As a child in the fifties I was taught not to drop litter. Sixty years on, I still don't drop litter. Unfortunately it appears the modern child is no longer taught such things. It's nothing to do with austerity. It's entirely due to respect or total lack of.
Research suggests littering habits (or in yours and my case, non-littering) are formed at a very early age, and are hard-wired by the time children go to school. Of course, schools do their best to reform litterers, but this really is something which lies at the door of parents.
Ever been to Japan? The place is pretty much litter free. It's part of the ingrained culture of the place. As soon as kids start kindergarden and elementary school they are being taught this, even if the parents don't bother. Japanese schools don't employ cleaners, it's one of the pupil's daily duties to participate in cleaning their own school. You're not going to make a mess if you only have to clear it up yourself.
It's not a matter of fines or street cleaners or the number of litter bins about (good luck finding a litter bin on a Japanese street, there aren't any!). People have learnt and believe that littering is bad. It's part of the overall consideration for the group, rather than the individual, that's part of Japanese society. While Japan's 'groupthink' has it's down sides, I wish there was bit more of that sort of consideration for others in British society. It's something we've lost
Few years ago I was at the lights at the top of the slip road from A2 to M25 at Dartford. A van with a couple of blokes just lobbed out the window two Big Mac boxes onto the road. I clocked their Registration number and company name and sent an e mail to their company.
I got a reply from the boss thanking me and he said that the two of them would be on yard cleaning duties for the next week.
I'm sure that a lot of fly tipping is an unintended consequences of land fill tax and recycling policies. The £64 per tonne tax means that a 2 yard mini skip can cost best part of £100 and a proper builder's skip more like £500. Couple that with the hassle of taking things to the recycling centre and it's no doubt that many of society's bottom feeders choose to just chuck their muck anywhere. I'm not saying that recycling is a bad thing, but the way it's organised often doesn't make it feel like an easy or positive experience.
I think it's closer to £85 a tonne these days. That's just the tax the local authority has to pay back to the treasury on top of staffing, fuel, vehicle, contractor disposal costs etc. In my own area, like everywhere else really, they are trying to shift attitudes to recycle/reuse but if not possible then pass these costs on to commercial or large users of council facilities.
Seems reasonable enough to me but the fuss it creates with the public, who don't realise their council tax is subsidising a private enterprises, if these costs are not passed on, is ridiculous.
Similar thing happened to me recently, young woman through cigarette packet out the window. Really tempted to get out and throw it back in but the traffic started moving so opportunity lost. Just as well, probably would've got done for assault or some other such nonsense.
was watching a Wanted Down Under the other day and when a little girl of about eight was asked why she voted to move to New Zealand she said 'because people put their litter in the bin'.
I just don't get why people can't either put it in a bin or take it home with them. Surely it's not that difficult? However, and this isn't being racist, I do wonder how much the increase in litter is due to the influx of residents from other countries. It's like queuing at bus stops, us Brits used to be really good at it but now it's just a mad scrum when the bus arrives.
I think you’ve failed on the not being racist bit.
We’ve been a nation of litter louts long before we joined the EU.
I believe queuing for the bus used to be required by law but said law was repealed. I’m happy to be corrected on that if anyone knows better.
I'm a smoker, I have a pocket ashtray which I use. Cost me £1.
Dartford has litter enforcement officers from Kingdom Security. They pretty much only target smokers and focus their attention on pensioners and young women, never teenagers or older men. Easy targets only, people who are unlikely to argue back. They don't even need any evidence. They just accuse you, then try and scare you into taking the fixed penalty notice by telling you that you'll face £2000 fine and criminal record if it goes to court. One of these officers accused me of dropping a cigarette butt and wanted my details to fine me. But I didn't drop a butt, he just lied and said he seen me do it. I told him where to go! I hate littering and I don't do it.
I was sitting in the car in Paddington and a bloke walking past dropped a coke can on the pavement about 20 yards from a bin. I got out and picked it up and followed him up the road and handed it back to him. He didn’t say anything, but dropped it again about a minute later. I won’t be doing that again.
