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Original poster

Why are Brits so prone to littering ?

211 replies

Salida · 25/06/2020 14:41

I'm not asking for your litter horror stories - we all have them. I'm asking for your thoughts on something that perplexes me. Just why is it that Britons are so prone to littering (and the oldies on here will confirm, that we have become much more so) - why we seem to litter so much more than countries?

OP posts:
transformandriseup · 26/06/2020 23:01

Our local McDonalds has been back open a week and already empty MD bags are been thrown out of cars in our village (yuk)

Littlebyerockerboo · 26/06/2020 23:02

For everyone who complains about litter, I genuinely hope they pick a piece of litter up and throw it away.
I'm a volunteer litter picker and the sheer amount is shocking. It angers me no end.
If we all pulled together and picked up at least one piece a day, it would make a huge difference.
I also educate my son, and take him on litter picks. He would never litter now (hes 6)
In fact I did have to calm him down when he became so obsessed with litter picking he spent his whole time at a kid friendly festival picking up adults litter... he even recruited several other children to help him.... it shamed alot of adults into throwing things in the actual bin.
(Before I get jumped on, he was totally supervised)
I had to stop him in the end incase he became that "weird kid" who picks up rubbish.
Pretty sad really...
I try to educate about litter and the environment as much as i can, i really think educating the next generation is the best way to tackle things.

HellsAngel81 · 26/06/2020 23:18

People are just lazy and uneducated, simple as that!
It's definitely not a class thing. I was brought up on a council estate by my single mum on benefits. She drummed it into me never to drop litter, and we would both litter pick on walks with the family dog.

QuestionableMouse · 27/06/2020 01:52

I pick litter as I walk my dog or if I'm just out generally. I can't stand it.

TheUnquestionedAnswer · 27/06/2020 02:35

It's down to education and respect. The majority of youths do not care about keeping their area tidy. You only have to walk through the council estate to see the way they live.
I don't litter. I went for a walk in the woods this morning, noticed a crisp packet and a plastic bottle in a stream. Irritating.

Imissmoominmama · 27/06/2020 02:50

There has been so much more litter in our small town since Lockdown- mostly takeaway food/picnic related. People seem to have lost all respect, and it worries me. There are plenty of bins around, so there’s no excuse.

Leflic · 27/06/2020 03:33

Urbanisation.
Someone else's job to clean up in the town. It’s no ones job in the countryside.

IHateCoronavirus · 27/06/2020 03:36

I blame the culture of entitlement and lack of responsibility.
As a school we noticed the rubbish in the hall increasing, so we cracked down on children clearing up after themselves. We had parents protesting in large numbers, refusing to leave the playground until the injustice had been reverted.

They were genuinely horrified we were asking their children to pick up after themselves as”that’s what cleaners are for” and “you don’t have to put up with this shit at maccies!” No wonder their children grow up thinking littering is fine. By their reasoning it is almost preferable in case anyone perceived you as being a lowly cleaner! Angry

MangoFeverDream · 27/06/2020 05:33

Wales leads the world in household recycling BTW

I don’t think this has much to do with littering. Also recycling is a scam, have they found new third-world countries to dump their recycling after China refused to take it? I heard SEA is a new frontier.

TheMostHappy · 27/06/2020 10:48

I don't believe we were this bad before lockdown. I'm really not sure what has changed to turn so many more people in to thoughtless thankless entitles arseholes.

woodhill · 27/06/2020 10:51

Can't believe parents would protest. Words fail me, what a sense of entitlement You are teaching life skills clearing up after themselves.

Do they not clear up in McDonald's?

You wonder what the dc do at home.

"Would you make this mess in your own home, would you put your feet up on a chair with shoes" - some look sheepish

Hingeandbracket · 27/06/2020 10:56

For everyone who complains about litter, I genuinely hope they pick a piece of litter up and throw it away.
Yes, I do, often; but I would rather the cunts hadn't dropped the fucking stuff in the first place.

