Litter in Mayow Park

Is anyone else super bothered by people gathering in Mayow Park (fine) and then leaving their litter everywhere. It was so nice in lockdown when there was less litter etc, and now people are coming out, it seems leaving rubbish everywhere isn’t an issue for them. But if we all did it, it’d be awful and when some do it, others feel justified to keep doing it.

I do not understand why it is so hard to take home what your brought with you?!?!

Does anyone have any ideas of how to change ideas, perceptions and behaviours around littering?

I’ve been sad to see so much litter too, Monica. I went up and thanked one of the Glendale team the other week - they have a tough job, when people are creating so much rubbish! I think the Friends of Mayow Park are doing a great job with raising awareness on their Facebook group and with signage, but I suppose it’s about continually reinforcing the message. I grew up in New Zealand and we had a “Keep New Zealand beautiful” campaign when I was a kid, my (English) husband mentioned there used to be something similar here but it doesn’t seem to exist anymore

When I grew up my parents made it absolutely clear that I wasn’t allowed to drop litter. Those values stuck with me, and I’ll make sure my son learns them too.

I think the problem with litter in London relates to it being a densely-populated city where people are culturally segregated, and where people live there transiently.

Where I grew up, there was more of a cohesive, stable and long-term community. And I think these factors made the community more self-policing, because people know their local reputation counted for something. They’d probably be in the same town for the rest of their lives, like the generations that had been before them.

I was just walking around Sydenham with my partner and we had a similar discussion. People are less invested in their own area. Sometimes there was also a noticeable difference from one block to the next. Perhaps does good behaviour breed good behaviour whereas if there is already litter then people are more inclined to add to it.
It is a frustration in my own little block. We have actually bought litter pickers to deal with some of it ourselves as packets fly out of bin bags which aren’t tied down properly and then fly around the little car park. Out of 6 flats I would say only 2 flats actively pick up the litter or put the bin bag in the bin if it has been left next to the first bin which is full but the third and fourth are completely empty. As you can tell my current bug bear certainly common factor is we and the other flat have been living here longest! Others vary sometimes even every 6 months.

I’ve seen a few people on Facebook suggest it’s the foxes in the park when the bins overflow and people place rubbish in carrier bags by the bins. The foxes then break into them overnight and the result is seen in the morning.

It’s nice to see lots of people in the park and if additional signage were put up on the bins (if I’m full, please take your rubbish home), it may help. That, and maybe more bins with lids on. I think the vast majority of people want to do the right thing, it’s just not always obvious what that is!

Much bigger bins are needed, with fox proof lids. Saturday morning there is rubbish everywhere where bins have been ransacked. The bins are always overflowing.