Reduce Roadside Litter
My idea will reduce roadside litter and encourage people to recycle and properly dispose of typical car waste. The other day my four year old burst into tears while looking out the car window. "Mommy, all I see is garbage" he declared. St. John's has a lot of roadside litter. As a solution, I propose a system whereby pop up garbage containers are supplied to car owners free of charge. These containers can bear the logos of local sponsors. Once the container is full or a driver decides to dispose of it, he can drop into a sponsoring gas station, dispose of the waste, recycle the recycling and receive a gas coupon for his efforts. This would require partnership and collaboration with other community partners and business, but is a simple solution to eliminate at least some roadside waste. The pop up containers could be distributed to families through the schools during an educational session for students on the dangers of littering. The children will then provide education and pressure for their parents to eliminate their own littering practices. As well, as people realise how much waste they collect in their car, they will be more likely to try to eliminate that waste at the source, by either using reusable cups or asking retailers and food outlets for less packaging. All of this would be supported through a website and education network headed up by the clean roads committee.