I am privileged to live in a very beautiful part of the world, but my enjoyment is spoiled by the laziness and selfishness of those who throw litter from their cars.

I spend many hours each week picking up litter and thinking how much the people who litter must hate their country to despoil it so. Despite signs announcing litter control I see little evidence of any control, and the organizations who have their names advertised on the signs clearly do not take their responsibilities very seriously.

How I wish we had some of the “Litter and it will hurt” signs I’ve seen in other districts, plus of course the will to carry through with the threat.

Apart from spoiling the look of our countryside, litter is a pollutant. There are many culverts which drain into salmon streams locally and it would be good to see litterers prosecuted as polluters.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of all this is the apathy of the average citizen. In my local park I see remains of picnics left on the ground just a few feet from trash cans. Many people I meet seem unaware there is a problem or are unmotivated to do anything about it.

I am not an American citizen, but I love the Northwest countryside and I cannot understand how a nation which takes patriotism so dearly to its heart can tolerate those who abuse it by littering or citizens who remain so unmoved by the unsightliness around them that they can’t be bothered to do anything about it.