Rubbish ideas from today’s 13-14 year olds

Future litterers should watch out as today’s 13-14 year olds think the statutory litter fine should be raised from £80 to £100, £250 and, even, at one school to £1,000.

Research undertaken during the Mars Wrigley Confectionery Bin It! Theatre-in-Education tours always yields fascinating feedback from the student audiences.

One of the most original suggestions came from a school where one student suggests that the fine a litterer pays is based on the number of years it takes to biodegrade the piece of litter.

The Bin It! schools roadshow performances aim to encourage students to care about their environment. Asked for their suggestions to reduce littering, proposed ideas include:

• More bins and you get 1p for every bit of litter you put in them
• Rubbish awareness courses – like speed awareness but for when you litter
• Chop a finger off for every piece of litter they get caught dropping
• Be creative with rubbish, using it for art projects or make something out of it
• Eat your rubbish!

We think the suggestion, from one school, that people have to sit and watch their dropped litter biodegrade as a punishment would certainly be a deterrent. Litterers would be sitting for a long time.

Students address the issue of disposable coffee cups by requesting edible cups or packaging that biodegrades really fast. And, finally as simple suggestion from one student:
“Pick up litter even if it’s not yours. Keep it with you until you get home”