Litter - Are You Guilty?

[Backdrifter]

There are a lot of people out there who obviously don't care about whether they drop litter. I think many of them aren't even aware they're littering, once they've finished with the wrapper, cigarette or whatever, it's no longer part of their experience or awareness - it just leaves their hand and that's it, it's no longer anything to do with them. I was wondering if anyone here is willing to fess up, admit they're a litterer and explain why they don't use bins.

[B00]

OK, I confess :-(

I always throw my cigarette stubs down a drain (never directly on the pavement or road) as I'm always scared of maybe not stubbing it out properly and it possibly setting a bin on fire.

Wrappers I always put in a bin though- does that redeem me slightly?

[Backdrifter]

You may well go :-( !

It's funny you mention the stubs. It's a real bugbear of mine. I mean, what you say you're doing isn't ideal and it may cause other sorts of problems, but at least you aren't just throwing them down on the pavement as so many other smokers do, which strikes me as moronic. I had an argument with 2 colleagues about this, who irately defended their habit of throwing the stubs on the pavement. Defended it, actually getting all riled that I'd expressed annoyance at it! And one of their defences was the "I might set fire to a bin" line that you mentioned. I suggested to them that as experienced smokers, they should be well versed in stubbing cigarettes out. They countered this with the notion that if the bin doesn't have a stubbing-out plate, they'd have to do it on the normal bin surface and this, er, might harm it. Touching though this concern for the council's street furniture is, it's a pretty lame defence.

But yes, the gist of their retort was "What else are we supposed to do?" Anyway, yes you're somewhat redeemed by at least bothering to put other litter in the bin!

I'm kind of hoping for someone to come on and shamelessly admit they litter, that they don't care, and to at least explain why. But it's unlikely ayone will.

[B00]

Yes I know I know.

A part of me is ashamed that I throw them down a drain, but even experienced smokers sometimes don't stub them out properly- I'd be mortified if I did set a bin on fire!

[Rev Sermon]

If I'm in the countryside (rather than in a city) I tend to throw biodegradable rubbish like banana skins or orange peel under a bush. If it doesn't get eaten by something it'll rot. Do you think I'll go to hell as a result?

[B00]

Deffo Rev, come and sit with me in the naughty corner over there >>>>

[redcrx]

when i stub my cig ends out on the bin or ground or wall before putting the cold stub in the bin there is usually some tobacco or paper that falls out or blows away.
I hope you wouldnt class that as littering.

[jump79]

I always try to find a bin to throw my rubbish in otherwise I stuff the wrappers etc in my pocket or purse. My purse is actually full of random bills and receipts and every now and then when its very windy and I'm fumbling through my purse, a few stray receipts get blown away by the wind... (its only happened a couple of times and I always feel bad) but like someone said, paper is biodegradable so its not really harming the environment, is it?

[unruliejulie]

litter dropping is one of my pet hates. I taught both my kids not to do it as soon as they were old enough to use a bin.
the thing i hate the most is people who empty ashtrays from the car into the road or chuck their rubbish from the car as they are driving along. No wonder the streets are a mess. .

[makemesmile]

No - to the best of my knowledge, I've never littered.

Was 'trained' by my mother, and on the few occassions I've dropped some litter, I've been instantly racked with guilt and have to pick it up.