If Americans are so proud of America, why is there litter everywhere?

Mustang

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Jan 15, 2010
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Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?
 
Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?
It is disgusting.

Most disgusting is the people who throw baby diapers in parking lots.

Almost stepped on a shitty one today.

If I saw someone do it, I think I'd go postal on them.
 
I was in Washington DC during the cherry blossom whatever they call it. Lots of cherry trees full of blossoms. Foreigners were pulling off branches for souvenirs. Who's littering America? Its the foreigners. They're all over NYC, and they're rude assholes.
 
Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?
It is disgusting.

Most disgusting is the people who throw baby diapers in parking lots.

Almost stepped on a shitty one today.

If I saw someone do it, I think I'd go postal on them.

Some of it I can understand. Sometimes animals get into trash and it ends up on the ground and then trash gets blown from place to place. I also know that a lot of companies actually hire people to routinely pick up litter on their properties just for the sake of appearances. That's understandable. But I don't think that really accounts for most of it. People just toss it wherever they feel like doing so. It comes out of car windows, and it get's tossed on the ground by people waking. Frankly, many cities have strong laws to ticket pet owners who don't clean up after their dogs. NYC comes to mind. In that vein, I'd like to see municipalities start ticketing litters for anything tossed on the ground that's manmade, including cigarette butts. Let people start getting fined (about $25) for littering, and I think the problem would be cut in half in no time. It sounds like a great way to raise revenue too.
 
That's a real good question. I think a lot of us feel entitled. Some of us probably think it's not so much of a big deal. I feel it's a question with no real answer.
 
Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?

Really depends where you are.

Frankly, I don't see that much trash- I live in a city, and there is a continuing problem with trash- and yes people throw things on the ground that shouldn't but that is minimal.

I travel outside the city, and I see very little trash. I can't remember for instance the last time I have seen anyone toss trash out of a car window.

We used to have more extensive anti-littering campaigns but I haven't seen them much recently- perhaps we need more.
 
People who have never had to work, have never owned their own land, have never cleaned up after themselves, have never had to pay somebody else to clean up after them...they don't care. They know that someone will come along and clean up after them. It's the American Way.
 
You people would have gone crazy back in the 60's and 70's. Made that Native American dude cry. The place was a mess.
 
Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?

It's the whole "individualist" myth. Nothing matters except Numero Uno.
 
Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?

Really depends where you are.

Frankly, I don't see that much trash- I live in a city, and there is a continuing problem with trash- and yes people throw things on the ground that shouldn't but that is minimal.

I travel outside the city, and I see very little trash. I can't remember for instance the last time I have seen anyone toss trash out of a car window.

We used to have more extensive anti-littering campaigns but I haven't seen them much recently- perhaps we need more.
It is worse in some regions.

Enforcement of litter laws, and big fines and public services stints would make it a much smaller problem.

I'd also suggest public flogging, but, nobody would go for it.
 
You people would have gone crazy back in the 60's and 70's. Made that Native American dude cry. The place was a mess.
Some places are still a mess.

I have to take my trash to a dumpster, where people fish it out, and go through it, and leave it on the ground.

I now just burn all papers with anything with my name on them.
 
Litter is kind of a pet peeve of mind. As a consequence, I don't litter. I'm sure a lot of people don't. But one HELL of a lot of people do. I don't just base this on the fact that I see trash everywhere. I've actually watched people toss trash on the ground, even when they're only a few feet away from a trash can. Why is that? Why is it that the people of a country that is supposedly so proud of itself and its accomplishments seemingly don't seem to give a damn about how their own country looks to foreigners who might be visiting?

Really depends where you are.

Frankly, I don't see that much trash- I live in a city, and there is a continuing problem with trash- and yes people throw things on the ground that shouldn't but that is minimal.

I travel outside the city, and I see very little trash. I can't remember for instance the last time I have seen anyone toss trash out of a car window.

We used to have more extensive anti-littering campaigns but I haven't seen them much recently- perhaps we need more.
I see assholes headed to the dumpster, and by the time they get there half there garbage has blown out of the back of their trucks.

I called the Sheriff once, with the plate number, to be told they could not prove the plate owner was the one driving the truck, and can do nothing.
 
You people would have gone crazy back in the 60's and 70's. Made that Native American dude cry. The place was a mess.
Some places are still a mess.

I have to take my trash to a dumpster, where people fish it out, and go through it, and leave it on the ground.

I now just burn all papers with anything with my name on them.

Git chew a shredder, boy. Ain't nobody ever started a fire with a shredder. Doesn't need matches either.
 
You people would have gone crazy back in the 60's and 70's. Made that Native American dude cry. The place was a mess.
Some places are still a mess.

I have to take my trash to a dumpster, where people fish it out, and go through it, and leave it on the ground.

I now just burn all papers with anything with my name on them.

Git chew a shredder, boy. Ain't nobody ever started a fire with a shredder. Doesn't need matches either.
What are matches?

; - )
 
You should see some Russian and East European cities. I could take you to places where apartment buildings don't even have dumpsters. They just pile the trash in a corner of the parking lot. Rats and dogs and cats rummage through it at night and people rummage through it by day. On windy days it blows all over the place.
 
Back when I used to smoke cigarettes, I'd go out the door to smoke and there were hundreds of cigarette butts everywhere. I started picking up 100 butts everytime I went out, which was several times a day. After a week or so I had them all picked up. Then, when I'd see someone drop a butt on the ground and step on it I'd walk over in front of them and pick it up and put it in the can that was right by the door. The thing is, when there are hundreds of butts, no one cares about adding one more. There's no excuse for throwing a butt on the ground. Knock off the fire, and put the butt back in your cigarette pack. At most of the festivals I go to the people are great about litter, except for beer cans of course.
 
Pigs. They are everywhere and I ain't talking about the animal.
The beach I take the dogs to? Some pick up their dogs poo...some just bag it but then toss the bag right there in the pathway. WTF is wrong with people? PIGS.
 

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