#LitterWatch2017 has only been running for about a month now, but it
feels like we are about to enter the world of repeats. Despite the
varied weather this week
fog, sun, and a downpour or two
most of the
items on the board are looking the same.
The biggest change is to our sign (a bit of water has gotten in, causing
the ink to run) and the napkin: it looks like it’s on its last legs.
However, it’s not decomposing or disappearing like you might think. Instead, small pieces are breaking away, meaning this one piece of paper
litter can lead to a bigger mess over time.
Ditto with the cardboard cigarette container; it is gradually separating into multiple, component parts.
But everything else? Basically the same as the past few weeks.
I think many people have an “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” mentality when it comes to rubbish: once it is out of their hands, it ceases to exist. However, this experiment is already showing how this is not the case: litter can remain unchanged for far longer than you might think. And not just litter: imagine this multiplied across everything sent to landfill. Reducing, re-using, and recycling is looking better every week!