To the editor,
Re: Citizens should show respect for city streets, Letters, Oct. 12.
I agree with both writers that there is entirely too much garbage and pet waste littering Nanaimo’s streets, parks, and beaches. The causes are as complex as homelessness, and as simple as ignorance. The solution, however, is in all our hands: just pick it up.
The Great Nanaimo Garbage Grab is a social media campaign that encourages residents to pick up the trash on their streets, and in any shared community spaces that they frequent. It’s called stewardship and while it can be maddening (as one of the letter writers learned after the ditches he cleaned were filled with garbage again two weeks later), with consistent effort you will see a positive change. You will send a message to would-be litterbugs that their trash does not belong there, and others will follow your good example.
So, when you see litter clogging your street, ditch, park or playground, don’t wait for ‘the city’ to do something about it. Grab a bag and a pair of gardening gloves, and just pick it up. We are all ‘the city,’ and we can keep it clean.
Errin Holtz, Nanaimo
READ ALSO: Resident challenging others to clean up streets as part of Great Nanaimo Garbage Grab
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