Litterbugs really piss me off.

[GBBSbassist]

Let's not forget those smokers who insist on throwing their cigarette butts out the window of their car. For some reason that act infuriates me.

Polluting the air, slowly killing themselves (and making everybody's insurance rates go up), and littering. What a combo.

I won't look down on someone just for being a smoker. It's an addiction and that's a whole can of worms to open up. I most definitely will look down on a smoker who is doing it selfishly; smoking in non-smoking areas, near entrances, and throwing butts out the window of their car. That bugs the hell out of me. It's just inconsiderate.

I think it usually stems from how people are raised. I was raised to behave as if my actions, no matter how big or small, will impact others. However, I know a lot of people of all ages who are slobs.

I guess I haven't really noticed a huge littering problem in my area or near where I live, but I know it's definitely a huge issue across the entire world. I guess I just can't comprehend the thought process of throwing trash on the street... Then again, I figure people who litter have no thought process on it because they probably don't really care. The trash in their hand being thrown out the car window is no longer their problem to deal with.

 

[pcake]

You might want to explore this further. If the trash ALWAYS seems to show up on Tuesday or Wednesday, I'd start looking at the garbage truck as the source of the problem.

the garbage truck that picks up our trash leaks smaller garbage in our gated community. it's really annoying, and i've seen other trash trucks around town dropping trash as they drive by

 

[48thStreetCustom]

Do the people who do this have a motive?

They don't want to go the Vietnam.

 

[Ben B]

It's simple laziness. Whether it's trash, cigarette butts, or dog poop. Some people just refuse to put in any effort in life. Also, people I've been acquainted with who were litter bugs, generally had crappy attitudes too.

 

[Joedog]

Laziness, ignorance, and lack of respect. I've been picking up litter for decades, as we walk every (nice) morning. I hate that it's there, but do my part to keep our neighborhood clean. I get a lot of "thank you" from folks, but not much help. That's OK, it will NOT deter me. It's worth it to me to live in a nice, clean neighborhood. My wife carries the bag(s), and I carry one of those grabber tools (highly recommended). I've noticed over the years that "litter attracts litter", and clean areas tend to stay cleaner. I guess some asshats rationalize that if there is already litter, it's OK to add a bit more.

 

[Stewie26]

IMO, just lazy lowlifes who have no self respect and definitely no respect for others who share this planet.

 

[Luciferiad]

We live in one of the oldest residential expansions in our town. The neighborhood is around 100 years old or a little more, called "The President Streets" (for obvious reasons). When we first moved into this part of the neighborhood, most of our neighbors were retirees or well-established middle-aged folks. In the 10 years since, many of those folks have passed on or sold out and left, their properties becoming rentals occupied by a very patchwork demographic which is predominately lower-middle-class Caucasian folks who seem be be very bad at taking care of their yards or closing the lids on their trash bins. For the most part trash collection is done through the alleys down the middle of each block, I spend much more of my time than I'd like pickup up trash that's blown down the alley from my neighbors open bins.

Curbside of my street is still pretty nice, at least.

 

[Pilgrim]

I think cultural expectations have shifted in the past few decades. Evidently people aren't learning the ethic of "clean up after yourself."

 

[twinjet]

You might want to explore this further. If the trash ALWAYS seems to show up on Tuesday or Wednesday, I'd start looking at the garbage truck as the source of the problem.

Good thinking.

 

[Pilgrim]

I view this situation as closely related to the pig people who can't be bothered to return shopping carts to the corral 20 steps away, but instead abandon them in the parking lot.

When I enter a store, I try to always return at least one cart to a cart corral just to help out another motorist.

 

[electracoyote]

I agree with the suggestion to start a neighborhood movement or "litterbug watch." Considering that nearly everyone has a camera in their handheld devices, put them to work. Tell the litter bug you have them on camera and to knock it off. Forge an alliance with your local LE. If the problem is really that bad, you should be able to solicit some help, create a deterrent, and keep people accountable. It is a real pisser when you see what should be a nice neighborhood except for the people who can't hold a piece of garbage until they get to a receptacle. Pathetic.

