Littering

1015 Words3 Pages

Littering is not a new issue. In fact, littering has been an ongoing topic that has seen both periods of great attention and periods of neglect. A period of great attention being the 1970s, featuring Iron Eyes Cody, the "crying Indian," in the Keep America Beautiful commercial. During this time efforts were made to curb litter, and, as the title suggests, improve the appearance of the nation. Currently, the matter of littering is less prevalent. Reasons for this are debatable, but other concerns such as the economy and the state of international affairs certainly have an impact. This does not mean, however, that littering is any less of a relevant subject now as opposed to in the past. The common belief is that litter is a negative societal element. However, there are people against littering, people who are impartial on the issue, and even people who see littering as a benefit in certain aspects. Despite varying beliefs, litter is a societal ailment that needs to be intensely deterred.

Leading the cause against littering are what the EPA calls "non litterers." These individuals are conscientious about the environment, they do not litter, and they also often pick up the litter of other people (EPA Litter Home Page). Initially, one would say that those who are opposed to littering are coming from the viewpoint that litter defaces both the natural beauty of the planet and attractive, artistic creations such as parks, buildings, and other public locations. Although this is true, the concern runs deeper. As stated in the EPA "Facts about Litter," "Litter has gone from being viewed primarily as an aesthetic problem to a broader environmental issue" (EPA Litter Home Page). More than just an ugly habit that hinders the beaut...

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...hat everyone chooses a stance in regards to the issue of littering, because then and only then can the truth be exposed.

Much like the varying stances on littering, there are varying statuses of littering's presence. Times of high awareness are originated by a significant number of caring people and can even lead to successful political action. By contrast, there are other times when littering does not appear to be as popular of a concern among the people and does not garner much or any political recognition. During both extremes, there are always people who feel strongly against littering, people who have little or no concern on the matter, and people who support forms of littering. However, the only truly valid position on the matter is one of anti-littering, since littering is a filthy and threatening existence that needs to be ceased as soon as possible.

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