Professional garbage collection alone isn't how we keep our neighbourhoods clean, and Montreal could use a show of civic pride this spring.
“What is up with some people’s complete disrespect for our public spaces? It doesn’t require a huge amount of effort and discipline to keep our streets, sidewalks, parks and shorelines clean. Yet some of us appear incapable.”
Montreal is a long way from having the kind of culture where they can have no garbage cans AND no litter. Let’s just put some garbage cans in problem areas and reduce the trash problem.
It helps to grow up cleaning your own schools and having being taught personal responsibility from a very young age. I have no doubt there are still elementary kids commuting to other towns alone by train to go to school, as there were when I was living there.
A little anecdotal, but I personally try and go outside every or every other Sunday at minimum to pickup litter around my local trails.
What I find is the only people that say thank you verbally are stereotypical Canadians, or Canadians that seem to be second generation at the least in my eyes.
Everyone else that does not fit this stereotype seems to have a weird look on their face that almost mirrors a look of disgust or hate. Its very confusing TBH. What’s also quite interesting is that when people do stop and have a conversation with me the first question always is, “are you doing community service, or do you work for the city”.
My answer is usually the same, “no, I am just out for a walk enjoying the trail”. There seems to be a stigma that picking up garbage makes you less and not more.
To add, I’m not picking up litter for strangers, I’m picking it up for myself. I enjoy going for a walk on clean trail, and we both know if you don’t do something yourself no one will do it for you.
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Japan has virtually no public trash cans, and has some of the cleanest urban centers in the world.
Montreal is a long way from having the kind of culture where they can have no garbage cans AND no litter. Let’s just put some garbage cans in problem areas and reduce the trash problem.
Can confirm, I’m living there right now. People here tend to take proper personal responsibility for their own garbage and mess.
It helps to grow up cleaning your own schools and having being taught personal responsibility from a very young age. I have no doubt there are still elementary kids commuting to other towns alone by train to go to school, as there were when I was living there.
A little anecdotal, but I personally try and go outside every or every other Sunday at minimum to pickup litter around my local trails.
What I find is the only people that say thank you verbally are stereotypical Canadians, or Canadians that seem to be second generation at the least in my eyes.
Everyone else that does not fit this stereotype seems to have a weird look on their face that almost mirrors a look of disgust or hate. Its very confusing TBH. What’s also quite interesting is that when people do stop and have a conversation with me the first question always is, “are you doing community service, or do you work for the city”.
My answer is usually the same, “no, I am just out for a walk enjoying the trail”. There seems to be a stigma that picking up garbage makes you less and not more.
To add, I’m not picking up litter for strangers, I’m picking it up for myself. I enjoy going for a walk on clean trail, and we both know if you don’t do something yourself no one will do it for you.
Interesting observation. I’ve done the same myself, at least in urban surroundings. I hope it makes your walk more enjoyable and satisfying.