As a child in the fifties I was taught not to drop litter. Sixty years on, I still don't drop litter. Unfortunately it appears the modern child is no longer taught such things. It's nothing to do with austerity. It's entirely due to respect or total lack of.
Research suggests littering habits (or in yours and my case, non-littering) are formed at a very early age, and are hard-wired by the time children go to school. Of course, schools do their best to reform litterers, but this really is something which lies at the door of parents.
Ever been to Japan? The place is pretty much litter free. It's part of the ingrained culture of the place. As soon as kids start kindergarden and elementary school they are being taught this, even if the parents don't bother. Japanese schools don't employ cleaners, it's one of the pupil's daily duties to participate in cleaning their own school. You're not going to make a mess if you only have to clear it up yourself.
It's not a matter of fines or street cleaners or the number of litter bins about (good luck finding a litter bin on a Japanese street, there aren't any!). People have learnt and believe that littering is bad. It's part of the overall consideration for the group, rather than the individual, that's part of Japanese society. While Japan's 'groupthink' has it's down sides, I wish there was bit more of that sort of consideration for others in British society. It's something we've lost
Parents would complain over here if their kids were told not to drop litter - it's part of our culture!
As a child in the fifties I was taught not to drop litter. Sixty years on, I still don't drop litter. Unfortunately it appears the modern child is no longer taught such things. It's nothing to do with austerity. It's entirely due to respect or total lack of.
Research suggests littering habits (or in yours and my case, non-littering) are formed at a very early age, and are hard-wired by the time children go to school. Of course, schools do their best to reform litterers, but this really is something which lies at the door of parents.
Ever been to Japan? The place is pretty much litter free. It's part of the ingrained culture of the place. As soon as kids start kindergarden and elementary school they are being taught this, even if the parents don't bother. Japanese schools don't employ cleaners, it's one of the pupil's daily duties to participate in cleaning their own school. You're not going to make a mess if you only have to clear it up yourself.
It's not a matter of fines or street cleaners or the number of litter bins about (good luck finding a litter bin on a Japanese street, there aren't any!). People have learnt and believe that littering is bad. It's part of the overall consideration for the group, rather than the individual, that's part of Japanese society. While Japan's 'groupthink' has it's down sides, I wish there was bit more of that sort of consideration for others in British society. It's something we've lost
Parents would complain over here if their kids were told not to drop litter - it's part of our culture!
I expect they'd go completely mental if their poor little darlings were expected to sweep the floors and put the bins out at school!
As a child in the fifties I was taught not to drop litter. Sixty years on, I still don't drop litter. Unfortunately it appears the modern child is no longer taught such things. It's nothing to do with austerity. It's entirely due to respect or total lack of.
Yeah, but wasn’t litter still on ration in the 50’s? You never had the temptation to drop a mars wrapper and just walk away
I blame thatcher for taking the milk away and for the parks closing down.
There’s nothing for kids to do these days other than play on their PS4, drop crisp bags or throw acid at each other.
As a child in the fifties I was taught not to drop litter. Sixty years on, I still don't drop litter. Unfortunately it appears the modern child is no longer taught such things. It's nothing to do with austerity. It's entirely due to respect or total lack of.
Yeah, but wasn’t litter still on ration in the 50’s? You never had the temptation to drop a mars wrapper and just walk away
I blame thatcher for taking the milk away and for the parks closing down.
There’s nothing for kids to do these days other than play on their PS4, drop crisp bags or throw acid at each other.
You forgot stabbing and trying to be a reality star.
When I used to walk to station, I would take a plastic bag an pick up the litter for 200 yards to end of my road. At weekends when I walked the other way I'd take a Bag and do that end. So, many people would stop me an give positive comments, but would never do it themselves. I used to say I live here, it matters to me.
