Madam – I write this letter not to you but to the people of Newcastle.
I write this as a plea to the people of Newcastle to care for your town and your planet.
The litter in our suburbs is atrocious. I find everything scattered on the ground. It is plentiful. I’ve found used condoms, numerous broken liquor bottles, used sanitary pads, used disposable nappies, half-eaten food, clothing, wrappers, bras, personal items of such a varied degree it can actually become interesting finding things. When I take a walk down the road from where I live, there isn’t a single piece of pavement that is litter free. It’s truly disturbing and shocking. The main commute roads are well-covered that you have to step over things constantly.
Not to mention the plentiful sewerage overflows that never seem to get dealt with permanently although that is another subject altogether.
I have heard it said that people don’t bother to dispose of things properly because they want to create jobs. They believe that by throwing things straight onto the ground, they’re giving the municipality opportunity to hire people to clean it up. Right, so this has been going on for years. The problem hasn’t got better – in fact it’s escalated. I’ve seen street workers once or twice working to pick up litter in our area.
They did a quick work through leaving half the stuff behind. In the last seven years of going for my exercise, I have only seen them once or twice and only on main roads. I don’t think the town has the manpower or the means to hire manpower to pick up all YOUR mess!!! It’s not creating jobs. It’s only creating chaos!
Think of it this way. You don’t believe the litter does anything, do you? You think it’s harmless. It’s just a bit messy, but how can a bit of mess affect our lives?
Well, what if someone dumped poison in the rivers that fed into your drinking water source? Would you say, “Oh, it’s okay. They’re just creating jobs – giving people an opportunity to clean up the mess.” No you wouldn’t because your health would be at risk.
Ever considered that the litter may be affecting the future of your planet – the home for your children and their children? Yes, it may be a slower process than the poison in the water, but it’s still a real threat.
This is a quote from Wikipedia: Hazardous materials contained within litter and illegally dumped rubbish can leach into water sources, contaminate soil and pollute the air.
Oh no, I don’t have time to take my rubbish to a dump or put it in a bin. It’s too much effort.
But you have time to take your child to the doctor when they’re sick or to clean up your dishes after you eat. Well, this planet is the only home we’ll ever know. It’s the only one we’ve got. Do you hope that Mars will be inhabitable in 50 years’ time? Kind of wishful thinking.
Do you realise that we’re not the only creatures that inhabit Planet Earth? Yes, strangely enough, the selfish and dirty humans are only a portion of what lives here. We have absolutely no right to destroy the habitat of birds, animals, and insects just because of our own laziness! And do you really want to live in a place without birds and animals? Do you actually like walking through all that mess?
I’m probably preaching to the converted. I just hope that somehow I’ve managed to stop just one person from trashing our beloved city.
I keep on wondering why Newcastle wins the award for the cleanest town every year. Town centre gets cleaned up so nicely, but the areas where people live are filled with germ-infested refuse. And I’m not blaming anyone but the people who live in this town. It’s our responsibility, not the mayor’s or the municipalities, or anyone else’s.
Kathy Bosman
