Ninety four percent of people see littering as an environmental problem. Yet people still litter in parks, hiking trails, waterfronts, and other natural areas. Litter affects every part and member of society. It causes harm to people and animals and costs a lot to clean up and insinuates that we as people do not care about our environment. Littering is a result of individual behavior due to carelessness. When litter is on the ground it attracts more litter. A clean community improves the appearance of a place and how much people will enjoy it.
Litter discarded in streets and sidewalks can end up in storm water systems and end up in our creeks, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Removing litter from anywhere costs money and not removing it attracts vermin and causes bacteria to breed, making it a public health threat. Broken glass, syringes, and other dangerous objects are also a health threat. Litter, such as cigarette butts, is additionally a fire hazard.
Litter can be caused by dropping garbage, throwing it out car windows, uncovered car loads, entertainment events, acts of rebellion, and or illegal dumping.
Adding more trashcans to the city of Oak Creek is a small but needed step to rid littering from our city and keep it the beautiful place we all love.
