The Litter Project ... Merritt Secondary - Merritt BC - April 20, 2013 - Grade D

On a recent road trip, I was able to document 3 new schools for litter. Lillooet, Lytton and Merritt, BC.

While Lillooet was by far the worst of the three schools for trash and litter, Merritt wasn't too far behind it.  less concentrated trash, but still a LOT of trash scattered all over the school grounds and especially around the perimeter.

And of course the nice surprise this trip was Lytton.  I was significantly impressed by how clean their school ground were.

However, this report is on Merritt Secondary in Merritt, BC.

The school's CODE OF CONDUCT stipulates:

The Board of School Trustees believes and expects that students will conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates respect for self, others, property, and the environment.

In my opinion, the serious litter problem on the school does NOT reflect those standards, especially in regards to the respect for the environment.

I will email:

The principal of Merritt Secondary, Bill Lawrence

And District Superintendent, Dr Robert Peacock

It is my SINCERE hope that they can develop a LONG-TERM action plan with the students, school and community to help combat this growing problem of careless litter and trash in our neighbourhoods.


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Here is a VERY small sampling of the HUNDREDS of pictures and videos of garbage I took at and around the school today.  I would estimate close to ONE THOUSAND of pieces of trash on school property!

The Litter Project ... Kumsheen Secondary - Lytton, BC - April 20, 2013 - Grade A

I spent the last few days compiling video and images from my recent road trip.  

I did manage to see three high schools on this recent trip, in Lillooet, Lytton and Merritt.  Lillooet was by far the worst of the three. I have already posted my results here.

But I wanted to take a minute and say that I was SIGNIFICANTLY impressed with Kumsheen Secondary in Lytton!  I half suspected that it would be right up there in garbage, given what I had already seen in Merritt. But I was very pleasantly surprised.

I will be emailing the Principal of Kumsheen to see if there is some program or policy there that they help enforce to keep trash to a minimum. Perhaps there are just no kids there? I obviously hope for the former solution!

Principal of Kumsheen : Andrew Kormendy 

District Superintendent : Teresa Downs

Perhaps there is some policy or principles that Mr Kormendy could share with his other fellow district principals? Regardless, it was a very pleasant surprise to have to HUNT for garbage, rather than be overwhelmed with it.  

So congrats to KUMSHEEN SECONDARY!  I found LESS than 25 pieces of trash on your school grounds, compared to THOUSANDS of pieces of litter found on other schools.  Nicely done!  

My route today:

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The Litter Project ... Lillooet Secondary - Lillooet, BC - April 21, 2013 - Grade FAIL

I was fortunate to be on a recent road trip, and decided to use that opportunity to check out a few other schools in our province, to see if the litter problem was a local issue, or perhaps a bigger one.

This round it was high schools in Merritt, Lytton and Lillooet BC.

So this report is on Lillooet Secondary.  The only school on this trip to get an outright FAIL for CONCENTRATED trash in several places throughout the school grounds.

The school's CODE OF CONDUCT stipulates:

"Each student has the responsibility to behave in a manner, which does not 
distract, disrupt, offend or endanger others, or cause damage to school property 
or equipment."

The District CODE OF CONDUCT stipulates:

1. School-wide conduct standards shall reflect the expectation that each individual will respect themselves, others, and property;
2. Everyone has responsibility for his or her own actions.

In my opinion, the serious litter problem on the school does NOT reflect those standards.

I will email:

The principal of Lillooet Secondary, Patricia Teskey

And District Board member for Lillooet, Jim MacAuthur

It is my SINCERE hope that they can develop a LONG-TERM action plan with the students, school and community to help combat this growing problem of careless litter and trash in our neighborhoods.



View Larger Map

Here is a VERY small sampling of the HUNDREDS of pictures and videos of garbage I took at and around the school today. I would upload more, but blogger won't let me! I would estimate over ONE THOUSAND of pieces of trash on school property! I was particularly bothered by the fact that the school is blessed with perhaps the BEST view I have ever seen on or around school property.  Simply stunning.  Shame about the trash marring that natural beauty.

Today, I redeemed myself a bit...

Near our street, we have a space at the end of a road where the locals put out "free stuff" and the people in the area or the people driving by are free to take.  It's a way for people to get rid of things they no longer need, and way for someone else to get something they want for free.

Today I was driving by and noticed that someone had put out a hose caddy, which I wanted, but didn't want to pay for it.  So naturally, I pulled over and grabbed it!

It's a great way to re-use stuff and most of the times, it works very well...

Occasionally, like today, people use it as a dump and drop off their garbage and crap.  And of course that infuriates me!!

Today, there were over ten 1 gallon (4 litre) pails of ancient paint, a lot of which had hardened in the can and the cans were all rusty... Clearly toxic garbage.  Which is ridiculous because we are lucky enough to have depot not 10 blocks from the area! And they take paint to be properly disposed of FOR FREE... That makes it worse in my eyes...

