Thread: Disappointing

Nowadays this issue / problem seems widespread. It bothers me to think this is what we Kiwis have become. Uncaring, irresponsible, selfish folks who think it's OK to just dump trash anywhere they like. Not absolutely everybody of course, but many. In my own neighbourhood I've noticed it worsening probably over the last 20 years. For pleasure and fitness I walk certain circuits around my town, Pukekohe. Anywhere from 10 to 20 km generally. When I started these walks litter was a fairly minor problem and not that noticeable. In contrast today one would have to be totally blind to miss seeing the volume of discarded rubbish everywhere. When I walk now I'm practically tripping over crap every few steps. Typically, fast food wrappings / containers ( KFC, McDonalds ), beer / liquor bottles, bottle caps, plastic soft drink / water bottles, rubbish sacks of household garbage, unwanted clothing / shoes, car parts and even items of furniture. Automotive fluids containers, and it goes on. Much of this lines roadsides or is left in roadside drains and obviously the folks doing the dumping are doing so from moving vehicles or stopping briefly to dump stuff adjacent before driving off. What astounds me in certain locations is rubbish carelessly discarded within 50 metres of council supplied rubbish containers. Folks are so lazy they can't even walk that distance to do the right thing. I know other people are as disgusted as I am. In some streets I see mainly senior citizens voluntarily walking stretches of road collecting and bagging the more obvious litter just to tidy the place up.
I don't know what the solution is to this problem. I believe much of it is attitudinal and laziness a large contributor. I simply can't believe those responsible think this sort of behaviour is OK. Unfortunately, as noted by previous posters above, the problem is also evident in our wild, backcountry lands, the absolute last place any of us should expect to find this ugly plague.