Caught red-handed

Glancing out of my window after lunch, I notice a chap sauntering past my house in a manner than can only be described as nonchalant. Craning my neck, I watch as he stops and calmly props an old window, from a house further down the road, outside my house before strolling off. 

Having processed that I have *finally* caught one of these ruddy fly tippers in action, I go to the door and watch where he goes. Before I know what is happening, words are coming out of my mouth, rather angry ones...

"Why have you left that outside my house?" I bellow down the road (real classy like)

Inaudible response.

"I said, why have you left that outside my house?"

"It's ok the council will take it" is the reply.

I see red. 

"Damn right they will, but only because I have to report it and I'll be reporting YOU for dumping it." 

Man's friend seeing the game is up, comes back, mumbles an apology, and retrieves his fly tipping. Out of the corner of my eye, I see curtains twitching across the road. One or two passersby walk a little faster. This middle-aged lady is KICKING off.

Meanwhile, as it's the school holidays, I have my two kids cheering me on. As I stand, arms-crossed, watching Tweedledum and Tweedledee faffing around their white van, my daughter says in tones usually reserved for particularly good moments in Minecraft, "WOW MUM, you're TOUGH. Really TOUGH." 

Well, of course, I'm not 'tough'. Just not going to stand for it.

However, as those of you who have read my rubbish-themed diatribes and musings over the years will know, I'm always interested in the WHY. Out of the mouth of Tweedledum was the answer we know is in the head of every dumper, litter bug and dog shit abandoner. 

It's ok... the council will take it.

This man, and countless like him convince themselves, even though I KNOW they know what they do is socially wrong and illegal, that it's ok -no harm done, someone (the amorphous mass that is THE COUNCIL) will clear it up. 

How do we convince people it's not OK?  Fines don't cut it, enforcement is expensive and underfunded and prosecution is time-consuming. How do we stop people convincing themselves that their little bit of environmental crime is excusable?

Because I'm not going to be (un) lucky enough to catch them fly tippers red-handed every day.