The 2nd to 4th March is the Great British Spring clean. With groups cleaning up their local environment. Rubbish bags that the council will take away cane be got from local libraries an council offices.
Litter is my pet hate . A particular niggle is the fast food litter which started as food in packaging that was placed in the handy carry bag that you kept inside your can until you were ready to eat it. After eating - Why not put the packaging back in the handy bag and keep it in your car until you reach your destination INSTEAD OF THROWING THE BITS OUT OF YOUR CAR WINDOW ONE BY ONE !!!!
One of my son's school asked kids to pick up litter on their way home. For a day or two he was coming home with a carrier bag full. Good idea I thought.
When I used to walk to station, I would take a plastic bag an pick up the litter for 200 yards to end of my road. At weekends when I walked the other way I'd take a Bag and do that end. So, many people would stop me an give positive comments, but would never do it themselves. I used to say I live here, it matters to me.
The 2nd to 4th March is the Great British Spring clean. With groups cleaning up their local environment. Rubbish bags that the council will take away cane be got from local libraries an council offices.
Great minds, RM.
We have started getting fitter by taking 3 or 4 x 2 mile walks each week since Xmas and whilst tending to use the local country lanes/bridlepaths, we sometimes combine this with a trip to the Co-op for a couple of easily carried items.
This involves walking down Station Hill back to our house and on such occasions we take a couple of large plastic bags & Mr F , a "picker upper thingy" he inherited from his Dad years ago.
As you may imagine, the majority of litter we bring home for the recycling bin consists of choc wrappers, plastic coffee cups, beer cans, plastic water bottles & used train tickets - mainly from commuters either on their way to the station or on the way home. We invariably arrive back at our house with a very full bag.
It does make us feel that we've contributed to preserving our local environment regardless of the fact that we are innocent of littering. And we too receive a few "well done" comments from other pedestrians we pass. We're probably known as the Wrinkly Wadhurst Wombles !
We took 3 of our grandkids to Camber Sands today for some fresh air & fun on another beautiful February day.
Whilst the young 'uns were collecting shells, running up & down the sand dunes etc, we spent an hour or more collecting litter along a stretch of the beach. There was very little paper but a fair amount of plastic in the guise of straws, sticks from sweets & lengths of plastic twine, presumably from kites. We managed to fill a couple of carrier bags but despite lots of dogs running around, we didn't find one doggy doo, whether bagged or unbagged.
We try to do "our bit" but don't get me started on litter along the A21.......
AND our local( very local) tip is pencilled in for closure !
As has already been said so far, it does my head in too, mainly because there is no excuse for it. However, I recently travelled around India and the culture of dropping litter there put ours into perspective. It’s unimaginably disgusting and after around a week there I found out why everyone litters - they do not have bins. So while it could be argued that we’ve always had a problem with it, there could definitely be something in the idea of immigrants worsening the problem because of cultural differences. In India for example a local told us that Indian people do not believe it is their responsibility to pick up their own rubbish and that bin/rubbish men are the lowest of the low.
When I used to walk to station, I would take a plastic bag an pick up the litter for 200 yards to end of my road. At weekends when I walked the other way I'd take a Bag and do that end. So, many people would stop me an give positive comments, but would never do it themselves. I used to say I live here, it matters to me.
The 2nd to 4th March is the Great British Spring clean. With groups cleaning up their local environment. Rubbish bags that the council will take away cane be got from local libraries an council offices.
Great minds, RM.
We have started getting fitter by taking 3 or 4 x 2 mile walks each week since Xmas and whilst tending to use the local country lanes/bridlepaths, we sometimes combine this with a trip to the Co-op for a couple of easily carried items.
This involves walking down Station Hill back to our house and on such occasions we take a couple of large plastic bags & Mr F , a "picker upper thingy" he inherited from his Dad years ago.
As you may imagine, the majority of litter we bring home for the recycling bin consists of choc wrappers, plastic coffee cups, beer cans, plastic water bottles & used train tickets - mainly from commuters either on their way to the station or on the way home. We invariably arrive back at our house with a very full bag.
