Introduction
Littering can be defined as the incorrect disposal of trash in places it does not belong. Littering in public places is a significant issue many communities face. People’s carelessness toward the surroundings they live in causes other citizens to suffer. According to Reisch’s characteristic of an ethical issue, littering in public places upholds all standards stated (2019). Public littering is a realistic and winnable issue that is possible to solve, moreover, it is immediate and clearly stated. A problem like this can be an opportunity for the community to unite; additionally, it is likely to be solved through collective action. Lastly, the population of a residential area is affected by public littering because it stands in the way of pleasant recreational activities for both children and adults.
Main text
The ultimate goal for the issue of littering in public places would be clearing out the community of any litter and preventing its appearance in the future. The biggest goal should be the termination of littering because even though it takes hard work to clean out the area from litter, the citizens cannot continuously do it. Therefore, making residents understand that future littering in public places will not only affect the community around but also them. Preventional punishments must be created to lower the possibility of people committing this irresponsible action.
A community organization should target community change efforts. As the residents of the specific community are the cause of this issue, its resolvent must target exactly them. Moreover, teamwork will allow a particular community not only to become closer but also to see the consequences of someone’s irresponsibility. After thoroughly analyzing the issue, the organization must create a plan for terminating it and essentially have several alternatives for it. After that, significant actions must be taken to prevent littering from happening again.
Potential allies for public littering issues may vary. The most obvious and realistic are the municipal services. The local government may help increase the number of trash bins in the public areas or town authorities can create penalties or fines for people who get caught littering in public places. In California, such penalties vary from fines to hours of community service (CENN). Such actions are radical but practical. Pro-ecology organizations can be potential allies for the initiative to terminate public littering. Such organizations may cooperate and create info boards that are to be set in public places like parks or bus stations, which inform on the harmful consequences of littering for the environment.
A strategic approach is the most critical component of solving a community-related issue. I think that competition can be of the most significant effect on solving public place littering. The local community will have to choose the most littered public areas and clean them together. The contest can depend on how clean the public area is after the cleaning; therefore, the winners get a prize. The prize can be the renovation of a local playground for children or the installment of a brand new bus stop, which will be up to the winning teams. In such a way, the area around will not only get rid of the rubbish but also become a more comfortable place to be. With the help of local government and eco-organizations, such places will obtain educational information and preventional matters. Collectively with these measures implemented, it is possible to minimize the probability of littering in public places and make a local community more appealing and pleasant to live in.
Conclusion
To conclude, littering in public places is a common issue for communities around the world; however, with appropriate collective actions, it is possible to prevent and terminate it. Directly involving the community to participate, asking local leaders to take action, and teaming up with other organizations can ultimately solve the issue of littering once and for all.
References
CENN. (n.d.). Reasons, Consequences and Possible Solutions of Littering. Web.
Reisch, M. (2019). Macro social work practice: working for change in a multicultural society. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.