Clean up your rubbish

Several years ago we bought a house in Palm St, Ettalong Beach, to use as a getaway from Sydney and we thoroughly enjoy using it for that purpose.

With the beach, shops and cinema, it makes for a very relaxing time.

However, I cannot get over the amount of rubbish that seems to be thrown on the paths and roadsides, especially near bus stops.

Why don't the users carry them to the nearest bin or take them home and put them in their recycle bins?

Is it a matter of education or should there be greater focus by the council on punishment for littering?

One way to prevent this would be to make the cleanup the responsibility of the vendors such as McDonalds who would have a responsibility to collect their rubbish which is well identified with the Golden Arches, within a 500 metre radius of their shop.

Another source of rubbish seems to be when people move house they just leave their rubbish on the nature strip.

Why is there not a fixed charge in the tenants bond that covers the council costs to collect this rather than have an eyesore until someone complains?

Unfortunately when rubbish is left, it creates a sense of not caring so it becomes the norm for others to litter.

Why not stop it from occurring or at a minimum discourage the practice through education or penalties?

And last but not least, why does the regional newspaper continue to get thrown on the nature strip of properties who clearly do not want it where it becomes one of many that are rotting and unread?

Online submission, 5 Dec 2011 Bruce Quick, Ettalong