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Speaking Out Is Important

12/15/2012

1 Comment

 
I don’t know Nadia Arsenault, but I like the way she thinks.  

Nadia authored a letter that appeared this week in the widely read Hamilton Spectator newspaper.  In it she directed her comments to “the follically (sic) challenged guy driving the black Focus last Wednesday afternoon in the east end.”

“Just as I pulled up behind you in the turning lane to go south … I watched you open your car door and try to be discreet as you wantonly dropped your Timmies cup onto the street,” Nadia wrote.  (For those in other parts of the world, ‘Timmies’ is slang for Tim Hortons, a giant Canadian chain of coffee shops and drive-thrus.)

“I watched as what was left of the coffee spilled onto the pavement.  I also saw you look in your side mirror and noticed me watching you.”

This is where I jump in to note that an effective, instant way to communicate with littering motorists is very much needed.  What if we could ‘tag’ them with GPS positioning and licence plate ID and have their littering policed?  Imagine a revolving red arrow on the top of one’s car honking loudly, flashing red lights and pointing in the direction of the litterer when activated.  I know Nadia would relish such a device.

On Twitter there’s @TheLitterati, a site that collects your photos and locations of litter and littering.  They post and analyze them.   Out of Vermont comes another great site, http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.ca/. It too enables the non-littering majority to exercise its considerable muscle.

What about tweeting licence numbers of cars from which litter emanates?  Would a system like that cause Nadia’s man with few follicles to think twice?

“I hope you can read lips because I was pretty disturbed that a grown man, who should know better, chose to do such a disgusting thing,” Nadia wrote. “You should be ashamed of yourself. What a disgusting, self-serving habit. People, please don’t litter. Take it home and throw it in the trash.”

What I like about Nadia without even knowing her is that she spoke up.  She wrote to that local paper, communicated to its editor.  She didn’t shy away from talking about littering. 

I think the bald guy should order small coffees only and bring his own reusable mug from now on.  “Timmies” gives a 10-cent discount if you bring your own cup. 

The City of Hamilton recently developed a wonderful clean and green objective that relies on people like Baldy to change and people like Nadia to stick with it. 

Words have power.  Good for Nadia for recognizing this and using hers.

1 Comment
Bernie Paquette link
12/17/2012 12:38:27 am

M.O.L. offers Thank You cards to give to those who choose to litter. (Kindly behavior modification) http://museumoflitter.typepad.com/museum-of-litter/gift-shop.html

For business behavior modification you can use my Clean Up Coupon which politely brings to the store owner or mgr.'s attention the litter on their storefront and asks them to clean it up. Clean up coupon available on my web site @ http://www.litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/11/clean-up-coupon.html

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    Author

    Creative communications consultant Sheila White is founder of the Litter Prevention Program, and prior worked as a communications ace and PR strategist for some of Ontario's top political names.

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