It does make us feel that we've contributed to preserving our local environment regardless of the fact that we are innocent of littering. And we too receive a few "well done" comments from other pedestrians we pass. We're probably known as the Wrinkly Wadhurst Wombles !
We took 3 of our grandkids to Camber Sands today for some fresh air & fun on another beautiful February day.
Whilst the young 'uns were collecting shells, running up & down the sand dunes etc, we spent an hour or more collecting litter along a stretch of the beach. There was very little paper but a fair amount of plastic in the guise of straws, sticks from sweets & lengths of plastic twine, presumably from kites. We managed to fill a couple of carrier bags but despite lots of dogs running around, we didn't find one doggy doo, whether bagged or unbagged.
We try to do "our bit" but don't get me started on litter along the A21.......
AND our local( very local) tip is pencilled in for closure !
There's a retired bloke in our village that regularly goes round on litter patrol with one of those professional litter-picking thingies. He says it gets him out of the house, he gets to meet and chat with lots of people and it keeps him fit. It also keeps the village and common in a pretty good state which is nice.
As has already been said so far, it does my head in too, mainly because there is no excuse for it. However, I recently travelled around India and the culture of dropping litter there put ours into perspective. It’s unimaginably disgusting and after around a week there I found out why everyone litters - they do not have bins. So while it could be argued that we’ve always had a problem with it, there could definitely be something in the idea of immigrants worsening the problem because of cultural differences. In India for example a local told us that Indian people do not believe it is their responsibility to pick up their own rubbish and that bin/rubbish men are the lowest of the low.
We need more Germans over here, then. They don't drop litter and find out country's litter habit disgusting.
It is heartbreaking to see our beautiful countryside ruined by morons who are too lazy to take their rubbish home and expect someone else to clean up after them.
It does seem that the problem has got worse since it has been made harder to get rid of rubbish and perhaps a radical re-think is needed. Although the conservation organisation I work for is a beneficiary of land fill tax, it seems that the cost of disposing of rubbish is having an adverse effect on littering. It creates a double cost on councils and ultimately tax payers, because they have to pay to clear up after fly-tipping and littering and then pay the costs of disposal including land fill tax.
Although there is absolutely no excuse for fly-tipping and littering, perhaps if it were made easier for the lazier sections of our society to get rid of their rubbish, it would help to alleviate the problem.
We also need to make littering as anti-social as drink driving, as it is killing our planet. There should be a zero tolerance, with big fines and the perpetrators being made to clean up litter. We need to make our country like Singapore, where people respect their environment and dare not spoil it by littering.
There also needs to be a will by the authorities to take people to court. A few years ago I was following a car and the passenger was throwing a lot of parking tickets and supermarket receipts out of the window. I reported the car to Maidstone BC, completed a witness statement and said I was prepared to go to court and give evidence. In the end Maidstone Borough Council decided not to pursue the case.
As has already been said so far, it does my head in too, mainly because there is no excuse for it. However, I recently travelled around India and the culture of dropping litter there put ours into perspective. It’s unimaginably disgusting and after around a week there I found out why everyone litters - they do not have bins. So while it could be argued that we’ve always had a problem with it, there could definitely be something in the idea of immigrants worsening the problem because of cultural differences. In India for example a local told us that Indian people do not believe it is their responsibility to pick up their own rubbish and that bin/rubbish men are the lowest of the low.
I live in an area that's seen relatively little immigration. Ethnically, the local population is overwhelming white British. Littering is still a problem.
As you and others have pointed out, there are cultural differences in attitudes to littering. Some people will come to the UK from countries where littering is seen as less of an issue, and some will come from countries where littering is seen as more of an issue. Realistically, the impact of immigration on littering in this country will be limited.
The real problem is our own cultural attitude to littering. Yes, plenty of us find it disgusting, but the sad reality is - and always has been - that a significant portion of the British population do not have a problem with littering. Until we find a way of successfully changing our own cultural attitude, the impact of immigration is a side issue at best.
