Think again before you litter

Melville does not have a reputation for being full of litter but resident Leigh Jackman believes every bit of litter counts and littering should be nipped in the bud.

The section of Melville where litter is most prevalent is 7th Street, especially after a weekend of parties on the bohemian business strip, as well as the area’s outskirts. With regard to 7th, even though it can get a bit messy after a party, litter is quickly put where it belongs and life on the street goes on.

Jackman fears that in other streets in Melville, litter does not always get picked up, leading to unsavoury-looking streets and corners. Being passionate about the environment and her suburb, Jackman took to Facebook to raise her concerns about litter in the area and offered easy solutions to keep Melville litter free.

“The litter in our suburb has become unmanageable. Our suburbs, our highways and our parks are filled with so much litter it feels like there is nothing we can do about it, but we can,” she said.

Jackman feels that if every resident does their part, litter will be no more in the area. She also feels that residents should not just keep the outside of their properties clean but also go beyond their yards and pick up litter whenever they see it.

Jackman’s eight litter-busting tips:

• Pick up litter outside your property or in your own street
• Pull paper notices off garages and gates to prevent them blowing away in the wind
• Try to pick up one piece of litter a day anywhere you are
• Carry a bag with you when walking your pet to pick up litter along the way
• Tell your children littering is not ok and encourage them to tell their friends
• Spend a morning with a group of friends to clean up
• Smokers, carry a portable ashtray
• Spread the message everywhere.

“Please, let’s band together and make our cities beautiful again,” Jackman pleaded.