Fighting Litter Through Psychology - Part 2
April 22, 2008 | In Easy Ways To Help |
Table of contents for Fighting Litter
- Fighting Litter Through Psychology - Part 1
- Fighting Litter Through Psychology - Part 2
Yesterday, I started this series with the first 3 of 6 reasons why I think people may dump trash. I don’t know why individuals do, but I’m taking a guess at some of the excuses and coming up with ways that we can work to solve this issue by confronting others’ beliefs.
4. They Figure Someone Else Will Do It
Why was there more trash within steps of the parking lot than ½ hour into the forest? Surely taking the 20 steps back to your car instead of tossing your trash isn’t that terribly hard?
When I first started going to Panera Bread, it wasn’t clear whether we were supposed to clear the tables ourselves or have someone else pick it up. This was confused by the fact that sometimes an employee does offer to take your tray. I had the same confusion at Fudruckers, where you are actually supposed to leave your tray for someone to pick up.
However, I feel guilty whenever I leave behind trash I could have thrown away myself. There must be others who don’t feel this way. Many restaurants clear the table for you and if you eat out frequently, I imagine it isn’t that difficult to carry the same mindset to the rest of your life. There are also those who are arrogant who deliberately leave trash for someone else to pick up, as if throwing away their stuff is beneath them.
This mindset is hard to justify when out in the woods or on a parking lot, but unfortunately, it’s true. There will always be someone else who comes behind to pick it up. My suggestions from Part 1 apply to the person who leaves trash for someone else. I also encourage you to instill a sense of responsibility in your children, so they too will grow up with the same sense of guilt that I have when I leave trash for someone else.
5. They Are Protesting The Lack Of Trash Cans
Do people think that if you throw it hard enough you get more points? Is the world a better place if your soda can gets three trees away instead of just off the trail? What’s up with that?
This excuse is arrogant and spiteful. It doesn’t help anyone except the person doing it, and it doesn’t make sense when you can take trash with you to a trash can. However, in the spirit of seeing things from another’s perspective, I can see that this would apply to teenagers or those who aren’t mature. The feeling that common rules don’t apply to them and anarchy is cool could very well lead someone to throw trash for fun.
So, what can we do? Remind litterers to throw away their trash. Appeal to the “saving the environment is cool” vibe that, to me, seems stronger the younger you are. Ask teenagers if they need help?
Here’s a true story. A year or so ago, there were some kids in my complex who would hang out and play. No big deal. However, there was one girl who screamed. Over and over again. Not the yelling to stop tickling her or pushing her or whatever, but a scream that should be reserved for injury. So, one day, I got sick and tired of hearing it over and over. I walked outside and asked them if someone was dying. They of course retorted with a snarky comment, complete with fainting theatrics. However, I persisted. I said, “Seriously, do you need me to call an ambulance? With screams like that it sounds like someone is in pain.” The answer was of course “No.”
Well, I’m sure I became the crazy lady up the street, but guess what? I never heard another scream. The point of the story is that teenagers, or preteens, as these kids were, will listen. No matter who you are, if you say it the right way, they will take notice. If only because they don’t want you interrupting them again!
6. They Don’t Know That Littering Is Wrong
I’m going to give my readers the benefit of the doubt that you are smart, caring folks who take your trash with you if there is no can, or put it in the can if there is one.
This is just sad, if it’s true. However, someone who doesn’t know this, I hope is young enough, or disabled enough, to have someone who does know around to do it for them. If that’s not the case, all I can think to do is sigh, grumble if you have to, and throw away the trash. Then, be thankful that it’s just an empty cup or fast food bag and not something worse (of course, something worse I wouldn’t touch!)
By no means do I consider myself perfect or claim that I don’t do things wrong sometimes. However, I promise that I deposit my trash in a trash can or other recepticle. Unfortunately, this is not always the case with others. While I don’t know what they are thinking, I’ve done my best to come up with the excuses that they might give me if I was to confront them.
We all know that ditching trash anywhere but a trashcan isn’t right. But so many people get away with it. It’s up to the rest of us to take up the slack. So, I hope you will join me in gently setting others right and if you can’t then doing the right thing yourself. We all thank you.
Photo Credits: Maid by unusualimage; Teenagers Playing by tinou bao; Newborn baby by bf5man
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Links to related topics: Being Present, Connecting With Others, Conscious Mind, Conservation, Do Our Best, Easy Ways To Help, Encouragement, End Litter, Environmental Activism, Having Fun, Hiking, Inspiration, Making a Diff. Lifestyle, Mindset, No Cost Giving, Passions, Paying Attention, Personal Control, Personal Power, Quick Tips, Recycling, Self Expression, Taking Action, Taking Notice, Trash, True Self
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