RunningWithBulls.com - The curse of Sanfermin

This morning’s Morning Ireland, report that the two new “freesheet newspapers” (Metro and Hearld AM) are to contribute €120,000 to anti-litter and recycling campaigns in Dublin city.

Now, this is a great idea and the newspapers are to be commended, but, I have the feeling that if it wasn’t a freesheet newspaper that was being thrown on the ground, it would be some other thing…free cans of beer, free packets of crisps, free leaflets telling you about [INSERT FREE OFFER HERE].

The City Council say that every day both freesheets contribute between 10-12 tonnes of waste daily. This costs €12,000 to process.

You could be forgiven in thinking that this will a once off payment, but apparently the Council “expect” yearly contributions.

Expecting a company to pay €120,000 without any requirement, I can bet, will lead to nothing. They should get this in written from the companies.

What the council should be doing is educating people into why they should not litter, why they should recycle, and put more bins on the streets. They should also get a proper street cleaning system in place.

In other countries (ok, Spain….I know most about that) have a fantastic system in that, early in the morning (so not to cause crazy traffic jams, as happens here in Dublin) the city council waste disposal departments get onto the streets (mainly the pedestrian streets) with high powered water hoses and clean the streets. Simple and very effective.

Also, in one particular city, a recycling campaign was focused on the women of the city. The City Council figured that, since women were still doing most of the house work, and still “the bosses of the kitchen” the message would be most effective with them. Sure its not the most equal in campaigns, but it was very effective.

Big bins for recycling were put on each street, and people had only to bring their rubbish to the bins.

In Dublin, no-one really cares about the environment, so they just litter. I can remember when I was a child (not that long ago, despite my “old-man” sound!) if I threw something on the street, I was told to pick it up, and carry it to a bin.

I am 28. I have seen people of my age and older doing quite the opposite.

Instead of using the €120,000 on advertising campaigns, no doubt in their free newspapers, they should use it in intelligent anti-litter education.

Technorati Tags:
runningwithbulls, irishblogs, ireland, irish, irish blogs, dublin, environment, litter, rubbish