Will you pick up litter in the streets?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
April 2, 2007 6:16am CST
You watch a scene from your darkest nightmares unfold before your eyes. You stood there in scraps of rags, all dirtied, hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot. You saw the restaurant waiter toss out a bag of garbage and you hurried forward as soon as he was gone. You tore open the bag and dug inside with a vengeance. The stench was overpowering but you had long got used to it. All you wanted was food.
Gosh, I must have got carried away. :P No, this discussion is not about unemployment or beggaring for food. It is about litter. In the scene I painted above, a person driven to desperation will rummage through filthy refuse for leftover food that most would not even deign to touch. But what if you are not feeling desperate, not feeling the least bit needy, but are just being civic-minded?
I want to think that all of us want to live in a clean country, city and neighborhood. Sometimes, inconsiderate people drop their litter in a couldn't-care-less fashion, and this mess literally mars the landscape of our environs. Other times, the place might be relatively clean with ample garbage bins around. But somehow, there will always be a can out of place, a plastic bag flying around or a piece of tissue pretending to be snow.
Do you play a civic hero in these cases and step forward to make things right? Toss the can, chase the bag, pick up the tissue. As simple as that, an effortless act. But will you do it? Have you ever done it? Or are you one of those who join in to make the mess messier? :P
Do share your thoughts. ;-)
30 people like this
83 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
2 Apr 07
Back when I was younger & healthier, I participated in what they call "Austin Clean Sweep" where citizens would go out & clean up the town, parks, vacant lots, the lake. We'd have canoers going out & picking up litter on the edges where people couldn't get, even suba divers going down! We also lower the lake like once a year or two to control the weeds & people will get out there then & clean up where the water normally covers even tho that isn't on clean sweep time. I pulled over once & watched while a guy had hired some other people to get logs, & other trash off the lake while the water was down because it was a boating hazard. Pretty cool. Actually, they lower the lake in Jan in hopes the cold weather will kill the weeds, but most years it doesn't get cold enough! This guy, tho, was also getting the guys he hired to try & drag the worst of the weeds out too to cut back on some of the growth, I can assure you that year wasn't any where near cold enough to kill anything!
10 people like this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
2 Apr 07
I do not toss litter in the streets and I also don´t pick others up I guess I could, but I just don´t. i guess that would feel a bit strange for me, since people will also probably look at me like I have actually really lost my mind =)
They have people hired here to clean the streets and it is sad that we actually have to hire people to get things done, things that could so easily be avoided if people just had some common sense!!!
9 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
Marie, maybe those people are just shamed that you are doing what they don't dare to do. :P
4 people like this
@jillbeth (2705)
• United States
2 Apr 07
We were in the park with the kids yesterday and there was litter on the ground only a few feet from the trash can! I just don't understand why people do that. My son picked it up and put it in the can. When we go fishing I always take a bag to pick up the litter while we're there. People have so much disrespect for the environment! Our small town is fairly clean, without much litter on the streets, although it does seem to blow into our hedge from somewhere in the neighborhood!
Each spring we have clean-up here in town and the street department will pick up any junk you leave on the curb. A lot of people will rummage for scrap or anything usable, which I don't mind, but we have had people turn garbage bags with nothing useful upside down on our lawn and leave it there. That really burns me up. If I ever caught someone in the act they would catch h*** from me!
7 people like this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
2 Apr 07
...can you imagine!! unbelievable.. [Good grief!]
:))
5 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
I am sure Mother Earth would be very appreciative of your efforts. ;-)
4 people like this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
2 Apr 07
This is good. I have to say Philippines rank among the top countries for being polluted. You can see litters everywhere. Sadly, the Filipinos lack the discipline and the government are not doing their job very well. I never pick up any litters on the sidewalk nor do I mess the surroundings. My community contribute a small amount of money every month to pay for street sweeper. I only help my neighbors in cleaning the area near our house.
6 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
If only everyone can just be responsible for his own litter. If everyone doesn't litter, why would the streets be dirty?
4 people like this
@samrat16 (2442)
• India
2 Apr 07
I live in India . People in india and nice and cultured nut if you want to have a look at their characterstics throwing litter on road and neighbourhood, spitting on road and peeing on roadside is like their hobby. nearly 60% of Indians do this on regular basis .Now Mumbai ( one of metro's of country ) police is thinking of impoising some fine for people who have done this.
Yes, I trust in picking stones or anything which can hurt somebody from roads . I feel what if my parents or wife meet an accident due to the same. I trust in clean home and clean society to develop our country and take it to heights.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
No country is perfect. We all need to work on certain areas.. there is always room for improvement.
2 people like this
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
2 Apr 07
I will sometimes pick up trash i find laying around but not as often as i should. but i can say I do not add to the mess. I get very angry when i see people littering like when the car in front of yu decides that keeping their car free of trash decides to throw it out the window. I mean really what is more important a clean car or a clean world. People can be so stupid. I will pick stuff up if there is a garbage can nearby and its not disgusting. I tend to be careful what i pick up.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
Yup.. some items are too disgusting to be picked up.
2 people like this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
2 Apr 07
I am always picking trash up off the ground. I don't think I would pick up a tissue though, somethings are better left laying!LOL
I believe all trash should be put in it's place. I hate to see people throw trash out on the side of the road, like Earth is just a big garbage pail!
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
Well, maybe you can use a clean tissue to pick up a dirty tissue, lol. :P
2 people like this
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
18 May 07
I don't typically pick up garbage. I am not a germophobe but I don't like the idea of what MIGHT be on it.
