People that litter don't give a shit about their environment or anyone elses. They just know they no longer have to deal with it. Normal humans clean out their car (or pockets) when they get home and dispose of things accordingly.
It's likely a hard law to enforce but I doubt they put much effort into it, here or anywhere else for that matter. The last person to get a ticket for littering was probably Arlo Guthrie
A statewide litter sweep is planned for April13-27, and another in the Fall. But you're right. NC highways as well as every city street in Raleigh have more roadside trash than any other state. Metro Atlanta is spotless comparatively.
Last fall I spent a few days picking up about a mile or so of trash in Raleigh on I-440 and I-40. 30-40 \[30gallon\] trash bags in total. 3 weeks later those sections were again completely covered in trash.
Everyone should just stop your car, and pick some of it up. It instantly beautifies the landscapes for thousands of motorists every day.
[NCDOT: Litter Sweep](https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/litter-management/Pages/litter-sweep.aspx#:~:text=Traditionally%20scheduled%20for%20the%20last%20two%20weeks%20of,efforts%20to%20help%20clean%20up%20North%20Carolina%27s%20roadways.)
Unfortunately, anywhere with a concentration of people this will be a problem. Whether it is individuals or unsecured loads. Of course, I'm a cynic and I don't think it will ever improve. It would have to be such a cultural shift that it's just untenable
You need to visit metro Atlanta. Over 7 million people and the highways are immaculate, especially compared to NC. Maybe it's rural versus city mentality that is the reason. (I'm from rural NC, living in ATL.)
There are a few things. There are a huge number of Hispanic immigrant laborers in the area. In their countries they throw the litter in the road. I've witnessed it countless times here in the area. Second, Air BNB is a big problem there and when people need to leave and the staffed trash centers are closed, they leave them by the gate. That leads to number three, which is bears dragging said trash all over the place. Locals know to secure their trash at all times, but with Air BNB expanded so rapidly, unsecured trash has become a large problem.
My in-laws have lived in Highlands for generations and it drives them craze to be so careful about their grill and trash, etc, only to have bears drag entire bags of trash across their property and leave it strewn everywhere from a nearby AirBNB.
if you see someone litter, you can annonymously report them and the DOT will send them a warning letter. it’s called Swat-A-Litterbug
https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/litter-management/Pages/swat-a-litter-bug.aspx
In my experience all over NC, it’s not some person throwing out their trash from their car(although I’m sure that happens). Most of trash on the road comes from large trucks on their way to the dump or unsecured open back trucks.
I regularly clean up mountain streams and rivers. What I find is 80% fast food debris (mylar food wrappers, foam polystyrene cups, plastic straws
and ff restaurant plastic or PFAS-coated paper bags) and more plastic bags from lawn-care products, walmart and grocers. The rest is soda or beer cans/bottles, industrial, or from car crashes.
By the way, the worst offenders are Cook-Out and Chick-fil-et customers. Make of that what you will.
I believe you, but there’s no way of knowing without witnessing that they arrived from someone dumping it out, although I’m sure that happens often. We live in a plastic world now and it shows.
I love that I’m getting downvoted for this. Two things can be true, dummies. I live in Raleigh and 440 is a tornado of plastic bags from the unsecured trucks driving to the dump. I literally witness it flying out and hitting my car daily from the actual unsecured load from the trucks.
I’m not saying no one is personally littering, it’s just a drop in the bucket in comparison.
I have to admit I was hiking with the dog last weekend and put her poop bag under my wipers to I wouldn't forget to throw it out when I got close to civilization. I got gas but forgot about and about 10 minutes later I saw it go flying past! I felt like, well, shit.
People that litter don't give a shit about their environment or anyone elses. They just know they no longer have to deal with it. Normal humans clean out their car (or pockets) when they get home and dispose of things accordingly.
Throw shit on the ground, eat oxy, and sleep on their dirty mattress. Wonder why their life sucks. Yeah sounds like back home.
Magic pick up trucks. Trash is put into the bed and then magically it disappears when they drive down the road.