However, someone did a midnight dump here and dropped off a LOT of toxic paint and cans.

The story though goes back a few months, when it happened before and someone left 4-5 gallons of old paint... They sat there for a few weeks, obviously unwanted, until some (I'm guessing here) unruly teens thought it would be a good , funny idea to toss them off a nearby bridge and splatter the road below.

I was angry with myself for weeks when it happened, because I COULD have and even debated picking up the cans and taking them to the depot... But for some reason I let it slide and let it slide, until finally the paint was spilled all over the road and into the nearby ditch. I saw those cans. I even knew in my heart that it was possible that something bad would happen with them. I could have just as easily picked them up and taken them to the depot.

I often advocate picking up other peoples trash, but I now almost ALWAYS make an effort if it's toxic and has a chance to end up in some stream on ditch somewhere...

Needless to say, along with the hose caddy, the paint cans went into my trunk, and it took me less than 10 minutes in total to take them to the proper recycling depot and drop them off.

I'll never forget how angry I was with the people who tossed the previous cans on the road to explode, and I'll never forget how angry I was with myself for NOT picking them up in the first place like I KNEW I should have.

So today, I feel a little like I redeemed myself and THAT feels much better to know I did the right thing and disposed of those cans properly... Like their owner SHOULD have done in the first place!!!

What does that make me?

I have to admit that it feels good to know that my direct action has affected some positive change. Whether it  is LONG-TERM positive change remains to be seen.  It only really counts in my mind if the change is consistent WITHOUT my constant influence... Otherwise I am just nagging!

I don't consider myself to be an activist.  I'm certainly not a hard-liner.  I'm not even a hard-ass!

I consider myself to be a concerned parent and a conscientious citizen of the planet.

But yet when I look up the word "ACTIVISM" it give me this:

"Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change, or stasis."

Isn't that what I am doing? Trying to promote social and environmental change?

Funny how in my mind, "Activist" has a negative connotation.  I guess, like everything, there are degrees to people's behaviour to make their points and affect their cause.  

But on the other hand, I have to admit that a LOT of social, political and environmental change starts with a few dedicated individuals. Climate change. Endangered species. Fur trade. Social injustice and inequality.  All have benefited over the years from "activism".

I don't consider myself an "activist".  I just want to make a small difference.... Maybe this is how it starts?

UPDATE - The Litter Project ... Earl Marriott, Semiahmoo and Elgin Park Secondary - Surrey, BC - April 14, 2013

I decided that after advising the three local high schools of my concern for their litter problem last week, that I would give it a week, and then check to see what actions, if any, were taken.

Earl Marriott -  While it looks like a few of the bigger ticket items (Pizza boxes, Pringles cans) were picked up, there is absolutely NO other change... The garbage that was lying there is still there. The problem areas are not even touched it seems.  Too Bad. STILL over 1000 pieces of trash on school grounds!

Semiahoo - Positive change on the NORTH SIDE of the PARKING LOT, but it appears that this was done by the city after the complaint, but absolutely NO change on or around school grounds or the school side of the parking lot. In fact, the school grounds are WORSE! NONE of the offending areas were addressed in any way that I can see. Easily over 1000 pieces of trash on or around school property, with some particularly concentrated and eye sore areas that encroach on personal or park property.

Elgin Park - In my opinion, Elgin gets the gold star here... SIGNIFICANT change and the two core problem areas affecting both the school and the surrounding park have been completely cleaned!  VERY IMPRESSED with the speed and quality of the litter removal... I even checked for a few pieces I knew were  off the main area in the bush and THEY were gone.

I have updated ELGIN here:  NICELY DONE!

I am excited that Elgin took the bull by the horns and sprung into action... I am equally disappointed by the apparent disregard of the other two schools.  ESPECIALLY after seeing Elgin.

UPDATE - The Litter Project ... Elgin Park Secondary - Surrey, BC - April 14, 2013 - C+

It has been one week since I did my initial rounds at the three local high schools, and I wanted to return a week later to follow up.

Well, I am happy to say I got a fairly positive response from the Principal of Elgin Park, but most importantly, there was positive ACTION!  And that is where it really counts.

While Elgin still has a couple problem areas, the two main offending areas have been cleaned and the difference is frankly astounding!  I'm pleased!

BEFORE


AFTER

Plus I heard something from the Principal that leads me to believe that there may be some effort for positive change... "...we are trying to establish a program for maintenance with the students of Elgin." 

I'm encouraged by that. Why?  Because it puts some of the responsibility where it SHOULD be... With the school and hopefully the students who are littering. HOWEVER, it is also important that we instill a sense of INDIVIDUAL responsibility in each student. We don't want to just cultivate a mindset of  "It's OK to litter. Someone ELSE will pick that up...."

The grounds were not perfect, but most certainly MUCH improved.  Thank you, Elgin Park.  Let's see how it looks in six months or a year from now to see if that program is working!