Does Toronto Have a Litter Problem? | DownTown Toronto Maid Service
If you live in the city, you are no stranger to litter. So we have to ask: does Toronto have a litter problem? Though people visiting Toronto call it clean, residents see so much litter on a daily basis, it’s just become a part of our lives.
But of course, it’s not just a Toronto problem. Litter has become so prevalent worldwide that it’s formed its own nation in the Pacific Ocean, known as trash island. A large and ugly place, the island is said to be two times the size of Texas- and doubling each decade. As the island is proof of, litter bugs exist all around the world. But do we really take in the consequences? In this article, we’re going to talk about the consequences litter has on our health, the environment and city aesthetic. If you need some optimism when you’re finished, check out these anti-litter campaigns around the world!
Litter in Toronto
Apparently, the average Canadian litterbug only will only walk 12 measly steps in search of a garbage can before giving up. Though littering is classified as crime in the city, it’s one of the hardest things to catch- meaning there is no immediate consequence for the litterbug. With that said, did you know that all the litter is costing the city about $25 million a year in clean up costs?
The City of Toronto’s 2015 litter audit found that cigarette butts and gum were the most littered items. Though the facts are getting dated, all you have to do is look around the street to see at least 10+ cigarette butts and gum on the sidewalk, as well as wrappers, Tim’s cups and papers galore. Thankfully, Mayor John Tory is aware of the litter problem and has “We (the City) should be collecting things more often and I’ll try to see to that”. If the Toronto Star is correct, Tory placed emphasis on litter pick up in late 2017. However, the onus isn’t only on the city. It’s on all of us to keep Toronto clean, and here’s why.
Aesthetic
For those of us living in the City, the most immediate and obvious consequence of litter is how it affects the aesthetic of Toronto. And it’s not just outside. For instance, I was on the TTC the other day and saw a man drop his Tim Horton’s cup on the subway floor. And it wasn’t even empty! He just stood there, eyes forward as the remnant coffee made a slick line down the subway car, the cup rolling idly as the train clattered on.
As gross as that was, the negative effects of litter are more pronounced when litterbugs throw it outside. The more litter becomes common to an area, park, sidewalk or neighbourhood the more it sends the message that littering is ok. That means, when litterbugs see an unclean place, they are more confidence that littering is acceptable – and they’ll do it all the more often. It’s easy to see how the cycle is started.
Human Health
Once litter has become a problem in an area, it can start to affect human health. How, you ask? Well, all of those food packages and other debris that involve potential rotting create a perfect, fertile breeding ground for bacteria to grow (a germaphobe’s nightmare). That means, anyone who comes into contact with litter for any reason is facing a health hazard. Not to mention the more dangerous litter items like broken glass and metal can pose an immediate threat to children and adults who step, fall or bike over it. This problem becomes even more acute in the winter. When the snow covers up all the dangerous debris left behind by inconsiderate citizens. Putting you and your children directly in harm’s way.
The Environment
Unfortunately, the environment is not high on anyone’s list of cleaning priorities. However, the most damaging consequences of litter are for land-dwelling and water-dwelling creatures. When animals ingest inedible materials like plastic packaging and cigarette butts, they can become poisoned. Furthermore, the ingestion of these materials can block animals’ intestinal tracks, stopping any real nutrients from going down. This, in turn causes the animals to starve. Perhaps even more sad is when animals become trapped or entangled in human debris like rings of six-packs and plastic packaging. If the animal cannot free itself, it’s game over.
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Written by Savannah Binder, Maid4Condos
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