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Originally Posted by Tinkerbell  Having travelled south on one or two motorways and the A38 last weekend I am wondering just when the rot set in in Britain regarding the tolerance of littered highways and residential roads.
Although levels of rubbish was intermittent, with some authorities obviously trying to get to grips with the situation, our major roads have large amounts of very unattractive refuse laying on verges and hanging from trees and bushes in many areas. I thought this was bad enough, but was horrified to see the extent of rubbish laying in gardens and streets in what appeared to be largely local authority estate roads and adjoining land when we reached our destination. Although some folk see no harm in dropping crisp packets, plastic bags etc. anywhere, I cannot believe that all of the residents were responsible for such quantities of litter in their residential vicinity. (Indeed some gardens were virtually litter free). Even a local beck, was absolutely thick with a huge variety of mess, with untold consequences for wildlife.
What I fail to understand is how councils allow the situation to perpetuate. We hardly ever see a street cleaner any more, and when we do it tends to be in the more prominent commercial areas of a town. In years past, even if folk dropped litter it was cleared up regularly by the council regardless of the address.
We eventually abandoned the walk we were taking finding the surroundings too depressing to continue. What must it be like to live amongst such a magnitude of debris and how do you remain cheerful when you step out of your front door to be greeted by such a sight? Environmental poverty no doubt has an effect on our wellbeing too, just as financial and dietary poverty do.
Tinkerbell |
I have noticed a big increase in the last few months in rubbish on road side verges on small country roads. One road I use is very quiet and yet is getting more and more stuff on it. I have seen van men eating their lunch in their vans, presumably take aways of some kind and then I suppose they chuck the rubbish out of the window. Also kids on the way back from school. It is definitely getting worse and worse. I wonder why cars and vans can't have a rubbish bin inside them, it's always difficult to know where to put it, and often it ends up on the floor. Also round here there is alot of plastic sacks etc from farms. Perhaps takeaways and snacks should have less packaging or be taxed for the environmental damage they cause.
