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These are a few articles to show how my hypothesis has been right so far on why people litter and how it seems that some people can't stop this mindless and impolite behavior. If something isn't done as soon as possible, we all may be in for a very rude awakening.

 

Effects of littering can pile up

Williams, Shawna. Recorder [Indianapolis, Ind] 13 Aug 2004: A1.

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This is a newspaper article that talks more about my topic of littering. The article talks about how some people see littering as nothing too serious to worry about, but then are really ignorant as to what it is doing to our environments and to our health. it also goes more into detail to talk about how cigarettes butts can be dangerous even after they are stumped out, as some toxins that remain in cigarette butts are released into the atmosphere.

A CLEAN (AND HEALTHY) SWEEP.

Current Health Teens; Mar2011, Vol. 37 Issue 7, p5-5, 2/3p

          ST. Etienne, Chloe -- Interviews
A magazine article about an eighteen year old girl from New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, who made a difference by speaking out. She and her friends enjoyed free snacks in her school, until litterbugs due to excessive littering caused this program to be banned. With some help from her friends, she was able to come up with an idea to discourage littering.

Rodemann, Katharyn

Texas Monthly, Jan2011, Vol. 39 Issue 1, p110-115, 6p, 11 Color Photographs, 4 Black and White Photographs

ROADSIDE litter -- Prevention
ADVERTISING campaigns
MCCLURE, Tim
GSD & M (Company)
TEXAS. Dept. of Transportation
NELSON, Willie, 1933-
FOREMAN, George, 1949-

An article that deals with the success and accomplishment of a campaign to stop littering. this campaign was launched in January 1986 and was developed by Tim McClure.

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Preview One of the Problems of Littering: Why Do People Do It?: Dirty Streets In the Attack on the problem of Littering, One Question Is, Why Do People Do It? When Dirt Attracts Dirt A City of Anonymity and License An Enforcement Shortage A Potential Source of Funds Fear as a Deterrent The Contrasts of an Area Theories About the Difference A Form of Protest Many Testers, Many Theories Tests' Results and Meaning The Income Factor What Comes Naturally Some Special Programs The Individual's Importance

New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 09 Aug 1980: 1.

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  A newspaper article about littering in New York City. This article shows how long this problem of littering has been around, and how some people just won't learn from their mistakes.

Letter to the Editor

268 South Center St.

                                                                                    Orange, NJ 07050

                                                                             May 5, 2012

Editor

Star Ledger News

Newark, NJ 07102

Dear Mr. Editor,

The phrase, “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” never dies for me.  But in this generation of ours we live in a world of filth, which needs to be taken care of. My English class recently took on this assignment of community problems; where we found out the problems that were facing our communities and tried to do something about it. The problem I was able to identify was “littering.” What I discovered from my research from “Cincinnati is Beautiful” was that people who litter sometimes have no sense of ownership, meaning that they say, “This is not ours, so we might as well destroy it.” Also I found out that some people do it because they think somebody will do it for them, which is quite a rude and very arrogant way of thinking. Basically, what I’m trying to do is get everyone to see how littering affects our environments and even us. The goal of this research is to minimize, if not stop the littering of our surroundings by doing little things that can really help make big changes. So far, I’ve created a blog, which first helps put this problem of mine out to the public, because almost everyone now uses the internet. I’ve had an interview with the head of my school’s janitorial service, Mr. Louie to see his point of view on littering and I’ve also had an interview with a student from my school. I’ve also tried on my own, to encourage people to use the trash cans more and try recycling things, like plastic cups and bottles. I chose this particular issue because I felt it had to be brought to the attention of everyone and also I saw that what we were turning our surroundings into was egregiously killing our race “slowly but surely.” Also I felt that if anything was to be done, the community leaders had to know about this. Although I’m starting little, with some more support and hard work I can go big, for it is as Malcolm X said, “if you want something, you better make some noise.” I really hope that you consider all that I have spoken about in this letter, because a clean surrounding is salutary to our health.

                                                          Hilda Agyekum

                                                       10^th Grade, Orange High School

                                                  Orange, NJ

The Deliberate Litterer

So I finally got the interview with a deliberate litterer and her name is Avionne Wallace. I was able to know her point of view on littering and why she littered. Some of the things she said, of course put in a little bit of shock, but she was very candid with her answers and very open and that was very good of her. All in all, she is trying to change and I really hope that her change will be quick and help her realize what littering is doing to our environment.

Next on the Agenda: More Interviews!

The first interview, as some of you may know was with the head of my school's janitorial service; Louis. I though it was very nice of him to take time out of his schedule to answer my questions, and also to help my project and problem, littering. What I learned from Louis is that he does everything he can to make sure that his surroundings and the environment in general is clean. He does this by encouraging his kids and his family to use the trash cans always. I honestly thought that since he had to deal with all this mess in school, he wouldn't bother about filth outside of school. But then thinking again, if he does it in school, he might as well do it outside of school, since he said in the interview that, it is his job, but he also prefers people using the bin.
My second interview this time, is going to be with a student, particularly a deliberate litterer. I want to know why they litter, why they think that others will clean up after them, and in their opinion, how littering, is affecting them and the environment.

Phase 4: Interview with Janitor Louis

This video is phase four, which is interviews of my major research project, littering. I was able to get an exclusive with the head of my school's janitorial service Louis. I felt a janitor would be a good person to interview, seeing as how he has to take care of messes made by some kids.
Here are the questions I asked Louis:
1. How long have you been in this job?
Ans: Eight years


2. I know this isn't one of the greatest jobs ever, especially as some kids are not nice, but how does littering affect you as a person, seeing as how you have to clean every mess?
Ans: It doesn't affect him, because he feels it's his job to clean up, but he prefers it also if people would use the trash cans more often.


3. How do you think littering affects the environment?
Ans: It makes our surroundings untidy and very filthy.


4.Studies by St. Tammany Parish Government show that there are these people who are deliberate litterers; these are the people who litter intentionally. In your view, who are the deliberate litterers?
Ans: Everybody is; kids, adults.


5. What do you do outside of school to prevent litter in the environment?
Ans: He tells his family to use the trashcans always, and to always clean up after themselves.

This has got to Stop

Hypothesis

Why do we tend to litter even with the many trash cans at our disposal? How is littering affecting our environment and us?  Why people litter, is a complicated question, with no easy answer. Research by "Cincinnati is Beautiful," a campaign launched to prevent litter showed that some of us who litter, often have no sense of ownership. Meaning that, we say "this is not ours, so we might as well destroy it."  Another reason why people litter is the belief that "someone will pick it up for me." Some people even use the excuse that they are creating jobs for the people who clean, a statement which is rather harsh and selfish. We should know that, destroying our surroundings is no joke. Not all of us want to live in a world of filth. We must all try our hardest to stop littering.

Littering: Our Worst Nightmare

Littering as we all know, is leaving rubbish or a number of objects lying about untidily. Leaving things about our environment, can and will affect the environment and even us. To make our surroundings look like the ideal utopias we often dream off, or even like the one shown here, we have to get down and start recycling and using    bins at our disposal. After all, cleanliness is next to godliness, isn't it?.