Dear Sir,
When I read David Knight’s letter recently, I was glad to see I am not the only one who hates to see litter in this town. I agree that our council could do more – indeed, we often see overflowing bins, especially along St. Cuthberts Way.
I believe, however, we need to think a little more about the root cause of the problem. I remember back in school the ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ campaign. People were often reminded of the importance of proper litter disposal. It seems now barely a word is mentioned on the subject.
Perhaps we need to take a step back and try to teach people from a young age why they should not drop litter. At the same time, I think it would help if everyone took a little more pride in their surroundings. It amazes me how often I see litter by people’s garden gates, sitting there for days. People must walk in and out of their home, oblivious to it. My Grandparents used to tell me stories of people regularly washing down their front steps and really taking pride in their surroundings. Why is this no longer the case?
In my view, litter is not just the council’s problem, it’s everyone’s problem. If everyone did a little, the problem would mostly evaporate. Everyone can help. Whether it’s educating others, picking litter up, reporting it, or simply calling out others who drop it. We need to get to a place where people are made to feel embarrassed or ashamed if they are seen dropping litter.
Despite the criticism Aycliffe receives, I feel very lucky to live here. Many towns do not benefit from the space or greenery that Aycliffe offers. It would be wonderful if we could all do our bit to make it a little nicer.
Name and address supplied.