In an ever-evolving world, with the global population steadily increasing, the amount of waste generated is also on the rise. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in America alone, each person produces about 4.40 pounds of trash per day.
And with a population of over 318 million people, it’s absurd to think each piece of garbage is going to make it to the dumpster, no matter how much we wish it weren’t so.
Wikipedia defines littering as,
“Litter consists of waste products that have been disposed improperly, without consent, at an inappropriate location. To litter means to drop and leave objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, cardboard boxes or plastic bottles on the ground and leave them there indefinitely or for others to dispose of as opposed to disposing of them properly.“
45 Spectacular Ways To Prevent Litter and Save the Environment
The world is home to various bugs, but the “litterbug” is arguably one of the worst. Keeping that in mind, here are 45 ways you can help prevent litter daily.
1. Don’t Be a Part of The Problem
You have control when it comes to the way you either help or hinder the problem of littering. Make sure your trash makes it into the trash every time.
It’s pretty common to see people throwing garbage on the roads because either they are too lazy to throw it in the trash bin, or they just don’t care for the environment.
2. Create Less Waste
Creating less waste is the first step in decreasing the rubbish that ends up in our environment. Start with bringing reusable bags to the supermarket! It will save you the number of bags you’d otherwise have to dispose of once you’re done using whatever you buy.
3. Clean up Litter in Your Free Time
We create an awful lot of rubbish. It’s great to reduce the waste you create, but your household will inevitably create rubbish. When you find yourself just hanging out around the house, bored, with nothing to do, turn off the TV and go clean the streets.
4. Remove Your Rubbish Responsibly
We need to be responsible for our own waste, and it is one of the best ways that you can join the fight against litter. Not just picking up litter but disposing of it in the appropriate bin is a powerful way to make sure that less debris ends up in our streets and ecosystems.
5. Get Your Neighbors Involved
Ask the people who live around you to help keep the place you both call home clean. Places with trash all around become home ground for mosquitoes, which bring various diseases with them.
6. Ensure the Lid on The Trash Can Is Secured
Most lids close fairly tightly on their own; however, if you’re having an issue with your container, bungee cords or a length of rope will help. It will keep the contents of the bin from being accessed by rodents and other animals that might leave the place littered.
7. Don’t Leave out Unopened Boxes
For those who have curbside service, unsecured boxes make it easy for animals to get into your garbage or even simply for the wind to float your trash away.
8. Carry a Litter Bag in Your Car
Too many people underestimate the amount of litter that can fall out of a cluttered car. It is therefore considered wise to carry a litter bag always with you and hang on to litter until you find a garbage or recycling receptacle.
9. Make Bags
If you’re handy with crafts or know a website online where you can make custom bags, create some with a positive message and hand them out to neighbors, friends, and businesses. Not only will it inspire them to contribute their part towards the environment, but it will also help you to build relationships with them.
10. Set up Litter Cleaning Groups
Whether you have a few good friends, decide to go bigger and create a MeetUp group, or find volunteers on Craigslist, more people helping means a cleaner Earth.
11. Adopt a Highway
Formally adopt a highway and make it your duty to keep it clean. Try to involve your friends with you. The greater the number, the greater the impact you have in making our planet a better place.
12. Reach out To Local Groups
Ensure that they have litter bags and proper disposal methods for any outdoor events.
13. Plant Flowers
It is statistically proven that people are less likely to litter when there are flowers on the ground. Hence, you can consider flower planting as one of the ways to minimize littering. Of course, it will even make the place beautiful.
14. Reach out To Local Businesses
Ask them to be sure they are providing their employees with proper waste receptacles. With these bins in place, it feels unnatural to just dispose of litter anywhere.
15. Make Time Once a Week to Pick Up
If you don’t want to pick up trash every day, maybe cut out an hour or two once a week and clean the streets around your neighborhood and the surrounding areas.
16. Make Signs
They can be as fancy as you want, as long as they get the Please Do Not Litter message across. Or maybe some environment-related slogans that can get people away from throwing litter on the road.
17. Ask Businesses to Put Trash Cans out Front of Their Stores
Many people will give up and just drop whatever garbage is in their hands after not finding a trash can for a few minutes.
18. Educate and Ask Local Construction Companies for Help
Many construction companies don’t use a cover on their vehicles, causing trash to blow out of the bed. Kindly remind them that it is necessary to keep our environment free of garbage.
19. Call Your Leasing Office
Ask that they have enough receptacles out in the common areas, as well as bags available to clean up after animals.
20. Donate Trash Containers to The Community
If you have the finances, call areas where you think there needs to be a container, purchase one, and donate it to the cause.
21. Choose to Package Wisely
Whenever you are purchasing something, consider alternatives to plastic like glass or another natural and sustainable packaging. Glass is made mainly from sand and recycled glass, is reusable, recyclable, and does not harm oceans or marine life.
