Fighting Litter Through Psychology - Part 1
April 21, 2008 | In Easy Ways To Help |
Table of contents for Fighting Litter
- Fighting Litter Through Psychology - Part 1
- Fighting Litter Through Psychology - Part 2
Trash ticks me off. Not the fact that it exists. No the fact that so many lazy, shortsighted people don’t bother to take a few extra minutes to put it where it belongs.
Thus began the very first post on this blog, entitled Trash Ticks Me Off. In this post, I got angry at the number of people who leave trash everywhere, not bothering to put it in trash cans or take it with them out of the forest and off the hiking trails. While getting angry can make for good writing, I suspect this is a rant that people have heard before. But, I wondered is there a way to understand why people do these things?
There is always another side to any story; it’s in the nature of being human to regularly only see things only from our point of view. So, I deliberately worked to imagine the scenario from the litterer’s point of view. I can think of 6 reasons why people would dump trash; none of which are anything but excuses. My first post was full of anger, but I wonder if there is perhaps more value in protesting the behavior from the point of view of “you get more flies with honey than with vinegar?”
Today I will discuss the first 3 of these reasons, and some ideas I’ve had on how to combat those who have these ideas. Tomorrow, I’ll finish up with the last three.
1. Litterers Don’t Care
We passed all kinds of trash on our hike: paper cups, soda cans, old clothes, plastic bags, empty bottles of motor oil - I kid you not - beer cans, cigarette wrappers and butts.
There are a significant number of people in the world who think only about themselves. This is unfortunate. As we all know, this attitude is anything but helpful. However, I wonder if the folks who are seen as being self centered are really as arrogant as they appear. After all, many of these folks have families and friends, so they can’t be that way all the time.
If these folks truly don’t care, perhaps they don’t have time to bother, there must be a way to appeal to them. Mention the fines involved, but that may not work, because it is unlikely that they will be caught. Instead of detailing the negative consequences, perhaps appealing to their self centered nature is the better way to go.
One of my favorite lines from Ghostbusters is where Dr. Venkman appeals to the Mayor by saying, “And, Lenny, if I’m right, you will have saved the lives of millions of registered voters.” Self centered people care about their image. Tell them that by picking up litter they are making themselves look good. Tell them that they will be seen as clean and neat. Compliment them on their desire to help out society (even if you suspect they don’t have such a feeling.) I don’t know if these strategies will indeed work, but I suspect they have a better chance than railing against being a litterer and having them tune us out.
2. They Get Distracted Before They Have A Chance To Throw Trash Away
Yesterday, my husband and I picked up a discarded fast food bag and cup and walked them to the - wait for it - TRASH CAN - only 2 parking spaces away.
This excuse may not be that far fetched. I know several people who get distracted on a regular basis. They forget where they put their wallet; it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that they might forget to throw trash away. This doesn’t explain trash deep in the woods where it clearly was thrown, but it might explain random cups on parking lots. Maybe they started out on the roof of cars and fell off as the person drove away.
If you know the person with the trash, it’s easy to say something along the lines of “don’t forget to dump your tray.” If you don’t know the person, this isn’t as easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it anyway. If you do decide to go this route, do remember to keep your tone light and positive, almost joking. No one wants to be yelled at or made to think that someone is nasty. Most people I know don’t mind a stranger’s comment when said in a friendly manner.
Another option, especially if you work somewhere that has a trash problem, may be to post a friendly reminder. Again, they should be worded nicely. I like jokes better than directives. Maybe pick something totally off the wall, like Hello Kitty or Sponge Bob Squarepants asks you to throw your trash away. True there will always be someone who thinks this is stupid. However, I bet they grouse about the sign, but still throw their trash away. Of course, this will go better in some offices than others, so it is up to your discretion.
3. They Are Having A Picnic And The Wind Blows Away Items
We’ve been back to hike several times since then, and each time we bring a trash bag. Just this past weekend, we took 3 bags of trash out of the forest and back to “civilization.” We would have brought more, but a lot of it was hard to reach.
More than once, I’ve been dining outside when the wind has lifted something from the table. Then, a chase ensued to capture the plates and napkins before they could escape too far. I know there were probably a few here and there that didn’t get caught. I know I’m not the only one who has this problem.
There are of course many ways to avoid this. Clips are sold to hold down tablecloths. Napkin dispensers come with a weight, or you could switch to cloth napkins. Use thick plastic plates instead of foam or paper. Since they can be washed, the environment will thank you too. Or, you could use rocks picked up at the site to weigh things down. Bring paper weights from home or use toddler toys.
This is perhaps the most forgivable of all the reasons trash ends up somewhere other than a trashcan. However, that doesn’t excuse not running after windblown items. I find that most people don’t want picnic items to blow away, if only because napkins can end up on burgers or plates flipped onto the front of shirts. I would encourage you to help other picnic-ers if you see them struggling and to use weights yourself when picnic-ing.
Some of the “solutions” above seem very silly, but I don’t mean to make it sound like the dumping for trash is not a serious problem. I am willing to be silly or polite, or helpful if it will keep my world cleaner. I certainly hope there are others out there who feel the same way.
Tomorrow, I’ll discuss the last 3 reasons I came up with why people won’t put their trash in proper trash cans. In the meantime, I look forward to reading your comments below.
Photo Credits: Opposite signs on tree by Dano; Empty Podium by merfam; Trash Sign by billy verdin; Picnic by theogeo
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When I was in grade school, in the 60s and 70s, there was a concerted effort to shame people into not being “litterbugs.” TV, radio and print media hammered this theme over and over. You would want to litter about as much as you would want to piss on your shoes.
There are no more cartoon litterbugs or Woody Owls. I think our corporate-run media does not want people to reflect upon their lives and how their actions affect others. This is a slippery slope that could lead to all kinds of bad things for those who want to sell us crap and credit.
Spo,
First, thank you for stopping by! I appreciate your insight!
Second, your observation on corporate-run media is a good one. I hadn’t even thought of that, but it’s a great point. If we were to stop littering, or stop consuming in the first place, that means we wouldn’t be buying as many goods, which is not what corporations want. I sincerely hope that the renewed awareness of environmental devastation reverses this. And, in the meantime, that folks stop littering.
Thanks again!
Cathy