Do you ever drop litter?

[SwanOfThoseThings]

Inspired by the thread about the UK being in terminal decline.

It's true that there is litter everywhere, and this is by no means a new problem, litter has been a problem in the UK for as long as I can remember, and I'm in my 50s.

But - who is dropping it? It's the sort of thing no one admits to.

Are you a reformed litterer? Have you ever been forced to leave litter behind in an emergency situation? Have you ever been out and about with someone who dropped litter?

Locally the litter problem seems to be mainly caused by bin collection day, by fly tipping, and by people drinking on the streets. And dog mess, if that counts.
I pick up litter in the streets around my home, and that often includes sweeping up glass. Every September when the new students arrive locals take bin liners to the park. Students see us tying bin liners to the rubbish bins and picking up litter, and they join in.

I don’t get this about dog poo bags. I’ve sometimes bagged one and then collected it on my way back from a loop walk so I don’t have to carry it for miles . However some people seem to do it and just leave the poo there. The poo would wash away quicker in the elements if it wasn’t bagged. It’s so disgusting

No, it is probably the one thing I most try never to do more than anything else.

Cigarette ends have been replaced by broken vapes, and things being covered with stickers from vaping paraphernalia. Also those small canisters of helium.

When people see your bagged poo waiting for you to return, how do they know you haven't just left it?

Never.

Most of the litter around here tends to be after bin day - especially if it’s been high winds and a recycling week, because they blow over and it gets everywhere

It’s becoming a bigger problem in NZ too. Friends there are constantly complaining about it.

In fact friends in NZ, Australia, Canada, US and Germany are complaining of exactly the same things; youth crime, terrible behaviour in schools, littering, anti-social behaviour and inconsiderate people.

I’d love it if countries could tackle these problems together and learn from each other.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018883833/pure-nz-yeah-right-litter-pollution-increasing-across-the-country

I live in a small rural area and I leave it in a specific area where I can find it behind a tree or whatever. Rarely see anyone else out walking but . I’ve seen ones left for days on end so it’s obvious someone wasn’t picking it up. Wow you are so clever with your “gotcha” comment.

You can follow a huge trail of litter from local shops and supermarkets back to the local high school here at lunch time. It’s beyond ridiculous.

There is a building site next door to us at the moment and we have a constant flood of bottles, cans, food wrappers and other rubbish in our garden and front drive.

Every few days I collect it all up in a clear bag and hang it on the sign that is outside the site advertising the "luxurious new development.

If there isn't room in a bin, then take your bloody rubbish home with you and dispose of it there.

I lived in Japan for a while where rubbish bins are very rare, yet there was barely any litter because Japanese people are raised with a sense of public and personal duty.

Fucking hell, defensive much? I just asked what you do with it that doesn’t make it look like it’s been left.

Oh you weren’t being sarky at all then it was a genuine question ?hmm

ive never dropped anything. It’s so antisocial. I pick it up. In my head when I do It I am saving foxes from choking

Never, and I’ve just picked up a costa cup and a crisp packet from the street outside a house a couple of doors down.
DH once got abuse when telling someone off for chucking something out of their car window as they were waiting to pull out of the petrol station.
Litterbugs are disgusting.

I'll admit to throwing biodegradable stuff into long grass/hedges where it can't be seen. This is apple and pear cores, which I also throw into my garden. I figure it's good for birds/small mammals and for the soil.

I would never litter anything manmade though.

I would love to be able to speak to people who leave litter (including dog poo - bagged or not). What on earth is going on in their tiny little heads? The trouble is, despite the amount of litter I see around, I have only ever once or twice seen it actually being dropped. I suspect that these people only do so when there's nobody else around to observe and call them out. If someone else is around, they'll walk on a bit and drop it when nobody's looking.

Thinking about cultural influences, there has been a huge rise in 'snacking' over the last 40 years or so. There is little to no taboo against eating in the street, which at one time was regarded as 'common' and frowned on, and nowadays most snacking comes in a package.

DS is litter picking for the volunteering weekend of his Duke of Edinburgh award. He went out for the first time this morning, and has come back with over 1kg of collected rubbish and is currently ranting about how disgusting people are. Most of it is apparently from takeaways/corner shops or vapes packaging.

Never have, never will. Absolutely scummy behaviour. If I see people drop litter I pick it up and give it back to them.

I don't litter but a gust of wind has made a wrapper or 2 blow away from me which I've chosen not to chase because of having the kids with me.

I was listening to a program on the radio fairly recently discussing the problem of litter. They interviewed someone from the council in Manchester who was responsible for organising street cleaning and emptying public waste bins etc. She said the biggest cause of litter by far was fast food packaging. The second biggest problem was dog waste.

I don't litter, it was just a standard lesson growing up, not being a 'litter bug'. Respect for the environment around you and others. Like a PP, if I can't find a bin, I take it home. Just basic good manners to be honest.

No.
My kids don't either.
Our little town is not strewn with litter due to regular volunteer litter picking.
It's not kids that litter, it's people in trade vans, often sitting in traffic.