On the Effect Litter Has on Human Psychology
Wander around your local town in the early hours of the morning and you will meet a number of sweeper trucks on the roads tidying up the mess strewn around by all the partying of the previous night. It’s an emblematic early morning scene, particularly the beeping noise! We don’t actually give litter a second thought as we take for granted it will all be cleaned up for us.
Nevertheless, there is a subtle yet substantial influence litter has in terms of shaping the mood of individuals. Individuals are more likely to believe a location is lacking law and order if litter is strewn around, and therefore criminals see rubbish as a possible indication for a chance of a mugging or robbery. The same sign develops some concern in other people who worry they may be walking through a more risky location and are concerned about possibly being robbed.
Not only that, but also the influence on the visual appeal of a location. Litter scattered about can give the appearance of a place looking unkempt even if it’s just been trashed by people from the night before. This can harm the reputation of an area if individuals are visiting the area for this specific time and only find it in its untidy state.
Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to litter. There’s absolutely no purpose to drop rubbish if there are unfilled litter bins around the area. If there are no litter bins, or the litter bins that are there are stuffed, this is a problem to address the local council with. Trashing an area has a negative influence on everybody.
