I recall the litter on the streets as a youngster growing up in Georgia in the US. I remember Lady Bird Johnson's "Beautify America" campaign that started in 1964 (we won't talk about the trees that got planted on the Texas plain where nothing much grows...including newly planted trees).
I remember having a "garbage bag" draped on the headrest of the car, or on the window crank. Fines were imposed at like $200 for littering.
It took a generation, but pretty much the real litter problem in the US was fixed. It just took 20+ yerasd and a lot of public education to change peoples habits.
But last time I was in the DR (2 weeks ago), some locals, me, and an American ex-pat...all of us "environmentalists", but with some common sense...figured out how to fix the litter problem in the DR. Pronto.
First of all, pass laws which fine convicted litterers. Then establish the "Litter Police". They Litter Police work off commission: they get 25% of the fines collected in Litter Court. They lose their job immediantly if they take the fine from the perp directly.
Tongue-in-cheek, of course, but it'd prolly work...
Environment, where individual and local action still matters!
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