I have noticed too that the standards are slipping, and everywhere seems that little bit grubbier.
We do need to tackle the root cause of the problem. People act like complete pigs, and they need to learn that this is not an acceptable way to behave. Just cleaning up after them all the time will not solve the problem.
When I grew up in Norway, we had campaigns in the schools, do not drop litter etc. This is still with me now, and it would not even occur to me to drop my empty crisp packet straight on to the floor. If we can get to the kids, they can educate their filthy parents. And hopefully they will grow up to be slighly more respectful themselves. Norway is spotless compared to the UK. It really is seen as shameful to drop litter, so something must have worked. The long term solution is education. Is the short time solution a blitz with some hefty on the spot fines? One thing is certain, we can't just keep paying to tidy up after these people and not take action to tackle the root cause. Which is lack of education, manners and pride in where they live.
Anette. I hear you. Its the same in Denmark and I have to admit that I dont really notice how clean it is when I visit Denmark, but the dirt is the first thing I notice when I get back and travel from Tottenham Hale to the Ladder. I wonder whether it is because so many people dont feel they are part of a community. I would never have dared to drop litter or anything else stupid in my town when I was growing up as I just knew my mum would hear about it.
I very rarely agree with Stephen, but this time I'll have to. I think a big part of the problem is that everywhere looks so shoddy and is so badly done that a bit of litter does not look as out of place as it would in for example Berlin. Yes, the weird wires that hang off every bulding does puzzle me too.
If we had better standards with regards to shop fronts then maybe people would look around, and think again before disposing of their chicken boxes?
John, 'mir geht es genauso' (It's the same for me) but it's not three days, but nearly thirty years in my case..
The shopfront issue is surely a council one.. They wouldn't get planning permission here in Germany.. nor would the majority of the replacement windows seen on older houses in London.. Hence my recent dig about cheap and nasty DIY jobs.. which all give London's suburbs (IMO) the appearance of shanty towns.. What always strikes me, when I'm in London, are the untidy wires and cables hanging off the buildings..
Surely it is one of the consequences of the 1979 Government's deregulation? What started out as a 'paint your council house door whatever colour you want' has turned into a town planners nightmare..
TfL's take over of the main routes in London is proof of how standardisation improves the quality of life and not the opposite, which many 'free market' politicians still contend.
Here in Berlin, we still have stringent regulations on what can done or not. What you all like to call 'bureaucracy', but which has given hundreds of small builders companies the opportunity to specialise in renovating older buildings.
The apartment house shown here is probably 5-10 years older than Grand Parade and is typical for how buildings are renovated here. Seen here last Sunday..
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