Discussions

Recently moved to Brandon. Have traveled extensively throughout Canada including Manitoba. Manitoba is a beautiful province, but I am always surprised at the incredible amount of garbage everywhere. I've never seen another part of the country quite so consistently bad. Everywhere I've gone I end up picking up incredible amounts of garbage.  
 
The parks in Brandon are especially awful. I don't understand how parents think it is ok to throw their drink containers, kleenex, clothing, q-tips, bandaids, and everything else you can imagine on the ground, or allow their kids to do the same. It's actually embarrassing having to tell visitors that yes, it always looks like this.  
 
What is up with people throwing garbage all over the city/province? There are garbage containers EVERYWHERE and yet so many people have zero motivation to use them.

We have been to Vancouver Island a few times and the difference is very noticeable. There, you see virtually no trash the way you see it here.

I think (?). My grandmother ALWAYS made us stash the sweets wrap or whatever into our pockets & dispose of it when we got home. No exceptions! It sticks with me even years & years later. I usually try to pick up some of the trash others leave behind because, like yourself, I like to make sure things are nice for myself & others. I have to say though that going along #16 to Edmonton I'm always horrified at the amount of plastic wrap left blowing in the wind by the farmers who have plastic wrapped their hay. So it isn't just Manitoba. When I got out to walk the dog in Saskatchewan, I actually picked up some of the plastic covering crap, stashed it in the trunk & deposited it in the next garbage bin I came to. Just darned annoying to see all that blowing in the ditches!

And in my opinion the problem is one that has sprung up in the last few years and is getting worse each year. I too try and pick up trash, but have become very careful of what I pick up, due to the risk of picking up something with fentanyl on it. I travel extensively in the US and Canada and have come to the conclusion that the amount of garbage laying around is in direct correlation to the amount of pride a community has in itself. I do congratulate the Bear Clan and the work they are doing, especially with regard to the clean up that was organized in the spring.

People are either lazy or don’t know better. When I met my husband he was a litter bug. I gasped when I saw him toss stuff out his car window. Let’s just say he doesn’t do that anymore. If I see someone litter, I call them out on it. I don’t care what they think of me. The world isn’t your garbage can. PICK IT UP!!!