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I'm sure most people try to put their rubbish in the bin if there are empty bins available. I've found most places are dirty because they don't have the infrast

I'm sure most people try to put their rubbish in the bin if there are empty bins available. I've found most places are dirty because they don't have the infrastructure built for disposing of trash/recyclables, not that people are trying to be evil.

timr 8y ago
"I've found most places are dirty because they don't have the infrastructure built for disposing of trash/recyclables, not that people are trying to be evil." If the local culture is to carry your trash with you, the "right" thing to do is to adapt yourself to that culture, not the other way around. You're a guest. But yes, you're factually correct: if cities don't do this, far too many tourists will just toss their trash anywhere they please.
- 8xde0wcNwpslOw 8y ago
  I find it really hard to believe that the majority of a garbage crisis is caused by tourists "tossing their trash wherever" -- after all, underdeveloped countries have problems with trash even in places where tourists are rare. I'm certain a big part of the issue are the services that tourism creates a demand for, and their waste for which there are no easy solutions when the infrastructure is not there. Setting up proper infra in place is really the local administration's job.
  - timr 8y ago
    "I find it really hard to believe that the majority of a garbage crisis is caused by tourists 'tossing their trash wherever'" Nobody said anything about a "garbage crisis". The comment that started this thread was that if you're in a foreign country, you shouldn't litter and you should learn how to say please and thank you in the local tongue. The fact that people are arguing about this subject is telling. Never in my life have I said "oh, there are no trash cans here. I guess I can just toss my litter anywhere because the local officials didn't plan properly for my presence."
    - trevor-e 8y ago
      That's quite the twist of my words. The only point I was trying to make is that places with large amounts of tourism should plan accordingly if they want to keep clean. Individuals are still at fault obviously, but there is plenty that can be done to make things better for everyone when dealing with trash at scale.

timr 8y ago

"I've found most places are dirty because they don't have the infrastructure built for disposing of trash/recyclables, not that people are trying to be evil." If the local culture is to carry your trash with you, the "right" thing to do is to adapt yourself to that culture, not the other way around. You're a guest. But yes, you're factually correct: if cities don't do this, far too many tourists will just toss their trash anywhere they please.

8xde0wcNwpslOw 8y ago
I find it really hard to believe that the majority of a garbage crisis is caused by tourists "tossing their trash wherever" -- after all, underdeveloped countries have problems with trash even in places where tourists are rare. I'm certain a big part of the issue are the services that tourism creates a demand for, and their waste for which there are no easy solutions when the infrastructure is not there. Setting up proper infra in place is really the local administration's job.
- timr 8y ago
  "I find it really hard to believe that the majority of a garbage crisis is caused by tourists 'tossing their trash wherever'" Nobody said anything about a "garbage crisis". The comment that started this thread was that if you're in a foreign country, you shouldn't litter and you should learn how to say please and thank you in the local tongue. The fact that people are arguing about this subject is telling. Never in my life have I said "oh, there are no trash cans here. I guess I can just toss my litter anywhere because the local officials didn't plan properly for my presence."
  - trevor-e 8y ago
    That's quite the twist of my words. The only point I was trying to make is that places with large amounts of tourism should plan accordingly if they want to keep clean. Individuals are still at fault obviously, but there is plenty that can be done to make things better for everyone when dealing with trash at scale.