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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think people who leave rubbish on public spaces laying around are people without education and respect for others and the environment

48 replies

Kerry987 · 02/08/2020 06:46

I am shocked by how many people in England don’t respect public spaces and leave rubbish on the street, beaches, parks, national parks, in general not disposing it properly.

I am think is very sad that In an advanced country like the UK there are still so many people who don’t respect the environment and others by leaving rubbish everywhere.

Should we have a big educational campaign? Does this happen in other advanced countries too?

OP posts:

eatsleepread · 02/08/2020 06:53

It's all to do with upbringing. I cannot for one second imagine leaving my litter anywhere. This was instilled in me growing up. Not only that, but if my dad saw kids dropping litter when we were young, he would tell them to pick it up!
There isn't that sense of collective responsibility anymore.

eatsleepread · 02/08/2020 06:54

And you're right, it is awful. Litter louts are literally the scum of the earth.

Hardbackwriter · 02/08/2020 06:56

I don't think it's that people don't know it's that they don't care, so I'm not sure an educational campaign will help.

Yes, it happens elsewhere. I do think that littering is a bit worse in the UK than the only other country where I've lived, but then levels of pissing in the street are better in the UK, so swings and roundabouts...

MrsExpo · 02/08/2020 06:57

I'm share your horror at this OP. I live near a popular "beauty spot" ... yesterday, some charming people trashed a beautiful picnic spot by leaving food waste, containers of all sorts (bottles/cans/packaging), random paper and plastic plates and ... just to top it off ... a couple of very shitty dirty nappies.

Sadly, this was not a one off. It happens time and time again in the summer. The poor rangers who have to look after the place are in despair. They did try yo close it during lock down, but people just broke down the gates and fences to get in.

..... and YES ... we definitely do need a publicity campaign of some sort.

jcurve · 02/08/2020 06:58

Should we have a big educational campaign? Does this happen in other advanced countries too?

No. It doesn’t really happen in Australia thanks to the Clean Up Australia campaign. Education starts in primary school & has produced an adult population that generally takes pride in the natural environment.

Plus financial penalties that are enforced wouldn’t hurt - there’s absolutely no disincentive to litter in the U.K.

Hardbackwriter · 02/08/2020 06:59

I just looked it up and apparently 28% of British people admit to littering and 30% of French people; in both cases the real numbers will be higher. Which is appalling.

AreweatChristmasyet · 02/08/2020 07:00

I often wonder if their rubbish was left whether they would stop it eventually as they wouldn’t want to go somewhere full of rubbish. PITA tho

Hardbackwriter · 02/08/2020 07:02

Apparently Australia is making progress at tackling littering so may be a good example but it isn't true that it 'doesn't really happen there': www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-still-trashing-their-beaches-and-streets-national-report-finds-20180124-h0n9ar.html

pippistrelle · 02/08/2020 07:02

A large number of people are disgusting and inconsiderate with no respect for other people. Why do they think it's okay to leave their crap for someone else to pick up?

It's not just in England or the UK. For example, a third of French people surveyed have said that they throw rubbish from car windows - and that's just the ones who admit it.

LakieLady · 02/08/2020 07:05

I blame the demise of the "Keep Britain Tidy" campaign and the public information films that used to be broadcast back when I was a kid.

If we go for a picnic, I always put a couple of pedal bin liners in the picnic bag for the rubbish and if I can't find a bin, it comes home with us. And I pick up other people's rubbish if left nearby.

Hardbackwriter · 02/08/2020 07:07

I was in my local park the other day and I didn't see anyone outright just leave their rubbish on the ground but I did see endless people leaving their rubbish balanced on a clearly full bin where it inevitably going to end up getting blown off and go everywhere, which amounts to the same thing in the end.

MsTSwift · 02/08/2020 07:08

They know is it’s wrong though. Don’t think education campaign is the answer

VivienScott · 02/08/2020 07:09

I also live near a beauty spot and it’s appalling the way it’s treated. Funny how people are more than capable of lugging their heavy bags of food to a beauty spot but are then incapable of carrying the empty (and therefore, lighter) wrappings back with them. It’s vile and it has become a lot worse this year.

