Inflicting trash on other people

Sunny

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Maryland
The Drekja thread got me thinking about relatively minor annoyances, aside from people who are parking in the "wrong" parking space. There is usually nothing we can do about it, since fortunately most of us don't run around with a gun and an itchy trigger finger. Here's one of those annoyances:

Last week I was shopping in Costco. When I went to get my shopping cart from the long line of carts, there was literally not a clean looking cart available. Every cart had somebody's garbage in it! Used tissues, discarded drink containers, food wrappers, etc. Why do people think it's OK to dump their trash in a shopping cart for someone else to clean up?

This may sound politically incorrect, but I'll say it anyway. Most of the shoppers in that particular store are foreigners. Sometimes, I get the feeling that I am the only person there speaking English. Usually I like the exotic-looking clothes some of them wear and listening to all the languages; it makes me feel like I'm traveling in a foreign country. But I have to wonder if this trash-dumping is something they've brought with them from whatever countries they are from. (They are obviously from multiple countries). So maybe they just need a bit of acclimating to America?

In any case, I find it annoying and kind of disgusting. Yet, what can anyone do about it? Probably nothing, other than switch to a different store.
 

This is one small reason why we need continued & tightened scrutiny on immigration.

As I have said in the past, people used to come here to become American.......they no longer do that, they come here & expect us to conform to their ways. To some degree even their laws.......
 
No, rgp, that is not what I said or even implied. Back in the "good old days", the immigrants to this country happily dumped their trash all over the streets. Particularly in the big cities, the streets were like a public cesspool.

Yet, they adapted to relatively more civilized ways of dealing with trash, and become full-fledged Americans in a very short time. Probably all that's needed is a little more education in our ways in this country, NOT "tightening security" on immigration!
 

The Drekja thread got me thinking about relatively minor annoyances, aside from people who are parking in the "wrong" parking space. There is usually nothing we can do about it, since fortunately most of us don't run around with a gun and an itchy trigger finger. Here's one of those annoyances:

Last week I was shopping in Costco. When I went to get my shopping cart from the long line of carts, there was literally not a clean looking cart available. Every cart had somebody's garbage in it! Used tissues, discarded drink containers, food wrappers, etc. Why do people think it's OK to dump their trash in a shopping cart for someone else to clean up?

This may sound politically incorrect, but I'll say it anyway. Most of the shoppers in that particular store are foreigners. Sometimes, I get the feeling that I am the only person there speaking English. Usually I like the exotic-looking clothes some of them wear and listening to all the languages; it makes me feel like I'm traveling in a foreign country. But I have to wonder if this trash-dumping is something they've brought with them from whatever countries they are from. (They are obviously from multiple countries). So maybe they just need a bit of acclimating to America?

In any case, I find it annoying and kind of disgusting. Yet, what can anyone do about it? Probably nothing, other than switch to a different store.

One of the reasons I do more shopping at Publix than I do Walmart. Poorer people shop at Walmart because the prices are lower. The more well to do people shop at Publix. Publix is a lot cleaner. And the shopping carts are not only cleaner at Publix, but they are better maintained. At Walmart you might have to try three carts out before you find one that doesn't have wheels that are either sticking or wobbling, or both.

This is just based on my own anecdotal observations, but it seems to be a fact that poorer people litter more. My personal theory on this is that they don't feel invested in our society because they have been marginalized by it. So trashing it is kind of a way of acting out.

When I see someone throw trash out their car window I fantasize about chasing them down and screaming at them. I've even fantasized about pulling my gun on them and marching them back to the litter they threw out and forcing them to pick it up and eat it.

But I don't actually do anything. Because I'm not a psychopath like Drejka.
 
No, rgp, that is not what I said or even implied. Back in the "good old days", the immigrants to this country happily dumped their trash all over the streets. Particularly in the big cities, the streets were like a public cesspool.

Yet, they adapted to relatively more civilized ways of dealing with trash, and become full-fledged Americans in a very short time. Probably all that's needed is a little more education in our ways in this country, NOT "tightening security" on immigration!


I never said you said it , or said anything. I said it, and I stand by it.
 
This is one small reason why we need continued & tightened scrutiny on immigration.

As I have said in the past, people used to come here to become American.......they no longer do that, they come here & expect us to conform to their ways. To some degree even their laws.......

 
When we had a problem with people not cleaning up after themselves in our break room where I worked someone made up a sign and put it up that read:

"Please clean up after yourself, your mother doesn't work here"
 
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IMO it's up to the owners/store managers to raise the bar and make it a priority to keep the carts free of litter, the floors swept, the parking lot free of trash, the shelves neat, etc... Like the broken windows theory of policing the more attention that you pay to the little things the fewer people will try to take advantage but if people see litter everywhere then they will assume that they can leave theirs without it being a problem.
 
This is one small reason why we need continued & tightened scrutiny on immigration.

As I have said in the past, people used to come here to become American.......they no longer do that, they come here & expect us to conform to their ways. To some degree even their laws.......
 