22. Choose Reusable Containers
Choose reusable containers for food and beverages to live a more eco-friendly life. According to “National Geographic,” only 9% of plastic bottles are recycled.
Therefore, reusable containers can serve as an ideal replacement for bottled water, whether at home or on the go. Choose glass or stainless steel instead of plastic, which can hold hot or cold food and beverages and help protect the contents from any chemicals.
23. Reduce Your Single-Use Footprint
Always carry reusable bags and containers to the store. Some foods like cereal, pasta, and rice can be purchased from bulk bins and stored in a glass or stainless-steel container. You can further cut down on plastic waste by switching to reusable straws that are available in glass, stainless steel, or bamboo.
24. Remind Others
We’re all humans and forgetting from time to time what’s expected from us is inevitable. As such, consider reminding others on the importance of proper litter management. Of course, don’t do it in a mean and bossy way. A simple, friendly reminder goes a long way.
25. Ask Smokers to Throw Away Butts
Roughly 38% of the US’ litter comes from cigarette butts. Asking the smokers to properly manage their cigarette butts can therefore be a tremendous step in achieving a clean planet.
26. Carry Portable Ashtrays
If you can, have a couple on you to hand out to smokers in need. They will be glad to use them when out smoking, helping ensure that we achieve a cleaner environment.
27. Recycle when Possible
By recycling, we can help reduce the amount of waste in the world by reusing. When you reduce the amount of waste that gets generated in your home, you actually reduce the amount of garbage that ends up at landfill sites.
28. Recycle Better
We need to know what we can and can’t recycle in our community. Items like disposable cups, greasy pizza boxes, non-recyclable plastic containers (like those used for yogurt), and take-out containers can contaminate entire batches of recycling.
According to “National Geographic,” a whopping 91% of plastic isn’t recycled and can linger in the environment for hundreds of years, contributing to ocean pollution.
Glass containers are 100 percent recyclable; steel and aluminum cans and cardboard are also easily recyclable.
29. Beautify an Area Near You
Beautify your neighborhood and community, including landscaping and repairing fences. Attractive, maintained neighborhoods are littered less, and research shows that they are usually safer, too.
30. Clean up After Your Pet
It should go without saying, but cleaning up after your pet is not only required by law but also common courtesy.
31. Make Sure All Bags Are Secure
As an extra precaution, make sure your waste bags are tied tightly at the top before putting them into the trash can.
32. Tie up Loose Paper
Or at least ball it up, loose paper is easily picked up and carried by the wind. Though a lot of it is biodegradable, some paper has dangerous chemicals that can hurt the Earth.
33. Volunteer to Lead a Litter Prevention Education Group
Take some time, read up on litter prevention, make a slideshow or a small pamphlet, and set up a class at your local recreation center or library.
34. Adopt Small Areas Around the Community
It doesn’t have to be anything official, simply take responsibility for keeping one area clean around you. It will help the inhabitants learn from your actions and appreciate the efforts by not littering the area.
35. Reach out To Local Events
Too many times, local events, especially outdoor venues, don’t provide enough trash containers.
36. Talk to The Food Trucks
With the ever-expanding food truck business, many don’t provide proper trash disposal options or offer bags or small cans to ensure no plastics make their way onto the ground.
37. If You See It, Report It
Many people forget that not only is littering bad for our environment, but it’s also a crime. I’m not saying that yo should call your local police department every time you see someone throw a candy wrapper on the ground.
However, if you notice a repeat offender and they haven’t been listening to the kind words you’ve offered, it may be time to ask for help from the authorities.
38. Educate the Community Children
Children have an immense ability to help in the battle against litter. Not only will they religiously pick up trash if properly educated, but they can also be soldiers in delivering your message.
39. Make It Fun
Create games or have clean-ups followed by pizza and drinks at a friend’s or local restaurant.
40. Ensure Proper Disposal If You Live Near the Water
Head down to the docks and ask the harbormaster to ensure there are proper disposal receptacles for all fish, bait, and tackle.
41. Reach out To Local Schools
Ask them to hold an educational class or afterschool group dedicated to litter prevention. Many schools already have programs and may need help in certain areas. Feel free to volunteer and get involved with the children.
42. Create a Website
In today’s technological age, creating a website (or other online groups, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and promoting through various online channels is a great way to reach people and get them involved.
43. Contact the Government
When in doubt, reach out to the local government and ask if there is anything you or they can do to continue helping the community keep the streets clean.
44. Set an Example
Lead by example. Of all the things mentioned in this list, none is more powerful than the will of one person. Pick up one piece of litter every day. You never know when that one day will come around when a person sees you doing the right thing and decides it’s a change for the better they should also make.
45. Report Litterbugs
Littering is not only morally wrong; it’s illegal.
To conclude, if we all do our part, even if it’s just a little bit a day, here and there, we can change the world and make our Earth shine. Not only will this make our planet a great place to live and survive, but it will also reduce the number of health problems that occur due to places that become breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes.