Let's get litter-plagued Britain clean!

[AliJR]

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm so sad and ashamed to see how filfthy this country is.

The streets, roads, parks... everywhere is covered in litter. I don't want my children growing up in such a disgusting environment. There's McDonald's wrappers, red bull drink cans, chocolate wrappers, crisp packets, chewing gum and just about anything else you you can imagine, just dunped in the countryside and streets by people. It's really sad. I think we need a campaign to do something anout this.

Am I the only one to feel strongly about this?

I agree the state of the streets is a disgrace. I live and work in London, and I have to say whilst it is a beautiful city, we seem to live in a throw away world.

The newspapers, the take away boxes from KFC, the sandwich wrappers from Pret, the cups of coffee from Starbucks, and yes the unpleasant stuff from our four legged friends.

Who is going to sort out the mess? Before the streets become one big open plan dustbin!

Definitely agree - I hate the way you see people nonchalantly discarding rubbish in the street. It seems there is a total lack of awareness of keeping London clean and tidy. I live in Westminster where the council makes a concerted effort to keep the streets relatively clean but there's a long way to go. I would strongly support a big campaign hitting the right demographics and led by private enterprise; we don't want the reputation of the dirtiest country in Europe with the obvious knock on effect on tourism.

Ali I totally agree with you. I get so angry seeing people drop their litter on the ground and think something needs to be done. Pronto!

People should be fined for throwing litter on the streets. In most other countries the have strict laws regarding this

As usual we take the softly softly approach

I agree with you! Why do so many adults and children just think that it is acceptable to drop litter as they walk along or even throw it out of a car window?
Children learn from their parents, so somehow this message needs to get to everyone.
I think that a campaign to remind everyone to put their rubbish in the bin can only be a good idea.

I also agree, and find the litter problem one that visitors to Britain notice.

Chewing gum stuck to the pavement and then subsequently attatching itself to one's louboutins is a particular bug bear of mine and one noted by a Turkish visitor who complained strongly to me about this very point!

A Japanese friend commented how filthy London is and was horrified by the Tube.
The subway system in Tokyo is such a contrast to the dirty, smelly network that us Brits get presented with. No wonder Addison Lee can make such great profits. I for one, avoid using the subway.

Does anyone have any ideas for actually tackling this problem rather than just moaning about it? Come on fellow Mumsnetters....lets actuatlly DO something!

We live in a pretty village. As soon as McDs opened (nine miles away) we started finding dumped rubbish and burgers on the road and along the verge. I used to walk down the lane and clear it all up. Sometimes I'd have bags full of stuff. But then I stopped because I got fed up with it and because I thought other people in the village could do a little bit, too.

I'd have stopped anyway if weighed rubbish bins had come in. Why should I pay to have other people's litter collected? Fortunately this idea seems to have been ditched.

Not a chance.
I also hate it, in fact it was one reason why we moved to Germany, among others.
Brits are filthy, and because there's no community any more, there's no pressure on people to change.

our macdonalds employs someone to clean up it's own mess.

the council have the machinery to clear up stuff too so i would be directing my anger at them personally

not all brits nightbynight fgs

sea, why do british people expect the govt or the council to rescue them from every situation, whether its looking after their elderly parents, or cleaning up the litter they throw on the streets?

er i don't just saying they have the machinery to do it quickly! also we pay loads in council tax.

i can't answer your question about the elderly as you seem to assume all brits are the same

not all brits - well, I disagree, on the grounds that those who stand around and do nothing are also contributing to the problem. They are agreeing by default.

Yet, you cant do anything, because if you tell someone to pick their litter up, they may stab you.

So I stand by my comment that it is all brits - those who arent dropping litter, are acquiescing in the situation.

except the OP of course she wants to do something about it.

If councils didn't have to clear up after the lazyarses who litter, they'd be able to redirect the money to other, more positive services that are under threat from cuts.

TBH, litter clearance is likely to become less of a priority in the coming lean years, so will become an even bigger problem than it is now.

Council can give out fines for littering at the moment, but there always seems to be outcry when they do it - particulalry from the downmarket media.

I think that we need a cultural change to take place, where people know that littering is wrong and that they should either find the nearest bin to put it in (not always easy I know, especially in central London or places where bins have been taken away die to terrorist threats) or take it home with them - especially when they're in a car.

I think that Keep Britain Tidy do their best, but they need more support and a bigger voice than they already have.

When I lived in Norway I seem to remember there was a day when the whole nation got out into the streets to tidy up (their gardens and the outsides of their houses as well as the streets I think). It was lovely to see the place looking it's best and really engendered a sense of community and ownership. I think it's something that could be done here, ties in nicely with the Big Society thing being pushed by the government at the moment too doesn't it?

I think a lot of people in this country would love to get involved but feel a bit "exposed" doing it on their own. The only other thing which stops me from trying to organise a regular litterpick in my area (other than fear of ridicule or worse from groups of disaffected local "yoofs") is concern about being sued if someone injured themselves in the process (cutting themselves on broken glass / falling in the brook whilst trying to reach that last crisp packet), could the organiser of the litterpick be accused of being responsible / owing a duty of care in some way? And would the council take the excess picked litter away with them if we left it out with our normal residential waste?

"sea, why do british people expect the govt or the council to rescue them from every situation, whether its looking after their elderly parents, or cleaning up the litter they throw on the streets?"

I totally agree. But it seems this post is supported by the foreigners only. Brits just don't get it. They don't find throwing litter as they go abnormal. I as well clean the pavement next to my house regularly. I see Brits walking past bins and just throwing everything on the ground without hesitation. I once cleaned children playground in front of mums and their kids who just littered it with wraps from ice cream, burgers and chips 5 min ago despite of bins available right here on playground. I thought this silent performance will make them ashamed and they will raise from the grass to help me or at least will stop their children from doing it while I cleaned. But they just continued as if not noticing. They just sat in their own filth. Disgusting.

We have become a couldnt care less, every man for himself nation.

We turn a blind eye to littering like we turn a blind eye to everything, unless it concerns us personmally, but by then it's all too late.

In my view the people leaving this country due to littering and other things, these people can obviously afford to move, and it is these people who have by default or otherwise helped turn Britain into the third world country it has now become.

Sadly and unfortunately, we are living in an age of indifference to each other, we are living isolated lives, community spirit has gone, and will never return.

Arrogance is the name of the game, kindness is frowned on, and self interest rules.

And this is just the way our priviliged politicians like it.

How strange this was just something I was speaking about recently. I've spent time in Australia - and one of the very good things about that country is that it's very clean ie no big problem with litter.

I then returned to the UK and the first thing I notice is the filth and litter lying everywhere.

Why don't the government do some advertising - that's what used to happen when I was at school - and there wasn't a big problem then as everyone knew not to drop litter.