How to deal with appalling scenes in Meadows and Kelvingrove – Stephen Jardine

The Covid crisis and the litter problem in York both saw a similar, simple method used to motivate people to do the right thing, writes Stephen Jardine.

Edinburgh City Council employees clear up a large amount of waste left discarded in the Meadows last month

When the novelist Bill Bryson went to Liverpool, he observed they were having “a festival of litter” when he arrived. That was clearly so popular, it has now spread to the rest of the country.

As the lockdown has eased, people were inevitably desperate to get outside and enjoy the occasional day without rain that we call summer. In recent weeks that has led to mass gatherings, despite the continuing threat from Covid-19.

However a far greater danger to life comes from the rest of the population who look at the rubbish left behind and reach for the pitchforks.

Litter is never a good thing but right now it seems particularly obscene. For a start, we are in the midst of a climate emergency requiring us to take far greater care of the planet. The younger generation have been are the forefront of the movement, taking part in school strikes and admirably forcing the rest of us out of our slumber. Yet based on the scenes at the Meadows and Kelvingrove Park, younger people are also some of the biggest culprits in our disposable society.

Then there is the sheer obscenity of the casual disposal of waste. For the past three months, we’ve engaged with the natural world more than ever before. Lockdown led to empty streets and air so clean, you could taste it. At times it felt like the plants, birds, squirrels and foxes were making an extra effort to be amazing this year to help humans through the pandemic.

We reciprocated by staying at home for three months and not littering their landscape but now we are back and apparently determined to make up for lost time. It’s not just a problem here but our surroundings make it seem worse. We live in one of the most beautiful countries on the planet and this summer staycation visitors who flock to see it will hopefully hold us back from the economic precipice.

But from a grotty industrial estate to the most picturesque viewpoint, the backdrop in Scotland is always empty crisp packets and cans.

It is a similar situation in the gorgeous city of York but there they have approached the problem head on. Instead of employing litter wardens who dress like riot cops but are as useful as petrol in a diesel car, City of York Council is displaying notices in every public space.

The signs challenge people not to toss litter and question the motives of those doing so. The options are stark. I’m lazy. I don’t care about the community or I believe other people should clean up after me. It’s a clever campaign that has gained widespread support because if you answer yes to any of those you are basically a terrible person. And mercifully apart from Sir Phillip Green, few people aspire to be that.

So that’s what we need here. Public information campaigns work. Just look at the success of the “Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives” messaging.

Now we need to turn our attention to the people who treat Scotland like a giant bin with a national campaign featuring posters, TV adverts and campaigns on social media.

Once upon a time, drink driving was seen as a bit daft. Now it is a matter of public shame and dropping litter needs exactly the same approach.

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