Litter Prevention Tips for Everyone
As stated by Keep America Beautiful: “Littering is an individual behavioural problem or a business problem that can become a problem for your community.” It is up to each of us to take responsibility for our actions and be a positive influence for others at home, at work or school, and in the community. Here are some examples of what each of us can do to make our home clean, green and beautiful.
Individuals:
- Set a good example by taking responsibility for your trash, and using garbage and recycling receptacles instead of littering.
- Take your own re-usable bag to the store to avoid plastic bags.
- Use reusable or refillable drink and food containers and cutlery to reduce waste and litter.
- Take responsibility for your pet and its actions, if you have one, by always picking up after them.
- Pick up one or more pieces of litter each day, and/or take part in a community clean up, such as Spring Up to Clean Up, the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up, or adopt a park or road.
Drivers:
- Keep a litter bag in your car, as well as a portable ash tray if you smoke. Never toss garbage or cigarette butts out the window.
- Avoid tossing light-weight objects in your pick-up truck bed…you might as well be tossing it out the window.
- If you are transporting waste in a vehicle, make sure your load is covered and secure.
- If you are eating in your parked car, please take the few steps to the garbage can. Litter really spoils the view for everyone.
At Home:
- Make sure your trash is secured in a bin or at least covered with an old sheet or blanket to keep birds and other critters from spreading your trash around the neighbourhood. Rinsing your recyclables will also help reduce problems with pests.
- If possible, avoid placing your garbage at the curb the night before pick-up day to avoid overnight pest problems.
- Pick up any litter that is found around your home. Studies have shown that people are more likely to litter if there is already litter on the ground.*
Business Owners, Government Offices, etc.:
- Provide trash, recycling and cigarette receptacles at building entrances, in picnic and smoking areas (Keep in mind that most people will only walk about 20 feet/6 metres to a bin, or they’ll drop the trash instead).*
- Sweep parking lots and walking areas daily. If the outside looks taken care of, it will indicate that the inside is also taken care of…and that’s good for business!
- Educate employees about the importance of individual responsibility for a clean and safe working environment and successful business/organization. Set an expectation that staff will pick up any litter that is found on or around the property.
Event Organizers:
- Make yours a certified Green and Litter Free Event and let your participants know this when they arrive.
- Be sure to have plenty of well-marked trash and recycling bins (together is best) around your event area.
- Volunteers can help attendees find the receptacles, thereby reducing litter and educating people about recycling and proper waste disposal. Volunteers could also carry trash and recycling bags around the crowd to collect litter before it hits the ground.
- Have the announcer promote the event as being green and litter-free and help engage the attendees to be part of the solution.
- Give out litter bags and pocket ashtrays at event entrances.
- Limit disposable items. Choose “reusables” first whenever possible, within health and safety requirements.
Thank you for helping to make Thunder Bay Clean, Green & Beautiful. Take pride and action in your community, others will too.
*Source: Keep America Beautiful
Page last updated on Monday, April 05, 2010