Hardbackwriter · 02/08/2020 07:17

I also think it's got worse this year. A lot of public bins seem to be emptied less frequently and I wonder if some people don't like going near them, thinking it's a source of contamination. Obviously they should just take their rubbish home with them so it's no excuse, but it perhaps is an explanation. Fly tipping increased massively around me when the tips were closed and even more so around my parents where the tips were closed and the council were running a reduced rubbish collection.

BillywilliamV · 02/08/2020 07:22

Ive said before, people who dump rubbish should be locked in a room with the rubbish, a knife and fork and the condiment of their choice and not let out until they' ve eaten it!

Having said that, why is it still so hard to get into a recycling centre or tip? It's hardly an intimate environment is it?

jcurve · 02/08/2020 07:24

Apparently Australia is making progress at tackling littering so may be a good example but it isn't true that it 'doesn't really happen there'

It’s absolutely nothing like the scale you see in the UK. You don’t have, for example, school kids throwing chicken bones on the streets as they eat them.

LaurieMarlow · 02/08/2020 07:25

It’s disgusting.

And don’t get me started on people who leave their dog shit lying around or (worse) in bags. These people should have their pets taken off them.

pumpkinpie01 · 02/08/2020 07:32

When my mum sees someone littering she shouts after them ' excuse me you've dropped something ' 9 times out of 10 they then pick it up . When I was a child I used to be embarrassed when she would shout that but actually now I'm a lot older think I will start giving it a try !

labyrinthloafer · 02/08/2020 07:38

Yes, of course they have no respect and are selfish. Having no respect manifests itself in many ways.

We live in a very selfish country, for example ministers helping rich landowners avoid tax.

So whilst I don't like it and have taught my kids never to do it, I think social responsibility is two-way and the British social contract is pretty broken.

Plus any enforcement is now impossible due to all the cuts to council services since 2010.

totalpeas22 · 02/08/2020 07:38

Unfortunately I don’t think education works. Like the person above we live near a beauty spot and the small place has been over run, cars parked everywhere with zero respect for residents, anti social behaviour, rubbish everywhere, including nappies and people crapping in the undergrowth. Locals have been told not to approach them as many of the scum are aggressive. The Police are now going to patrol down there.

areyoubeingserviced · 02/08/2020 07:40

I saw a man throw his McDonald’s packaging out of his car window. He had little shame and actually laughed when I screwed my face in disgust.
The UK is filthy and it’s definitely getting worse. I went on my daily walk yesterday and was horrified by the volume of rubbish scattered on the street .
There has to be penalties

OutOfHours · 02/08/2020 07:44

They're the same people that don't clear their table in fast food restaurants, someone gets paid to do it, so I don't have too.
Disgusting.

TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 · 02/08/2020 07:44

It's not about education level but it's definitely related to respect for others. The kind of people who leave all their rubbish laying around do not care about anyone outside their circle, they are inconsiderate and rude.

I went to Asda the other day and someone had left a dirty rolled up nappy in a trolley. How did they even end up with a dirty nappy in a trolley, they could have used the baby change room or they changed the baby in the car and walked past bins to put it in the trolley. It's unfathomable to me that anyone would chose to do the most disgusting thing when easier, better options are available.

Crumpets111 · 02/08/2020 07:48

Up here the Councils are so lazy they do not empty public bins leaving them overflowing.

Popcornface · 02/08/2020 07:48

I live in the Scottish highlands. This is a real problem just now. People are travelling to do the NC500 route. Heading to beautiful areas then trashing them. The locals are cleaning up rubbish from tourists. Discarded camping equipment, parties on beaches and the mess from that. Broken bottles left so children, pets and cattle are getting hurt. Every layby or beauty spot cover in human shit and toilet roll or wet wipes. Camping fires being set all over often in unsuitable places. Then not cleaned up after. People camping on ssi sand dunes or on delicate habitates. I have seen people camping in graveyards. Leaving behind rubbish and human waste. These are graveyards that are still being used, that have fresh graves and grieving family visiting. But people just don't care. They want there cheap holiday. They don't give a thought to the mess they leave behind. People are awful. Why come to an area for it's beauty then leave all that mess behind?

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