When I used to walk to station, I would take a plastic bag an pick up the litter for 200 yards to end of my road. At weekends when I walked the other way I'd take a Bag and do that end. So, many people would stop me an give positive comments, but would never do it themselves. I used to say I live here, it matters to me.
The 2nd to 4th March is the Great British Spring clean. With groups cleaning up their local environment. Rubbish bags that the council will take away cane be got from local libraries an council offices.
Great minds, RM.
We have started getting fitter by taking 3 or 4 x 2 mile walks each week since Xmas and whilst tending to use the local country lanes/bridlepaths, we sometimes combine this with a trip to the Co-op for a couple of easily carried items.
This involves walking down Station Hill back to our house and on such occasions we take a couple of large plastic bags & Mr F , a "picker upper thingy" he inherited from his Dad years ago.
As you may imagine, the majority of litter we bring home for the recycling bin consists of choc wrappers, plastic coffee cups, beer cans, plastic water bottles & used train tickets - mainly from commuters either on their way to the station or on the way home. We invariably arrive back at our house with a very full bag.
It does make us feel that we've contributed to preserving our local environment regardless of the fact that we are innocent of littering. And we too receive a few "well done" comments from other pedestrians we pass. We're probably known as the Wrinkly Wadhurst Wombles !
We took 3 of our grandkids to Camber Sands today for some fresh air & fun on another beautiful February day.
Whilst the young 'uns were collecting shells, running up & down the sand dunes etc, we spent an hour or more collecting litter along a stretch of the beach. There was very little paper but a fair amount of plastic in the guise of straws, sticks from sweets & lengths of plastic twine, presumably from kites. We managed to fill a couple of carrier bags but despite lots of dogs running around, we didn't find one Doggy doo, whether bagged or unbagged.
We try to do "our bit" but don't get me started on litter along the A21.......
AND our local( very local) tip is pencilled in for closure !
No worries Fanny. I’ve got some here you can have. PM me.
Blow their fucking heads off with an assault rifle..........oops...sorry I thought I was Stateside. As I am in the UK, empathise with them because they had a shit upbringing and offer them counselling and a hug.
When I used to walk to station, I would take a plastic bag an pick up the litter for 200 yards to end of my road. At weekends when I walked the other way I'd take a Bag and do that end. So, many people would stop me an give positive comments, but would never do it themselves. I used to say I live here, it matters to me.
The 2nd to 4th March is the Great British Spring clean. With groups cleaning up their local environment. Rubbish bags that the council will take away cane be got from local libraries an council offices.
Great minds, RM.
We have started getting fitter by taking 3 or 4 x 2 mile walks each week since Xmas and whilst tending to use the local country lanes/bridlepaths, we sometimes combine this with a trip to the Co-op for a couple of easily carried items.
This involves walking down Station Hill back to our house and on such occasions we take a couple of large plastic bags & Mr F , a "picker upper thingy" he inherited from his Dad years ago.
As you may imagine, the majority of litter we bring home for the recycling bin consists of choc wrappers, plastic coffee cups, beer cans, plastic water bottles & used train tickets - mainly from commuters either on their way to the station or on the way home. We invariably arrive back at our house with a very full bag.
It does make us feel that we've contributed to preserving our local environment regardless of the fact that we are innocent of littering. And we too receive a few "well done" comments from other pedestrians we pass. We're probably known as the Wrinkly Wadhurst Wombles !
We took 3 of our grandkids to Camber Sands today for some fresh air & fun on another beautiful February day.
Whilst the young 'uns were collecting shells, running up & down the sand dunes etc, we spent an hour or more collecting litter along a stretch of the beach. There was very little paper but a fair amount of plastic in the guise of straws, sticks from sweets & lengths of plastic twine, presumably from kites. We managed to fill a couple of carrier bags but despite lots of dogs running around, we didn't find one doggy doo, whether bagged or unbagged.
