You Are Probably Trash If You Toss Litter Out The Window [Block Talk]

You are what you toss out the car window — trashy — readers said in response to our survey question about littering for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column.

The question for our informal survey, posed in an email to Block Talk by Patch reader Geri, asked:

What's up with people who throw trash from their cars or leave it behind in neighborhood parks and other places for someone else to deal with? What can you do about it?

Readers had quite a lot to say, starting with:

Who Are These People?

“They are ignorant, entitled, self-centered slobs who couldn't care less about where they throw their trash,” said Branford (Connecticut) Patch reader Patricia. “If I see them in the act, I will say something, but rarely does that happen.”

Usually, Patricia just happens along other people’s garbage as she hikes the trails in her neighborhood. It makes her sad. The litter is so predictable that knows to carry trash bags and dog poop bags, even though she doesn’t have a dog. “Don’t get me started on the dog owners who don’t pick up after their dogs,” Patricia said.

Paul, a Wallingford (Connecticut) Patch reader, doesn’t disagree. “Pigs will always be pigs,” he said.

“These people who litter were not brought up to respect their environment,” he said. “All you can do is teach your kids and/or grandkids to do the right thing and use the trash cans for trash and hopefully the proper training will carry on to future generations.”

New York City Patch reader Jeff said he’s not sure when people became “so entitled” that littering became a casual, subconscious habit.

“Last year, I was walking beside someone who was unwrapping the clear plastic wrapper on something small (maybe it was candy) and just tossed it to the ground without pause,” Jeff said. “In another 15 feet was the garbage can on the corner.”

David, who reads New York City’s Upper East Side Patch reader, is nonplussed.

“In our disposable society — it seems people are treated as disposable as well — it is not surprising that people litter,” he said.

Be The Change

Some readers cited the ripple effect one person can have by picking up trash as it accumulates around the neighborhood.

For Parkville-Overlea (Maryland) Patch reader Kate, it’s all about creating good karma.

“There is karma to your lifetime,” she explained. “So I envision all these people who are throwing trash all over the place ending up dealing with lots of trash issues in their next life around on Earth. What goes around comes around.”

Kate trained her dog to sniff out trash and recyclable items on their twice-daily walks. The dog hits on and she picks up what others have carelessly discarded, then deals with it properly at her house. She learned such stewardship on trips to state parks with her dad when she was a kid. Picking up trash was part of the experience, regardless of whose trash it was.

“Trash breeds trash and I can’t stand looking at trash thrown all around the neighborhood,” Kate said.

Best of all, some neighbors are following her example and the neighborhood already looks tidier, Kate said.

“I also grew up in an area where there were many campaigns targeted to children about not being litterbugs,” Kate said. “I think we need more signs, reminding people of the fines for littering, and also to start with the youth and reintegrate the litterbug campaigns.”

Kate isn’t alone in thinking it’s time to relearn the lessons of the past.

One look out her window at the view of the commuter rail after the snow melted in the spring was enough to convince Beverly (Massachusetts) Patch reader BevGirl that it’s time to bring back the U.S. Forest Service’s circa 1960s “give a hoot, don’t pollute” campaigns.

“There were so many mini ‘nip’ bottles tossed out one spring after the snow melted that I picked up a full recycle tub full,” she said. “I took a picture to the [police] and their comment was a shrug and ‘it’s all over town.’”

Massachusetts has a bottle bill. BevGirl wonders if expanding it to include miniature alcohol bottles would encourage people to save and collect the deposit on them.

At the least, BevGirl said, “start by teaching children about the impacts of litter and take outings to pick up trash so maybe they’ll think twice about doing it when they grow up.”

She added, “We need to do more to educate all people, not only about waste, but about being considerate of others, your town, and the planet.”

Concord (New Hampshire) Patch reader Kenzie is on board with that. She takes trash bags with her on daily jaunts with dogs.

“I taught my children that the environment is fragile and needs us all to not litter, and that they make a difference in the beauty of their world to take out any trash they bring into parks and properly dispose of it, as well as to pick up any they see on trails and beaches and dispose and recycle,” she said. “Teaching children these values can make a difference in what they do as adults and make them good role models for the future.”

Kenzie also said beach or community clean-up events are a good way to encourage a conservation ethos. In her area, the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation holds collection events and gives talks about the toll of leaving trash behind on forest and marine wildlife. Another good organization is the Ocean Conservancy, which has a phone app to record trash that is picked up.

“This can help show children what a big positive difference they can make,” Kenzie said.

Setting good examples for their kids is one thing all parents can do, Pennsylvania Patch reader Joanne said.

“We really didn’t eat the drive-thru fast food in the car,” she said. “When I would be driving, I wouldn’t let my kids even throw a gum wrapper out of the window, I disposed of them when we got home.”