 

[Pilgrim]

Laziness, ignorance, and lack of respect. I've been picking up litter for decades, as we walk every (nice) morning. I hate that it's there, but do my part to keep our neighborhood clean. I get a lot of "thank you" from folks, but not much help. That's OK, it will NOT deter me. It's worth it to me to live in a nice, clean neighborhood. My wife carries the bag(s), and I carry one of those grabber tools (highly recommended). I've noticed over the years that "litter attracts litter", and clean areas tend to stay cleaner. I guess some asshats rationalize that if there is already litter, it's OK to add a bit more.

This is true. Once clean, it tends to stay clean. Once dirty, crap adds up REAL fast.

 

[FilterFunk]

I think cultural expectations have shifted in the past few decades. Evidently people aren't learning the ethic of "clean up after yourself."

^This.

It a constant lowering of the common decency, respect, and courtesy bar. It's usually accompanied by trite statements like "There are worse things," or "There is more important things," which are just excuses to avoid doing the good, little things that, when not done, add up to big, bad things, like litter everywhere.

Of course, there's been a litter problem for decades, especially along the highways. But it's never been this prevalent in middle income and above neighborhoods. Keep lowering the bar, and this is what you get. And unless you live in a gated community with a very strict HOA, don't think it can't happen where you live someday.

 

[Stumbo]

It used to be that people in jail were put to work in orange jump suits picking up trash on the freeway around my area. Too much like slave labor gangs and too much liability.

Now I see a couple of street sweepers going down both sides of the freeway occasionally. Seems to be less trash in the plant areas.

Around our block, not too much trash in the 'hood. Still, we pick it up when others don't usually. Also, we always call about other type of problems, mostly others don't as well.

 

[friskinator]

I think cultural expectations have shifted in the past few decades. Evidently people aren't learning the ethic of "clean up after yourself."

I'm not sure the ethic has ever been well taught. I recently worked at an office with a shared kitchen, and the tenants in the building were mostly older, educated professionals. The kitchen sink was always full of dirty dishes, coffee cups, etc., even though there was a sign up asking everyone to put their used dishes in the dishwasher. Not trash, per se, but still a refusal to clean up after themselves. I don't understand it. I used to begrudgingly take the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, but maybe that was part of the problem. The "dish fairy" magically cleaned up the mess - not their problem anymore!

 

[MrLenny1]

I hear you.
My yard is full of chicken poop and dog poop.
My 2 neighbors have 20 chickens and 4 dogs collectively.
If it ain't on the lawn it's on the driveway and walkway.
I'm getting even and lured in a fox. 3 chickens missing recently. Ooops.

 

[Stumbo]

I'm not sure the ethic has ever been well taught. I recently worked at an office with a shared kitchen, and the tenants in the building were mostly older, educated professionals. The kitchen sink was always full of dirty dishes, coffee cups, etc., even though there was a sign up asking everyone to put their used dishes in the dishwasher. Not trash, per se, but still a refusal to clean up after themselves. I don't understand it. I used to begrudgingly take the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, but maybe that was part of the problem. The "dish fairy" magically cleaned up the mess - not their problem anymore!

Post a sign "All food in fridge and dishes left in sink will be thrown out every Friday".

 

[Lobster11]

the garbage truck that picks up our trash leaks smaller garbage in our gated community. it's really annoying, and i've seen other trash trucks around town dropping trash as they drive by

Where I live, trash is picked up by trucks that use mechanical arms to pick up the trash bin, lift it over the top of the truck, and dump it in the open top. This often results in a few loose pieces winding up on the ground -- especially light stuff that then gets blown around by the wind. I'm sure that happens in a lot of residential areas.

Also, I think a lot of the trash you see along highways wasn't thrown out of windows, but rather blew out of the back of pickup trucks. Contractors are often guilty here: They accumulate trash from lunch, coffee breaks, etc. throughout the day, and throw it in the back of the truck before they leave the site -- and then it winds up being distributed along the route home.

 

[JRA]

generating piles of garbage becomes a god-given right.

sad but true.

 

[fhm555]

I really dislike litter. When i use the van for a few days i have to rake out the back before i put it to bed.
My rule is unless it’s life threatening at that moment it does not go out the window.
The last thing i threw out the window was a bat that flew in my open side window and slammed into my chest one night. I knew it was something alive by the way it was moving as it tumbled into my lap then on into the floor. I hit the dome light and saw it thrashing around on the floor and the lizard brain engaged and i just reached down, scooped it up and flipped right back out the window it came through.