The Litterbug Psych

Photo by Yogendra Singh

At Pick It Up, we frame our mission through solutions-- we encourage our readers and customers to do their part and pick up the trash littered by others in their community. This mission, though true to our values, can sometimes eclipse the larger psychology and root cause of littering itself. Within this blog post, I aim to encapsulate the various motivations of those who litter, in order to provide increased perspective in the New Year.

We people litter:

In certain places, the absence of accessible trashcans (ex. beaches) can encourage people to just dump their garbage right where they are. This problem stems from inconvenience, as many do not feel inclined to carry their trash along with them. In addition, littering occurs more in places that are already highly littered. Smokers, especially, exhibit higher rates of littering. A Keep America Beautiful (KAB) study found that 81% of littering is intentionally done-- thus pointing to real triggers and catalysts rather than chance.

Why people don't pick up litter:

This KAB study also found that many do not feel inclined to pick up trash when they feel “no sense of ownership for parks, walkways, beaches, and other public spaces.” In this way, most pickup is done within a close radius of one's own home. Although many across the country hope for cleaner areas, many hesitate to participate in the cleanup for fear of unsanitary conditions, the spread of diseases, or even pure inconvenience.

Why we should not litter:

This section might seem obvious, but as you look around our San Diego area, it becomes glaringly clear that many civilians need a reminder. Littering, especially as it amasses through time, degrades natural spaces. Around 90% of Americans agree that littering is wrong, yet this trend does not seem to be exemplifying itself within our shared spaces. A study conducted by Plymouth University even deduced that litter is intrinsically linked with worse mental health. As a final reminder: we must protect our shared spaces, for their destruction has the potential to be irreversable.