your own community you may be able to get the support of local businesses (to donate supplies or refreshments,) and churches and schools will be a good source of extra hands.

[Debbie1125]

You should have included "lazy" on the poll. I've seen people throw trash on the sidewalk when there was a trash can not even 5 feet away.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by jay5835

I must say this (again): I didn't notice litter until you moved here and began ranting about it.

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Same here. It was quite a "damn, they're right, this place DOES look like Mumbai" moment.

I moved here from NoVA, which has lollipops and gumdrops growing out of the roadsides instead of cigarette butts, weeds, and plastic bags, so it was an immediate culture shock for me. Just about everything else about this place has been a major improvement in my quality-of-life, but I will never just "accept" littering here as being something that can't be helped. I still remember making a delivery not long ago to Magee Hospital in Oakland. While walking up Halket Street across from the hospital this jerk in front of me just dropped his plastic fitness water bottle and kept walking (in front of his children!) I was tempted to pick the bottle up and throw it at the back of his head, but I was on the clock.

[gg]

I think you missed the real reason. If a person has no respect for themselves, they certainly have no respect for their surroundings. Therefore, if they have something to throw away, they little. East Liberty is one of the worst places for litter I have ever seen in the US. So many people that just don't care. Hope they move out someday.

So my answer is

E) They have no respect for themselves, so they don't care about their surroundings.

[SteelCityRising]

As I said I apologize for the bluntness of this thread. It just irks me because today is garbage day in my part of town, and it took me all of one minute to plop my trash bag along the curb. Granted it would be quicker to just chuck stuff out my window, too, as I was driving, but the fact that so many people could have such little pride in their community irks me.

[groar]

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

You should have included "lazy" on the poll. I've seen people throw trash on the sidewalk when there was a trash can not even 5 feet away.

i think there is a weird sense of rebellion in that kind of behavior. it can't even be classified as laziness when someone litters RIGHT NEXT to a trash can, which happens all the time. either people think they are super badass for littering, or it honestly just doesn't occur to them that they shouldn't drop their garbage on the street.

i have friends who regularly pick up trash in their neighborhood (stanton heights) and have had people berate them for acting "better" than other people, and have had people litter right in front of them while they were doing it.

i've never had anyone react negatively to me picking up trash where i live (in fact i've had people stop and praise or thank me for cleaning up lots and whatnot), but people do litter constantly (and don't pick up after their dogs, ewww).

[BettyTheHun]

Originally Posted by groar

i think there is a weird sense of rebellion in that kind of behavior. it can't even be classified as laziness when someone litters RIGHT NEXT to a trash can, which happens all the time. either people think they are super badass for littering, or it honestly just doesn't occur to them that they shouldn't drop their garbage on the street.

i have friends who regularly pick up trash in their neighborhood (stanton heights) and have had people berate them for acting "better" than other people, and have had people litter right in front of them while they were doing it.

i've never had anyone react negatively to me picking up trash where i live (in fact i've had people stop and praise or thank me for cleaning up lots and whatnot), but people do litter constantly (and don't pick up after their dogs, ewww).

If you want to make a litterer mad, pick up their litter right after the act. They sure get upset.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by BettyTheHun

If you want to make a litterer mad, pick up their litter right after the act. They sure get upset.

I did this yesterday at a bus stop. This smoker flicked his cigarette, still lit, into the street. There were no cars coming, so I stepped on it, picked it up, and threw it in the trash receptacle he was leaning on. One of the other people gave me a "thumbs up," and that really bothered the smoker.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

They just don't give a f*ck. I don't think it's about pride about where they live or anything, I'm sure their houses are just as dirty. When you don't care about anything you do dumb things.

This, I suspect.