Littering

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Littering is causing problems.

Our cohort project is to highlight issues within the community of San Francisco. We chose the topic of "littering" to raise awareness of how it has been impacting the environment, people, and city.

In the recent combined litter data of 40 metropolitan cities from
the American Housing Survey, U.S. Environment Protection
Agency and the U.S. Census Bureau, San Francisco was ranked top 5.

SF
LA
PHL
NY
CHI

Litter: Homes with trash, litter, or junk on streets or any properties
within 1/2 block [thousands]

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Impacts on the environment

Litter can wash into waterways and contribute to plastic pollution. Animals can mistaken plastic litter for food, which can lead to injury. Litter can also increase the probability of fires.

Impacts on people and the city

Litter can harm the health of both animals and humans if unclean water is consumed. Litter can contribute to air and soil pollution because of toxic materials or chemicals in the litter. Litter can also impact tourism because people tend to avoid littered areas.

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Solutions

  • • Stricter littering laws
  • - Law must explicitly specify littering is a serious offense, punishing by imprisonment, community service, or fines
  • • Putting more garbage bins in public spaces
  • - Convience in disposal and collection of litter means effective garbage disposal
  • • Education about the environment
  • - People need to know how avoiding littering can contribute to protecting the environment

CREDITS: JEFF AND AMY