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?

When I was a smoker (over 20 years ago) I used to drop cigarette butts. I didn't really see it as littering, just a sort of natural consequence of my being in a place, as if I'd left a few hairs or skin cells behind. Really odd as I wouldn't have dreamt of dropping any other sort of litter.

These days I not only don't drop litter but pick up other people's. We live near the beach and I regularly bring other people's crisp packets and bottles home with me. Penance for the fag ends, maybe.

Yes that is wrong especially when they are carrying out a service for the company

See also - idiots who bury their beach disposable barbecue in the sand, then someone, very possibly a child whose feet are still very soft, steps on the patch of sand which is very effectively insulating the still hot barbecue and conducting the heat, and gets the soles of their feet burnt away.

When I was a smoker (over 20 years ago) I used to drop cigarette butts

Friend and I were walking in the West End of London once. Outside the side door of a building was evidently the designated smokers' area - they had left fag ends all over the pavement. Disgusting.

Similarly in the City - the church of St Dunstan in the East was bombed but what remains of the church has been kept as a garden with seats - a lovely place for City workers to sit and eat their sandwiches when the weather is fine. Or would be, if it wasn't for all the fag ends on the ground around the seats. (But it is worth a visit, if you're in the area and want a place to sit down for a bit.)

That’s true. They are actually a real problem locally as they contain small batteries that have caused several bin lorry fires.

Never ever ever intentionally. It's my pet hate.

I’ve just moved to a new town from a city twelve miles away. I’m now in a different county so a different county council. There is very little little here. The city really depressed me.

When I walked my daughter to school there was litter everywhere. I think since Covid the council stopped regular litter picks and the binmen also went on strike for months which didn’t help with overflowing bins. Another thing that I found very depressing was how people would use a shared entry as a personal dumping ground. A fridge freezer, planks of wood, an old trampoline. I’m a firm believer that if an area has a litter problem already some people will not think twice of dropping litter themselves. If an area has no litter people are less likely to drop litter. I often go cycling in the countryside, don’t get me started on fly tipping.

What gets me is people who use the drive thru at McDonalds, eat the food in the car/car park then dump the rubbish out the window/on the floor. There’s always bins merely yards away. I’ve seen so many wrappers, cups and packets thrown from car windows on the roads too. It makes me feel more sad than angry, says everything I personally need to know about someone.

See my post at 14.05 on this. 😡

I saw some local school kids drop kick a couple of empty drinks bottles on their way past my house…. I immediately got up intending to go outside and speak to them but then stopped myself as I realised they’d then know it was my house and could potentially do worse at a later date. Recognised that was a really sad realisation but unsure of the alternative to be honest.

No I don't. I'd never confront someone who did though, or volunteer to pick up other people's litter. Dog poo is a much worse issue as it's harder to avoid.

Disposable BBQ were temporary removed from sale due to a very dry and hot summer a couple of years ago.

They should be permanently be banned as people have BBQs in places where they are not allowed- beaches, many parks etc. There is only one park in Leicester and Leicestershire where can have disposable BBQs. Bede Park (shudder). Those who live in Leicester would know why I shuddered.

Plus get idiots who bury them in sand as sand acts like an insulator, not an extinguisher. The area where the DBBQ sits goes to 320c. Burying them is still about 90c. It requires 60c to get 3rd degree burns.

Then attracts idiots who leave everything behind. Seen bottles of sauce with just 2-3 burgers/hot dogs worth of sauce taken out, packs of rolls.

There's a FB group, Truckers cleaning up Britain. Some of them are very conscious of the problem.

Love that! 😂

No way Jose do I ever drop litter. The “Keep Britain Tidy” campaign has been with us for generations now. There is no excuse for deliberately littering but maybe it’s time to renew the campaign. I think it’s a combination of lazyitis and young men showing off to their mates.