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I've been around for a long time, and there are plenty of Americans that are absolute slobs. Even in beautiful nature areas, the pigs will throw water bottles, beer bottles, soda cans, baby diapers, hygiene products, etc. all over the place. In some camping areas, the slobs throw all their nasty trash in the fireplaces and around the camping area.

One of the many reasons we get more into the backwoods, away from people. And many times, if we go to an area with trash, I'll pick it up and pack it out just because it's the right thing to do and I'm a nature lover.

I agree with Bea, the store management should make the employees who collect the carts remove any trash out of them before they're placed in the area for reuse....not that big of a deal. I shop at a Costco, Sprouts and Walmart which have plenty of immigrants/foreigners around and I never recall seeing any of them dumping trash around anywhere, and their kids are generally better behaved also. I hope they don't follow the lead of Americans, then they'll throw their McDonald burger containers, starbucks coffee and big gulp drink containers all over the place. IMO, not fair to single out that group, whether in the big cities or rural areas, plenty of American born pigs ruining the landscape.
 


I never said I was against immigration, I said it needs tighter & continued scrutiny .

Again, do not put words in my mouth & or post anything that indicates something I said, when I did not.
 
One of the many reasons we get more into the backwoods, away from people. And many times, if we go to an area with trash, I'll pick it up and pack it out
Yup

When me and my buds go fishing, we bring a burlap sack for just that
It's usually filled when we pack up and head home
Those plastic six pack holders are the worst...fish get into them, have a hard time getting out

I just don't get how someone can throw stuff down...and walk away

mt scott up close.jpg


If I were king, I'd enclose a garbage dump, and jail the offenders there

photomania-4e6028d1392fe3e066b2ca01f30e2620.jpg
 
One of the reasons I do more shopping at Publix than I do Walmart. Poorer people shop at Walmart because the prices are lower. The more well to do people shop at Publix. Publix is a lot cleaner. And the shopping carts are not only cleaner at Publix, but they are better maintained. At Walmart you might have to try three carts out before you find one that doesn't have wheels that are either sticking or wobbling, or both.

This is just based on my own anecdotal observations, but it seems to be a fact that poorer people litter more. My personal theory on this is that they don't feel invested in our society because they have been marginalized by it. So trashing it is kind of a way of acting out.

When I see someone throw trash out their car window I fantasize about chasing them down and screaming at them. I've even fantasized about pulling my gun on them and marching them back to the litter they threw out and forcing them to pick it up and eat it.

But I don't actually do anything. Because I'm not a psychopath like Drejka.
That's too bad. According to some, we need more psychopaths like Drejka to gun down folks who misbehave. As the NRA might say, "the more guns the merrier".
 
Seabreeze, what I described was the condition of the carts at MY Costco, not every Costco in the whole danged world. I have no idea why their customers are such slobs; I don't think being poorer or more well-to-do has a whole lot to do with it. This Costco is located in a pretty much middle class neighborhood, although one that is attractive to a lot of new immigrants. Also, Costco isn't that cheap; you have to pay an annual fee, and while their stuff is less expensive item by item, it's mostly sold in bulk, requiring that you buy large amounts at a time, something the really poor can't afford.

One explanation might be Bea's, which is that the management of that particular store is not seeing to it that their carts are kept clean. Probably I should have sought out the manager (not always so easy in those enormous big box stores) and discussed it with him. (And probably would have been written off as an old crackpot.) The fact that nearly everyone shopping there seems to be a foreigner could be irrelevant; how would I know? But the anecdotal evidence is there; in a store mostly patronized by Americans, especially in more upscale neighborhoods, the shopping carts are not usually filthy.

Rgp, exactly how would you propose tightening immigration security to improve this situation? Give all immigrants a quiz on their hygiene habits? Have the immigration police do a sniff test? Assume that all the immigrants who manage to get in will be trashing the place? (Unless they are from Norway or Denmark, of course.)

And what if it does have something to do with the fact that they are foreigners? Is this situation hopeless enough that we have to lock them out? Or could it be a matter for public education?

I can remember back in my childhood, seeing signs posted in public places that said, "No Spitting." That would be pretty unthinkable now. Yet, in those days, it was necessary. It probably referred to the use of chewing tobacco, and people had to be taught to stop using it. No one wants to behave in a way that is perceived as being disgusting, but apparently some of us need a little nudge in the right direction.
 
Yup

When me and my buds go fishing, we bring a burlap sack for just that
It's usually filled when we pack up and head home
Those plastic six pack holders are the worst...fish get into them, have a hard time getting out

I just don't get how someone can throw stuff down...and walk away

View attachment 77984


If I were king, I'd enclose a garbage dump, and jail the offenders there

View attachment 77985


Years ago, my dad living in Florida, rescued a Pelican, trapped in one of those six pack retainers. The plastic had somehow entered her skin...Dad took her to the vet, the vet was able to remove it, & cure/stop the infection.