Iwantacookie · 27/06/2020 11:07

I agree with needing more bins. We have a large green area which you walk through to get to the town centre. All along that entire walk there is 1 bin right at the bit next to town. Why just 1?
I dont agree with people dropping litter but alot more public bins are needed. Again we have a massive park one section is playground equipment and multiple bins but the other half with walks, green space etc has none. Again not an excuse for people to drop litter but I do think extra bins would massively reduce it.

Pelleas · 27/06/2020 11:08

For everyone who complains about litter, I genuinely hope they pick a piece of litter up and throw it away.

Practically every fucking day when it's lying outside my house Angry.

corythatwas · 27/06/2020 11:12

For everyone who complains about litter, I genuinely hope they pick a piece of litter up and throw it away.
Yes, I do, often; but I would rather the cunts hadn't dropped the fucking stuff in the first place.

This.

Twirlytwoo · 27/06/2020 11:13

I was sat on a train and watched a father and son eat their lunch. The father then dropped the rubbish on the floor and his son then did the same. Father made no effort to explain you shouldn't litter. At a cafe I watch people eat their lunch and leave all their rubbish and walk off. I always make an effort to clear my table when I leave, even if it involves handing my tray to a staff member. It is definitely cultural but I suspect it's because people don't care - they leave the rubbish so it's out of sight and out of mind. It's an eye opener when you visit a country like Japan and see the difference in how clean it is. I think the litter problem needs to start with people teaching their children not to litter and also changing people's perception that they can leave the rubbish and there are no repercussions.

EmbarrassedUser · 27/06/2020 11:13

😡😡 @Salida I agree so much. Just yesterday I saw a man casually walking along swigging a can of lager and then tossing it on the floor. If I hadn’t been in the car I would have challenged him as I always do. Round our way there are bins about every 100/150 metres or he could have just taken it home, (I know, it revolutionary!!)

SneakersandSocks · 27/06/2020 11:16

From my own personal experiences - the people who litter and see nothing wrong with it were never taught by their parents that it is wrong and why.
Sadly, I’ve seen it first hand on numerous occasions where kids have throw rubbish on the floor/ out of the car window and the Parent/s never said a word. They then grow into adults and it probably doesn’t cross their mind that it’s wrong.

There’s lots of reasons but lack of education and just not giving a toss are the main ones.

Zoflorabore · 27/06/2020 11:17

woken up today and looked on Twitter and my beautiful city has been terrorised last night by a certain group of football fans “celebrating” winning the premier league.

The sheer amount of rubbish around the Pier Head was obscene and has received a huge backlash. There is absolutely no need for it.

One simpleton suggested it was the council’s fault for “not providing enough bins”

Zoflorabore · 27/06/2020 11:19

Here

Why are Brits so prone to littering ?
EmbarrassedUser · 27/06/2020 11:19

Also, I once saw someone throw a McDonalds bag out of her car window complete with the remnants of chips and half eaten burgers. I was the passenger so challenged her at the next set of lights. All I got was a barrage of abuse plus a middle finger salute, all in front of her two kids in the back! If the parents are doing in and making it seem ok then no wonder it is seen as alright.

QuestionableMouse · 27/06/2020 12:11

That really pisses me off because McDonald's as a company are pretty hot on keeping the restaurant/car park/surroundings clean. People litter McDonald's bags and we get moaned at when in reality it's nothing to do with the company.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 27/06/2020 12:38

It is definitely a lot worse than when I was growing up. However, we had a huge campaign (Government) in the 1960s "Keep Britain Tidy!" - loads of posters everywhere, adverts, etc and very few people dropped litter (if anyone else would be able to see them at it). Time for another one, I think, as people need to be public shamed into disposing of their litter properly.

mornington444 · 27/06/2020 12:43

I think it began during the period in the 70s and maybe 80s when some litter bins were removed owing to IRA/INLA terrorism.

Potionqueen · 27/06/2020 13:02

I once gave chase in my car to a group of lads who threw out KFC rubbish out of their car.

Caught up with them in their college car park and reported them to the college. Their shocked faces when I asked them why they had littered was priceless.

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