Litter Commentary

I would like to cover a persistent problem that people in this country rarely address. That problem is littering.

I agree that the problem of littering is not as grave an issue like the problems of crime, drugs, or diseases such as AIDS. People who commit crimes are showing disrespect for authority. They are also not respecting the rights of victims of crimes, such as the right to feel safe in your own home. The problem of drugs can sometimes be tied in with the problems of crime. Millions of dollars are being spent to find a cure for AIDS. Money is also spent in educating people on AIDS. These problems have more importance than littering, should the problem of littering never be addressed because of this?

I wonder why some children are not being educated by their parents to show respect for the environment? Adults who litter are teaching children to litter. Those children will grow up to be adults that litter who will further teach their children to litter. This can become a never-ending cycle. If you throw litter around and you have children, you are teaching them that this is acceptable behavior. Your children will learn to litter also.

I have noticed in my hometown of Jamestown, NY the problem of littering has become worse over the last twenty five years or more. When I was a child it seemed there was less litter on the sidewalks and streets then there is now. There is even litter and garbage on the beach of Barcelona, a village on the shore of Lake Erie in Chautauqua County.

Am I and other members of my family who hate littering, the only ones that would like our sight not besmirched by litter? Many people would become angry if someone came into their homes and threw garbage and litter around. Is there a difference in throwing litter outside?

Our home is not just the house we reside in; it is also the streets, sidewalks, public places, parks, and other areas in our communities. If anyone thinks this is not true then the phrase “ my home town” should be taken from our language.

Is litter a fact of life we must all live with? Some criminals will take a gun and shoot an innocent person. Is that a fact of life we all must live with? Should we allow that criminal to run free and not be punished because it is a fact of life?

If some people would take a little effort and throw litter in the proper receptacles are they doing the right thing? Is throwing litter away in a wastebasket or garbage container wrong behavior? Would anyone’s arm break off because it is so painful to throw litter away in its proper place?

Would the sky come down and fall if you placed litter in your pocket or purse because there was not a garbage container nearby? Would you die if you waited to throw away your litter when you got home?

You care about the appearance of your house and the appearance of your yard. You care about your personal appearance, is it too difficult to care about the appearance of your community? If there is litter everywhere in your community are you not telling visitors that you do not care? If you do not care about the appearance of your community and you like to throw litter around, then perhaps everyone’s rightful place is to live in a garbage dump.