Do you pick up trash/litter?

Question

When you're out and about going for a walk, walking from your car to a store, at the park, etc. do you pick up trash that you see on the floor? Why or why not?

Do you only pick it up if there's a trash can near by? Only if it looks "clean." Only if you're in a beautiful nature preserve?

What does it take for you to pick up trash or litter?

Answer 1

Yes, I do. I am a true believer that if everyone would just stop and pick up just one itsy bitsy small piece of trash, it would be a more beautiful place. I live in a very small rural neighborhood on a dirt road, and for some ungodly reason, people think that our ditches are the closest thing to a dump for them to toss out their garbage. Once every month you can see our neighborhood kids out picking up someone else's trash along the sides of our roads. It really ticks me off to no end that people have the audacity (spelling?) to litter like that. I want to track these people down and just spill all my garbage on their lawns and see how they like it. Probably wouldn't like it at all. When I was a child in the 60's, I remember the slogan "Give a hoot, don't pollute!" I can still see the Indian with the tear in his eyes today.

Answer 2

I have a designated stretch of highway to clean up a minimum of 4 times a year. My share is 2 miles each direction. I can either do it alone or have others help me. The area is a main road near where I live. Got tired of seeing all the litter every time I went out. Missouri has volunteers all over the state doing the same as myself. It really peeves me that I live in such a wonderful country but people (generally ages 15-26, according to statistics) would rather pitch trash out the window instead of into a bag or can. We pick up lots of cigarette packs, fast food wrappers, booze bottles/cans, soda cans, plastic water bottles, auto parts and discarded household trash. It is generally 15 huge bags per 1/2 mile stretch in 3-4 months. Is that disgusting or what?

Answer 3

I will pick up trash as I am walking... it depends on what it is. You can find some pretty nasty things on the side of the road that should not be picked up with out gloves. I find myself picking up more garbage when I go into the woods for a hike. I have my own trash with me anyway so when I am walking I just toss it in the back pack with the rest of mine and throw it out when I get home. There are some things I do not pick up... dipers for one example. Littered with germs and most likely by the time I would come across it littered with bugs as well. We have clean up crews in my area though and we also have 3x a year where the whole community gets togeather and picks up trash with the county providing gloves and bags to collect it in. Our area is not quite as nasty as some... but we could all do a bit more to keep it clean. Good for you if you also pick up garbage. Good luck hun.

Answer 4

I do my part by not littering in the first place. If I'm near a trash receptacle while out and about, provided that said object does not even remotely resemble contaminated waste, I may pick it up and dispose of it properly. When I was younger and lived with my parents, I would try to collect as much garbage as possible in the general vicinity. But can't get it all...then what would the inmates and volunteers have to do???

Answer 5

I have the whole neighborhood picking up around our houses ..our yards streets and the alley. We started doing this about 3 years ago. I always pick up when Im walking I just shove a bag in my pocket and if I see litter i pick it up rather then walking by and leaving it for someone else to pick up. If you only pick up 1 thing a day just think how much cleaner the world would be.

Answer 6

Yes I pick up trash(litter)...I do it because I cannot stand seeing it on the ground. I will not pick up litter if it looks unsanitery and there is nothing to pick it up with. I do not want to get sick because of other peoples neglagence. However if there was a trashcan around I would probably pick up the trash and get side tracked...I usually get carried away when I do it and want to get it all.. It just makes me feel good I guess

Answer 7

I pick up trash if I am walking around as see it. I just think it annoys me so much. Sure on an environmental level but more because I think it is obnoxious to see how lazy people are. I particularly hate that my horrible neighbors up the street can't figure out how to use a trash can lid. Their garbage is constantly on my yard. In our area, a suburb of Cincinnati, they are cracking down on littering from your vehicle. You just have to call or email them the license plate of the offender and they will visit/send a letter. Funny, but on Mother's Day, leaving Bob Evan's, we called on the SUV exiting ahead of us because the passenger threw his old box of cigarettes and the plastic wrapper of the new one right out the window. Sure I know people litter but that is the first time I can recall seeing someone just blatantly doing it. Annoying!

Answer 8

I pick up litter if I am close to a trash can, have something to put it in-like a bag or other trash, or can go wash my hands quickly after picking up the litter.

Answer 9

Sometimes I do. Proximity of a trash can and cleanliness of the litter will definitely have an impact on the chance that I will pick it up. I guess it just bothers me to see the mess.

Answer 10

I do it for a living, I pick up trash from the streets and make sure the neiborhood look better. I have to keep the recycle bins clean of garbage.iIget paid for it and will do it for free if a project in set for the day.