Why People Litter
Litter doesn't just appear - someone causes it or allows it to occur. Knowing more about litter and where it comes from is a good place to start.

Research by Keep America Beautiful, Inc., has found that people litter because:

• They feel no sense of ownership, even though areas such as parks and beaches are public property.
• They believe someone else—a park maintenance or highway worker— will pick up after them.
• Litter already has accumulated.

Who Causes Litter
There is no such thing as a "littering type". People of all ages and social backgrounds have been observed littering ... men and women are equally likely to litter. What we do know is that there are seven primary sources of litter:

• Pedestrians who do not use receptacles
• Motorists who do not use car ashtrays or litterbags
• Business dumpsters which are improperly covered
• Loading docks with inadequate waste receptacles
• Construction and demolition sites without tarps and receptacles to contain debris and waste
• Trucks with uncovered loads
• Household trash scattered before or during collection

What Can YOU Do?
Littering is an individual behavioral problem or a business problem that can become a problem for your community. Each person must accept responsibility for their actions and influence of those actions on other people. By using proper trash and waste disposal practices, you will cause others to consider their actions too.

Actions you can take include:

• Set an example for others by using trash receptacles and NOT littering.
• Carry a litterbag and portable ashtray in your car.
• Make sure trashcans have lids that can be securely fastened.
• Use twine to secure loose trash put out for curbside trash collection.
• Tie papers into a bundle before placing them in curbside recycling bins.