Why do we litter and disregard the issue when we know that it is wrong?
Discarded bottles
First, it is worth considering what rubbish, or waste, is. It consists of all objects and substances that a citizen intends to dispose of. It is worth noting that they are legally obliged to do so.
So what prompts people to throw away rubbish—to litter in a public place not intended for that purpose? Most people are aware that discarded waste poses a threat to the entire environment. Environmental education at school begins at an early age, yet we still encounter littering every day.
A brief period of observation in the city prompted certain reflections and thoughts. I noticed that people who smoke tobacco often throw cigarette butts (“fags”) onto the road; groups of young people leave cans and bottles after drinking alcohol on walls, fences, in the grass, on the street or pavement; wrappers from ice creams, recently fashionable, are also thrown down loose. So why do people litter? I will answer this question based on a case analysis.
Discarded cigarette butts most often result from unwillingness (laziness) to walk over to a rubbish bin. This motive occurs even at a bus stop, where the bin is only a few metres away! Some exceptions are moments of “daydreaming”, when we do not pay attention to the activities we are carrying out. An appeal to smokers! Make the effort and throw your rubbish in the bin. You will not put your health at risk, and you will contribute to improving aesthetics and protecting the environment—simply by throwing your smoked cigarette into the bin. And if you see a similar situation, draw the smoker’s attention to it.
As for the cans left behind, young people often enter what is known as a rebellious stage. They want to show how “cool” they are and oppose social norms. Forming circles and social groups intensifies this feeling. One way of demonstrating their rebelliousness is leaving rubbish behind—someone will clean it up anyway, they will not do anything to us. An appeal to young people! Do not be short-sighted—throwing away rubbish will not make you worse than others or exclude you from your group. Persuade your friends to behave similarly.
Discarded ice-cream wrappers
This is also the result of not caring, of laziness. There is no shortage of bins in the city; even if there is none nearby, put the rubbish in your pocket and throw it away at the first opportunity in the appropriate place. It costs nothing and will help a great deal.
psychopedagogue, sociotherapist and trainer from Bolesławiec
Dawid Karol Kołodziej
https://psychopedagog.eu