Why People Litter
Preliminary research efforts by MAG to find out why people litter show that littering is a complex behavior that can be attributed to a variety of sources, including deliberate tossing of litter from vehicles, accidental litter from items blowing out of vehicles or from unsecured loads, and litter left behind by pedestrians.
"What is interesting about the research is that it is tough to label a litterer," says former Phoenix Councilmember Peggy Bilsten. "One may litter in certain situations, but not in another. The research finds that they can be influenced by a number of factors, including people thinking an item is not litter (such as a cigarette butt), laziness, lack of consequences for their actions, seeing litter already in a given area, or a lack of trash bins," she said.
A significant portion of litter is accidental. Research conducted by Keep America Beautiful finds that 40 percent of litter comes from debris blowing out of the backs of pickup trucks or other types of unsecured loads. The remaining 60 percent of litter is intentional, typically occurring in places where litter has already accumulated.
Bilsten notes that, although the vast majority of people claim to want to live in a clean environment, more than 75 percent of Americans admit to littering in the past five years. According to research in other states, the most common offenders appear to be single men aged 18-34. Other common litterbugs included smokers, those who eat fast food two times per week or more, those who frequent bars and night clubs, and those who drive pickup trucks. The research found that littering is not a consistent behavior, making it more difficult to target messages.