Dad took her [home] his yard,... to set her free..........she never left. She did her fishing, but always came back. Not too much later when he caught small fish, he discovered he could hand feed her. He named her Penelope , Penelope Pelican LOL....after a bit I could also feed her when i was visiting.
 
And what if it does have something to do with the fact that they are foreigners? Is this situation hopeless enough that we have to lock them out? Or could it be a matter for public education?
My opine;

I seriously doubt foreigners are the major culprits.
Over all, immigrants and their families are exemplary in their behavior, morals, and habits.

I am, however, rather ashamed of....well..... us.

On more than a few occasions I've called folks on their leavings

'Hey... HEY! ....you fergot sumpm' has been quite effective


and, gottta say here, I rather dislike wallyworld, but my lady loves it
...and, while sitting in the truck, waiting, watching wallyfolks, or posting you guys, I noticed there's a trash can at every cart return station.
That's pretty much above and beyond in my book, as most stores have ridded their lots of trash cans
 
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Seabreeze, what I described was the condition of the carts at MY Costco, not every Costco in the whole danged world. I have no idea why their customers are such slobs; I don't think being poorer or more well-to-do has a whole lot to do with it. This Costco is located in a pretty much middle class neighborhood, although one that is attractive to a lot of new immigrants. Also, Costco isn't that cheap; you have to pay an annual fee, and while their stuff is less expensive item by item, it's mostly sold in bulk, requiring that you buy large amounts at a time, something the really poor can't afford.

One explanation might be Bea's, which is that the management of that particular store is not seeing to it that their carts are kept clean. Probably I should have sought out the manager (not always so easy in those enormous big box stores) and discussed it with him. (And probably would have been written off as an old crackpot.) The fact that nearly everyone shopping there seems to be a foreigner could be irrelevant; how would I know? But the anecdotal evidence is there; in a store mostly patronized by Americans, especially in more upscale neighborhoods, the shopping carts are not usually filthy.

Rgp, exactly how would you propose tightening immigration security to improve this situation? Give all immigrants a quiz on their hygiene habits? Have the immigration police do a sniff test? Assume that all the immigrants who manage to get in will be trashing the place? (Unless they are from Norway or Denmark, of course.)

And what if it does have something to do with the fact that they are foreigners? Is this situation hopeless enough that we have to lock them out? Or could it be a matter for public education?

I can remember back in my childhood, seeing signs posted in public places that said, "No Spitting." That would be pretty unthinkable now. Yet, in those days, it was necessary. It probably referred to the use of chewing tobacco, and people had to be taught to stop using it. No one wants to behave in a way that is perceived as being disgusting, but apparently some of us need a little nudge in the right direction.


"

Rgp, exactly how would you propose tightening immigration security to improve this situation? Give all immigrants a quiz on their hygiene habits? Have the immigration police do a sniff test? Assume that all the immigrants who manage to get in will be trashing the place? (Unless they are from Norway or Denmark, of course.) "

Not a bad start.. (y)

Actually I meant, stopping/catching illegals. If a person has no regard for our laws....and is willing to break the first law of proper immigration, how can we expect them to any respect for our country period.
 
This is one small reason why we need continued & tightened scrutiny on immigration.

As I have said in the past, people used to come here to become American.......they no longer do that, they come here & expect us to conform to their ways. To some degree even their laws.......
I'm against immigration too. However, it has to be said that the native population are just as guilty of spoiling the environment. Many people are content to live in squalor and, unfortunately impose their low standards on the rest of us. In the case of the supermarkets, it's in the interests of the store managers to keep things clean. Otherwise, they will lose the custom of the decent folks, who will simply take their money elsewhere.
 
I don't see the anti littering messaging like they for a generation in the 1960s and 70s. All they need is another 'give a hoot don't pollute' campaign. There too many out there they don't care or even know/realize they are littering/polluting. I'm astounded about the number of cigarette butts I have to pick daily on the front walk and curb. There's people that still dump their ashtrays or piles of cigarette butts curbside.

And yes not a popular opinion many new residents legal or not probably don't even realize or think about what they are doing because they haven't been exposed to the subject matter in any form.
 
Our local environmental group lobbied for the past couple of years and we now have a 10cent bag tax (for paper or plastic) starting Jan1 next year. We'll see if that makes any difference. We have places all over town where you can either get reusable cloth bags for free, or 50cents a bag.
The waste/recycling thing is everywhere. Even in the schools there are problems. Every school in town has clearly marked garbage bins and recycling bins. A large proportion, some administrators say it's 50%, of students not separating out recycling even with clear signs as to what can be recycled. And, when it comes to reusable bags, it doesn't matter if you shop at Walmart or the local Jewel (our major grocery store and the more expensive choice). I think there is only about a 5% usage of reusable bags. Basically 'everyone' still puts everything into the store plastic bags (which will start costing them). And being a long-time camper, same crappola at the campgrounds. People have huge amounts of beer/pop cans, wine bottles that they just toss in the trash and don't recycle.
 


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