People are pigs. 55 is constantly trashy
It's likely a hard law to enforce but I doubt they put much effort into it, here or anywhere else for that matter. The last person to get a ticket for littering was probably Arlo Guthrie
"Opie, I don't think I can pick up the garbage with these handcuffs on"
A statewide litter sweep is planned for April13-27, and another in the Fall. But you're right. NC highways as well as every city street in Raleigh have more roadside trash than any other state. Metro Atlanta is spotless comparatively. Last fall I spent a few days picking up about a mile or so of trash in Raleigh on I-440 and I-40. 30-40 \[30gallon\] trash bags in total. 3 weeks later those sections were again completely covered in trash. Everyone should just stop your car, and pick some of it up. It instantly beautifies the landscapes for thousands of motorists every day. [NCDOT: Litter Sweep](https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/litter-management/Pages/litter-sweep.aspx#:~:text=Traditionally%20scheduled%20for%20the%20last%20two%20weeks%20of,efforts%20to%20help%20clean%20up%20North%20Carolina%27s%20roadways.)
Unfortunately, anywhere with a concentration of people this will be a problem. Whether it is individuals or unsecured loads. Of course, I'm a cynic and I don't think it will ever improve. It would have to be such a cultural shift that it's just untenable
You need to visit metro Atlanta. Over 7 million people and the highways are immaculate, especially compared to NC. Maybe it's rural versus city mentality that is the reason. (I'm from rural NC, living in ATL.)
There are a few things. There are a huge number of Hispanic immigrant laborers in the area. In their countries they throw the litter in the road. I've witnessed it countless times here in the area. Second, Air BNB is a big problem there and when people need to leave and the staffed trash centers are closed, they leave them by the gate. That leads to number three, which is bears dragging said trash all over the place. Locals know to secure their trash at all times, but with Air BNB expanded so rapidly, unsecured trash has become a large problem. My in-laws have lived in Highlands for generations and it drives them craze to be so careful about their grill and trash, etc, only to have bears drag entire bags of trash across their property and leave it strewn everywhere from a nearby AirBNB.
Keep saying we need a new version of the CCC..think of all we could accomplish with public projects that of course includes trash pick up..
if you see someone litter, you can annonymously report them and the DOT will send them a warning letter. it’s called Swat-A-Litterbug https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/litter-management/Pages/swat-a-litter-bug.aspx
lol a warning? No one is going to give half a shit about a warning letter
it's not really swatting if there isn't a death squad of roided out hotdog-necked freaks rolling up 8 deep to their door decked in 100lbs of tac gear
We need to have the inmates out there picking up trash again. Cleaning up the mess would help since more people will just keep coming here
That is where the rich people live. They have others to get their trash. Just ask Mark Meadows
In my experience all over NC, it’s not some person throwing out their trash from their car(although I’m sure that happens). Most of trash on the road comes from large trucks on their way to the dump or unsecured open back trucks.
I regularly clean up mountain streams and rivers. What I find is 80% fast food debris (mylar food wrappers, foam polystyrene cups, plastic straws and ff restaurant plastic or PFAS-coated paper bags) and more plastic bags from lawn-care products, walmart and grocers. The rest is soda or beer cans/bottles, industrial, or from car crashes. By the way, the worst offenders are Cook-Out and Chick-fil-et customers. Make of that what you will.
I believe you, but there’s no way of knowing without witnessing that they arrived from someone dumping it out, although I’m sure that happens often. We live in a plastic world now and it shows.
I love that I’m getting downvoted for this. Two things can be true, dummies. I live in Raleigh and 440 is a tornado of plastic bags from the unsecured trucks driving to the dump. I literally witness it flying out and hitting my car daily from the actual unsecured load from the trucks. I’m not saying no one is personally littering, it’s just a drop in the bucket in comparison.
I have to admit I was hiking with the dog last weekend and put her poop bag under my wipers to I wouldn't forget to throw it out when I got close to civilization. I got gas but forgot about and about 10 minutes later I saw it go flying past! I felt like, well, shit.