We try to do "our bit" but don't get me started on litter along the A21.......
AND our local( very local) tip is pencilled in for closure !
Good job Jean. Discarded plastic and fishing line can have a devasting affect on coastal wildlife. Over a number of years, I became very curious at the number of seagulls I was observing, hopping around with only one leg. Then one day whilst sitting on a wall by the beach, what seemed like a very friendly gull came to sit next to me and wouldn't leave, despite me not having any food to offer it. When I looked closer, it had clear fishing line wrapped very tightly around its leg, obviously restricting the blood flow and cutting into its skin. With the help of a life guard, a towel and a pair of scissors, we managed to catch him and cut off the line. It flew down to the sea, very happy, and hopefully grateful!
"My pet hate are those people that eat cheap chicken and chips"
Queueing at bus stops was more about common decency and politeness than about law. When we were younger if someone was at the bus stop when you got there then they got on the bus before you. Even if that meant that there wasn't enough room for you to get on after. You just waited for the next one.
Manners and politeness have been eroded from our society.
"My pet hate are those people that eat cheap chicken and chips"
Queueing at bus stops was more about common decency and politeness than about law. When we were younger if someone was at the bus stop when you got there then they got on the bus before you. Even if that meant that there wasn't enough room for you to get on after. You just waited for the next one.
Manners and politeness have been eroded from our society.
You sometimes do not realise how bad it is until you go abroad. I recently went on a cruise, taking in three Greek islands and when you see how clean their streets are, especially shop owners sweeping the footpath outside their shops that is when you realise what slobs we have in this country.
I have just seen a piece of news about joggers who go round their area, picking up litter as they jog. Started in Sweden I believe and now some are doing it in this country, I think it is called "Plogging"
Comments
Ever been to Japan? The place is pretty much litter free. It's part of the ingrained culture of the place. As soon as kids start kindergarden and elementary school they are being taught this, even if the parents don't bother. Japanese schools don't employ cleaners, it's one of the pupil's daily duties to participate in cleaning their own school. You're not going to make a mess if you only have to clear it up yourself.
It's not a matter of fines or street cleaners or the number of litter bins about (good luck finding a litter bin on a Japanese street, there aren't any!). People have learnt and believe that littering is bad. It's part of the overall consideration for the group, rather than the individual, that's part of Japanese society. While Japan's 'groupthink' has it's down sides, I wish there was bit more of that sort of consideration for others in British society. It's something we've lost
I got a reply from the boss thanking me and he said that the two of them would be on yard cleaning duties for the next week.
Fair play.
Seems reasonable enough to me but the fuss it creates with the public, who don't realise their council tax is subsidising a private enterprises, if these costs are not passed on, is ridiculous.
We’ve been a nation of litter louts long before we joined the EU.
I believe queuing for the bus used to be required by law but said law was repealed. I’m happy to be corrected on that if anyone knows better.
Dartford has litter enforcement officers from Kingdom Security. They pretty much only target smokers and focus their attention on pensioners and young women, never teenagers or older men. Easy targets only, people who are unlikely to argue back. They don't even need any evidence. They just accuse you, then try and scare you into taking the fixed penalty notice by telling you that you'll face £2000 fine and criminal record if it goes to court. One of these officers accused me of dropping a cigarette butt and wanted my details to fine me. But I didn't drop a butt, he just lied and said he seen me do it. I told him where to go! I hate littering and I don't do it.
There was a Panorama programme on Kingdom, focused on Bexley last year, which showed the tactics they use to issue more tickets so they can get higher bonuses: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/15291985.Panorama_exposes_litter_police_but_Bexley_Council_claims_programme_is_not_an__accurate_picture_/
I expect they'd go completely mental if their poor little darlings were expected to sweep the floors and put the bins out at school!
I blame thatcher for taking the milk away and for the parks closing down.
There’s nothing for kids to do these days other than play on their PS4, drop crisp bags or throw acid at each other.