Littering Is A Crime, Though

A couple who read Charlestown (Rhode Island) Patch police their neighborhood, too.

“My husband and I decided we hated seeing trash (mostly beer cans and nips) on a nearby street, so every day or so we pick it up, as we do when hiking as well,” one of them wrote. “Yes, we wish people wouldn’t do it, but they do. It’s really unbelievable to us. I’m guessing they don’t want empty booze cans, etc., in their vehicles. Yes, I would turn them in if I ever saw them doing it.”

Old Town Alexandria (Virginia) Patch reader Jill wishes the couple luck with that.

“I think people just don’t care. The general public is not considerate anymore,” she said, noting that officials in her city seem to have given up on litter control, too.

“I’ve contacted the city to put up ‘do not litter’ signs and they said it cost too much and it’s hard to get people to pay the fine anyway,” she said.

Other readers said littering will persist as long as it’s dismissed as an unenforceable crime

“There is a fine for it, and this is the only way to make these inconsiderate people think twice about doing it,” said Enfield (Connecticut) Patch reader Mark. “I live on a corner lot and I start out every day cleaning trash off the road and my yard. I just don’t understand how some people don’t care.”

“I don’t believe there is a way to stop this without involving ticket distribution,” said Amazing Sue, a La Grange (Illinois) Patch reader. “What I do is to set an example by not throwing trash where it doesn’t belong. And yes, my car accumulates a little more trash than those that litter the streets.”

“They deserve a civil penalty; it’s not OK to litter, period,” said a Royal Oak (Michigan) Patch reader who chalks such behavior up to “laziness” or lack of education.

Don’t Confront, Shame

In general, readers said getting up in the litterers’ faces could escalate into a dangerous or violent encounter.

“In today’s road rage climate, who is going to confront anyone?” said New Rochelle (New York) Patch reader Gin. “It’s not worth it.”

New York City Patch reader Emee thinks it’s OK to send a non-verbal reprimand, though.

“I’ve done this,” Emee said. “A man parked his car next to a dead tree trunk that was open in the center. He took garbage from the car and put it into the tree trunk. I saw this from my third-floor window. I took a small plastic bag, went down to said tree trunk, took out garbage, made eye contact with the litterer and walked it 30 feet to a garbage can within his sight.

“He was shamed,” Emee said.

That sometimes works well, said Essex-Middle River (Maryland) Patch reader Beth, who takes particulr issue with people who don’t pick up after their dogs.

Witnessing that lapse in dog owner etiquette one day, “I offered them one of my bags,” Beth said. “They said, ‘No one else picks up.’ I looked them in the eye and quietly replied, ‘I do,’” Beth said. “They took the bag, picked it up and deposited it in a nearby trash can. They came over and thanked me.”

Pass The ‘Bottle Bill’

A few respondents said their states should join 10 others with “bottle bill” legislation requiring a deposit on beverage containers, including those for soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits. Studies have shown that states with bottle bills have seen a decrease overall in trash along highways and waterways.

Homewood-Flossmoor (Illinois) Patch reader Ken thinks that would be Illinois’ best shot at controlling roadside litter.

“Even when items are discarded, there exist people who will gather the litter for its monetary value,” Ken said.

OceanMom, a Barnstable-Hyannis (Massachusetts) Patch reader who formerly lived in Atlanta, Georgia, and Decatur, Alabama, has campaigned for bottle bills since 1977. She watched in Georgia as lobbyists from the soft drink industry killed a bottle bill on the statehouse floor.

“Commitment to reducing litter must come from the governor on down, without sabotage from drink, liquor and container makers,” OceanMom said.

There are other ways the government can help reduce litter, readers said.

Even a catchy slogan, like “Don’t mess with Texas,” can help, said Tampa (Florida) Patch reader Ginny. Neighborhood cleanup events “where people live” can help on a smaller scale, she said.

“I never noticed it in California, but after moving to Florida, litter is everywhere,” she said.

“Instead of red light cameras, how about litter cameras,” said Kat, a Springfield (New Jersey) Patch reader. “Highway entrances and exits are disgusting — full of garbage thrown from cars. Get the license plate and fine them!”

Acting locally may achieve more immediate results, Mid-Hudson Valley (New York) Patch reader Rob said.

“This is a major issue in our village and neighborhood. Since the police won’t engage on it, we put up warning signs and cameras on our properties as a deterrent — not my preferred solution, but it has significantly reduced litter on our private property and sidewalk,” Rob said.

That’s not enough, but it’s a start, he said.

“The community leaders should address this. Part of the issue is cultural. Speaking as someone who has traveled and worked globally, I understand different cultures have different standards when it comes to litter,” Rob said. “Awareness needs to be addressed at the community level. With everyone. Singling out a particular group or individual only fosters negativity and pushback.”

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

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