Cups, cans and rubbish spoil the budding daffodils

I WOULD be interested to know if any of your readers has noticed the increase in rubbish littering the streets in and around Cork city.

It seems to be getting worse by the day.

I know this issue has been tackled in the past, but it seems we are slipping backwards as our priorities shift to cover more newsworthy issues such as the crash of our economy.

I ask your readers to take a moment next time they are walking, cycling or driving around Cork to look at the pavements, roads and verges. The number of sweet wrappers, drink cans and bottles just dropped on the floor are on the increase.

An example I can give would be the drive from the airport, our international gateway and entrance point for our tourists and business visitors

Among the fresh green shoots of the new season daffodils can be seen any number of coffee cups and water bottles, alongside more heavy duty industrial waste.

What impression does this give our visitors? There is barely a metre of verge that is not fouled by litter thrown carelessly out of a passing vehicle window.

As you continue down the hill towards Togher you will see large piles of rubbish completely covering the hedges. This situation continues into Turners Cross where the pavements are clogged with sweet wrappers and other plastic fallout from our lives, so hectic we cannot possibly stop at a bin to rid ourselves of these things in a proper manner.

I understand people may argue it’s the Government’s or local authority’s fault for not providing an adequate refuse collection, or providing enough bins. It is always someone else’s fault.

I doubt it’s the lack of bins along the road from the airport that is resulting in people throwing their rubbish out of their car windows. It really is just basic ignorance.

Do these people assume someone else will clear up their mess? Or do they care at all? I cannot fathom it.

It is not only in the city there is an issue.

The road to Kinsale is also littered with the same detritus and an increasing amount of agricultural plastic. Signs are that fly-tipping is also on the increase.

Kinsale itself is also facing a litter problem from shopping trolleys and tyres in the harbour and along the waterfront up towards the new bridge.

If you continue along to Custom Quay housing estate and up to the school, there is a never ending band of rubbish clogging up the hedges and pavements.

On a recent visit I encountered a man parked by the estuary near the bridge. On his car roof he had an old mattress. I pulled in by him and watched and waited to see what he was going to do. I was nervous of confronting him for obvious reasons.

Eventually he drove off and I went home and thought no more of it.

The following day I walked along that same stretch of road and there in the mud by the sea was that man’s mattress.

It was dumped with no thought whatsoever as to how this might affect a delicate ecosystem or impact on what should be a beautiful part of the world.

I felt responsible because I could have actually done something about it, but I did not fulfil my civic duty. So, in many ways who am I to preach?

I will not be so obliging the next time I witness such activity and I urge you at least to alert the authorities if you do witness fly-tipping or littering.

You can also ask the question, “who on my street feels it is fine to throw their litter out on the pavement?” And “do I need to put up with it?”

Chris Bowen

The Orchards

Kinsale

Co Cork