The 2nd to 4th March is the Great British Spring clean. With groups cleaning up their local environment. Rubbish bags that the council will take away cane be got from local libraries an council offices.
.
A particular niggle is the fast food litter which started as food in packaging that was placed in the handy carry bag that you kept inside your can until you were ready to eat it.
After eating - Why not put the packaging back in the handy bag and keep it in your car until you reach your destination INSTEAD OF THROWING THE BITS OUT OF YOUR CAR WINDOW ONE BY ONE !!!!
It makes my blood boil.
Rant over.
We have started getting fitter by taking 3 or 4 x 2 mile walks each week since Xmas and whilst tending to use the local country lanes/bridlepaths, we sometimes combine this with a trip to the Co-op for a couple of easily carried items.
This involves walking down Station Hill back to our house and on such occasions we take a couple of large plastic bags & Mr F , a "picker upper thingy" he inherited from his Dad years ago.
As you may imagine, the majority of litter we bring home for the recycling bin consists of choc wrappers, plastic coffee cups, beer cans, plastic water bottles & used train tickets - mainly from commuters either on their way to the station or on the way home. We invariably arrive back at our house with a very full bag.
It does make us feel that we've contributed to preserving our local environment regardless of the fact that we are innocent of littering. And we too receive a few "well done" comments from other pedestrians we pass. We're probably known as the Wrinkly Wadhurst Wombles !
We took 3 of our grandkids to Camber Sands today for some fresh air & fun on another beautiful February day.
Whilst the young 'uns were collecting shells, running up & down the sand dunes etc, we spent an hour or more collecting litter along a stretch of the beach. There was very little paper but a fair amount of plastic in the guise of straws, sticks from sweets & lengths of plastic twine, presumably from kites. We managed to fill a couple of carrier bags but despite lots of dogs running around, we didn't find one doggy doo, whether bagged or unbagged.
We try to do "our bit" but don't get me started on litter along the A21.......
AND our local( very local) tip is pencilled in for closure !
So it's obviously Churchill's fault.
It does seem that the problem has got worse since it has been made harder to get rid of rubbish and perhaps a radical re-think is needed. Although the conservation organisation I work for is a beneficiary of land fill tax, it seems that the cost of disposing of rubbish is having an adverse effect on littering. It creates a double cost on councils and ultimately tax payers, because they have to pay to clear up after fly-tipping and littering and then pay the costs of disposal including land fill tax.
Although there is absolutely no excuse for fly-tipping and littering, perhaps if it were made easier for the lazier sections of our society to get rid of their rubbish, it would help to alleviate the problem.
We also need to make littering as anti-social as drink driving, as it is killing our planet. There should be a zero tolerance, with big fines and the perpetrators being made to clean up litter. We need to make our country like Singapore, where people respect their environment and dare not spoil it by littering.
There also needs to be a will by the authorities to take people to court. A few years ago I was following a car and the passenger was throwing a lot of parking tickets and supermarket receipts out of the window. I reported the car to Maidstone BC, completed a witness statement and said I was prepared to go to court and give evidence. In the end Maidstone Borough Council decided not to pursue the case.
As you and others have pointed out, there are cultural differences in attitudes to littering. Some people will come to the UK from countries where littering is seen as less of an issue, and some will come from countries where littering is seen as more of an issue. Realistically, the impact of immigration on littering in this country will be limited.
The real problem is our own cultural attitude to littering. Yes, plenty of us find it disgusting, but the sad reality is - and always has been - that a significant portion of the British population do not have a problem with littering. Until we find a way of successfully changing our own cultural attitude, the impact of immigration is a side issue at best.
Queueing at bus stops was more about common decency and politeness than about law. When we were younger if someone was at the bus stop when you got there then they got on the bus before you. Even if that meant that there wasn't enough room for you to get on after. You just waited for the next one.
Manners and politeness have been eroded from our society.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/237c63d4-0a54-406a-ae51-ad677a872456