Hacker News Reader

People were trashing the beach long before bag bans. Even when they had ample access to plastic bags in every size, people would elect to leave their garbage on the beach because they just don't care enough to pick it up and bring it to a garbage can 20 yards away.

It took enforcement of carry-in/carry-out policies with tickets to make some progress on that. Possibly getting fined and having to go to court for littering or illegal dumping changes behavior.

Source: I live on the beach in a place where a bag ban went through.

"It took enforcement of carry-in/carry-out policies with tickets to make some progress on that."

Not only do we need heavy fines to deter these sloppy morons but we also need to develop a culture of shame. Shaming people for such cretinous behavior ought to be the norm.

These are the same people who drop things in a supermarket and don't bother to pick them up or change their mind and leave goods at any place instead of putting them back where they belong.

> Not only do we need heavy fines to deter these sloppy morons but we also need to develop a culture of shame. Shaming people for such cretinous behavior ought to be the norm.

I think one of the primary issues comes from the fact that the majority of those who litter are just visiting the beach for a day trip or short vacation.

Even being known as the guy who kicks puppies wouldn't really matter to tourists since they won't come back or only visit once a year.

He may not care or come back but with that attitude he'll eventually get caught out on his own turf. Such people are chronic recidivists.

Out of curiosity, whereabouts are the beaches you're talking about?

I live in New England, and I haven't noticed people treating beaches this way.

Not OP but San Diego has this issue. Especially in summer with tourists. My local beach gets disgusting around the fire pits / area closest to the parking lot. I was blown away by the trash yesterday morning when I walked through the main area to surf. People suck sometimes.

I think a lot of the time this is just because there aren't enough bins provided or they don't empty them frequently enough.

Unfortunately not true. They empty the bins daily and people litter literally 2 feet away from them. Unfortunately I think some people just feel entitled to make others pickup after them.

No, its because people are slobs. I see it all the time, people tossing shit into the streets in view of a garbage can.

I can't agree with this. If you can't find a receptacle for your trash take it home and dispose of it there. Being responsible for your own trash seems to me like one of the most basic social obligations for adulthood.

If this is the behaviour of people in a community, it seems absolutely necessary to institute top-down rules on which materials are permissible and which not.

That is to say, the problem here lies mainly with the attitudes and behaviour of people in this community than with specific policies.

I suspect it’s mostly tourists leaving the garbage. People usually don’t literally trash the places they frequent. Tourists don’t follow rules.

Well, that depends very much on the tourist and their own community culture.

Although I understand your point, it is easier to be selfish outside one’s community.

People are entitled and lazy. I’ve seen many locals litter, especially dog poo, but the majority outside my house is from the temporary sleepers whether tourists or van lifers. Substance users are the worst offenders - I pickup so many cigarette / joint butts and beer cans.

But like do tourists even have a community ? I don't think you are making sense here. Tourists are from everywhere, every one of them think the problem is the other tourists.

They hopefully have one at home :)

I really do wish people treat these places like their home. However, even people in my immediate circle, are just expecting other people to clean up for them when they're on vacation :). I don't know, something about traveling just turn on switch.

Beaches are tourist attractions, at least in my experience during beach season, tourists outnumber locals by an order of magnitude, and locals elect to go when they aren't so crowded.

Is this a US thing? I was kinda shocked at how people use the beach there. Very loud music, driving on the beach, lots of rubbish. Never seen that in England and Germany

I’ve been to the beach more times than I can count, over a lifetime living in Florida . Loud music, yes, cars and especially big trucks, yes. But I’ve never seen people just pack up and leave their trash when they’re done. There are ample trash cans and they get used. Take this anecdote for what it’s worth.

Agree. Grew up near a beach and have been to beaches many times in different spots. Definitely have seen trash before but never as described, not to say it never happens. People are generally pretty good at throwing their trash away or taking it home.