Seen (and picked up) at the beach. Not loving my muddy shoes though. Image: Su Leslie 2018
I was going to write a long grumpy piece about littering and the decline of civil society, but frankly I’m too knackered from picking up other people’s rubbish.
Zimmerbitch 
Know the feeling.
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I don’t get it. I’ll never get it. Often there are trash bins just a few steps away. What is wrong with people????
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I don’t either. There are several bins on that beach. Grrrrrr.
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Grrrrr, indeed. I wonder if the problem of discarded bottles would lessen if there were a money back system on each bottle.
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There’s a money-back system in Germany but since it’s only 15 cents for a reusable glass bottle like this one many people just don’t care and litter out parks with them. There are people however who pick them all up and then get the money which adds to their non-existent income so at least they are good for something.
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That’s good to know. I remember, when I was very young, our family kept all types of bottles, and, every now and then, a bottle collector would come by and pay a small amount for them. The bottles were actually cleaned and reused by the soft drink and beer factories. The milk bottles, too.
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Am I imagining it, or did our fathers also take their beer bottles back to the bottle store when they bought more beer — “swappa crate”?
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I think that they did.
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I think that´s how it should be done everywhere. Sadly many people still buy the non-reusable plastic bottles around here, and what happens with those is a mystery. We´re told they are shipped to China and the like, where they reuse it, but to be honest, I quite doubt it. Paper and glass though are getting recycled I´m fairly sure and that´s at least something. 🙂
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Our recycling used to be shipped to China, but they stopped taking it and we have (almost literally) a mountain of plastic and stuff. It’s been the biggest incentive to change the way plastic is used in NZ. xxxx
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I’m sure it would. When I was a kid, my friends and I collected discarded bottles for the refund. And it obviously works in Germany. Btw:I’ve noticed a couple of organic grocers here asking people to bring their own containers when they shop. Great idea.
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Yes, a great idea.
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Disgusting. And it’s a good thing I’ve watched enough British and Australian tv or I’d have no idea what your title meant!
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Oh that “divided by a common language”thing again 😀
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We get money for those bottles.
Leslie
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We used to Leslie, but not for a long time now. 🙁
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Time to start it again….
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Definitely!! It’s suggested periodically but there seem to be no political will to implement it.
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Then you will continue to have a problem, unfortunately.
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Yes, I believe we will.
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😦
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One of my pet peeves. I just don’t understand people who can’t throw their trash away.
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Mine too. It’s not like we live in a place with no litter bins!
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I share you sentiments on littering 100%, Su. On the bright side I learned a new English word (knackered) today. Best wishes! Peter
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Thanks Peter. Always glad to share UK English 😀
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Hope you checked for a message!
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Hehe. I think the message was “I’m a lazy (expletive deleted).”
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People just don’t think, or they think someone else will come along and clean up after them. Like the magic kitchen fairy…
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☹️ so true. We didn’t have a kitchen fairy growing up — more of a Hansel and Gretel-type witch. Which in hindsight, wasn’t such a bad thing.
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I know what you mean – but when i see something like this I sometimes give them the benefit of doubt (maybe it fell out on way to bin) hafl kidding –
but right in front of me last week some car door opened and out came trash! I wanted to drive right up and say “what??” but they were gone
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🤔 I know what you mean about wanting to call people out. I have occasionally picked up rubbish I’ve seen someone drop, walk up to them and loudly give it back, but I could spend my life doing that and I doubt it would really help the problem.
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yes – and it could lead to a fight – ouch
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People toss trash from their car windows onto our property. It infuriates us, but then, we pick it up. Because tossing trash is just wrong.
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Tossing litter is one of those things I just can’t do. Like not wearing a seat-belt of not brushing my teeth. It just feels wrong!
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Sympathize about the trash. It is a lovely photo, though. Great light on the bottle.
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Thanks Marie. I thought it made a lovely shot, but still felt annoyed enough to walk through the mud to pick it up.
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It is insane short-termism and brutal ignorance. People think that nature will be there forever or maybe they are just selfish and don’t care about the future.
It is also heartbreaking to see the amount of plastic that is cohabiting with us and the ocean’s life has been affected. Animals are suffering for that and we wont have fishes anymore. We also need to stop buying plastic.
The photo is beautiful, though…
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I agree Lucile. We’ve been trying to consciously reduce our plastic use. It’s a real challenge when so many things are only available (certainly locally) in plastic packaging. Do I generate plastic waste? Or increased food miles? Neither is a good solution.
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Totally don’t get people who litter everything around them either. Makes me and and actually want to whack the bottles over their stupid heads! Grrrr indeed!
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Oh, and I forgot to add that your pic looks beautiful even though it stands for something we loath. It’s like the bottle gathered up the light in itself, sealing it of and maybe glow in the dark long after the sun has sunk beyond the rim of the world… 😊
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Thanks Sarah. I wondered about trying to make some “beautiful”shots of rubbish and pollution to try to get people’s attention. Not quite sure how, but it’s an idea that’s gone into the journal for future reference!
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It´s definitely a great idea, people are drawn in by beautiful things, like moths from a flame. And if it get´s them thinking, all the better! 🙂
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😀 xxx
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