In our area people adopt stretches of road that they clean once a month. We also have prisoners that do street clean up to.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
18 May 07
I understand.. especially if it is dirty..
2 people like this
@all4ucnc (861)
• United States
2 Apr 07
I live in the middle of no-where, near a river, with no close neighbors. Though we are surrounded by trees, we do have a highway between us and the hill of trees that's our front view.
And people are constantly throwing things out their windows. Things fly out of the back of their trucks ect. So in order to keep my secluded oasis a nice place to look at as they drive by, I pick up alot of garbage, I don't live in the woods to be surrounded by garbage.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
How can people be so inconsiderate... :/
3 people like this
@totalearnings (1603)
• India
2 Apr 07
Hi LWW. People spit on street, eat with bare hands, or speak loudly in a public place, or throwing garbage on the road, in the shafts by the residents in flats and soon, all these comes from the fact that people act due to their influences. If we comprehend that then everything becomes logical afterward. all those who follow such habits to lower in statra in some form or the other like lack of education, proper sanitary facility around them, lack of home etc..
If more and more people are educated, better sanitary facilities, good jobs,home and good neighbourhood, then most of them will tend to act in their highest qualities without having to tell them in the first place. On top of it, if the legislation mandates that dont throw litter in road or public places, and educates people on sanitary/hygienic living will provide the necessary change. At the same time, legislation without proper infrastructure is useless too.
i was the secretary of my earlier neighbourhood and the garbage was being thrownby some awful members of the building. i questioned but everyone refused that they havent done. anyway i tried to educate them and collected 10 bucks from each flat on monthly basis and got the garbage thrown out regulary. with the help of local sanitary authorities i introduced the garbage collecting scheme too and is still running. i am glad i could a little bit to start with in my neighbourhood where the future of kids lie.
3 people like this
@totalearnings (1603)
• India
2 Apr 07
i believe the educated brains one could be washed easily from my experience.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
Really? Wouldn't know. When I rule the world, you can be my adviser. :P
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
I beg to differ on one point. It might be "easy" to think that being educated means you are more civilized and you won't go around littering... but sadly, it does not always work out so ideally.
Maybe we can brainwash people to be more civic-minded. :P
2 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
2 Apr 07
I used to pick bottles as a kid and yes I have picked up trash off the street and put it in the garbage. Now having a harder time getting around I don't. I can pride myself however I'm not one to do the littering. I don't like it when I have to go outside and come to find someone has thrown their garbage in my yard and in turn I would never do that to anyone. Take care and have a great day.
4 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Apr 07
Yup. The least one can do is to not contribute to the litter. ^^
2 people like this
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
18 May 07
I always pick up my own trash and make my kids pick up any of theirs too. leave it like you found it or better than you found it is a good motto. I also have to say I have done my fair share of picking up someone else's mess too and no I was never on a work detail for court just out of my own civic duties.
3 people like this
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
18 May 07
Last week we took a trip to the Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. As we were walking down to get a closer view of the falls all you could see was the trash that some how managed to get along the shoreline. I had never seen so much litter. While we did pick up the trrash that we had seen on the trails we weren't allowed to get that close to the shoreline. We took this as a great lesson to teach the children about why it is a good idea to make sure that you use a trash bin to throw your garbage away.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
18 May 07
I really can't understand why people are so inconsiderate that they litter everywhere.
1 person likes this
@missybal (4490)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I do that all the time... pick up and throw out the trash on the street that is... I don't eat anything I find. I can't stand to see a bunch of trash all over. After every winter there seems to be a ton of it that needs picked up. I must have picked up or front yard ten times already. People keep dropping there fast food wrappers there.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Apr 07
We need to teach some people about being clean. :P
1 person likes this
@cessy1 (1748)
• Philippines
3 Apr 07
when i was younger, i joined a summer job that cleans the streets in our subdivision..but during regular days, i wouldn't pick up every trash that i see lying aroung the streets..but i make sure that all the dries leaves and other trash in front of our house will be swept when i clean our house in the morning..
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Apr 07
Alright, so it at least gives the place a fresh look.
1 person likes this
@mdarma (868)
• Singapore
4 Apr 07
Hi Lordwarwizard, being a Singaporean you are well aware of the penalties that will be imposed us. It is “fine” or “Corrective work” Among the two the later will be much humiliating. For info, for our other friend (You will be required under supervision to perform civil duties in cleaning up certain part of Singapore) this is something I would not like to do.
Yes. If I did drop any litter, I will recover it immediately and dispose it in the litterbin it is better than been caught and the corrective actions imposed by court.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Apr 07
That's being kind to the environment. :)
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
2 Apr 07
i will sometimes throw away trash when i'm not in a hurry to be somewhere.i hate when people just throw things down especially in some cases when there's a garbage can right there.it looks horrible.
we have a park that is utterly trashed every summer by visiting tourists.they wouldn't do that at home (most likely),i wish they wouldn't do it here.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Apr 07
How can such a place be a tourist attraction? Or how can they not keep a tourist attraction clean?
1 person likes this
@taymouse (585)
• United States
2 Apr 07
The neighbors litter in our yard everyday.. I've long gotten used to picking up litter. Most of the time when I see litter, paper, whatever, lying about, I will pick it up. I love to keep the earth clean; I even have my own website on global warming. I remember when I was a kid some of my old friends and I would spend our recess everyday doing the "Pick up trash team" and we would walk around the whole time looking for trash to pick up. We didn't usually find a lot on the playground and stuff but it was still nice. :)
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Apr 07
Your neighbors litter in YOUR yard? You should tell them off or something..
1 person likes this
