The question isn’t exactly rhetorical. I am stunned by the number of people who go about their day-to-day lives and don’t seem to see the amount of rubbish surrounding them on the High Street or along the motorway, in beauty spots, or even in front of their house. Has litter just become part of the landscape? Is it the urban equivalent of grass and leaves – just something that’s there?
When talking to people about litter and taking them on rubbish walks, I’ve heard the comment “Once you see it, you can’t unsee it!” several times. How can we encourage the whole nation to sit up and pay attention to the litter problem in our midst? Is there something we can do to make litter “go viral” so that people realise that it has reached epidemic proportions? And, more importantly, how can we encourage them to do something about it?