What part of DO NOT LITTER don't you understand?

I was waiting for an auto right outside office. I saw a man- around 24 years of age- walking towards the shop where I stood. My quick impression about him- good looking, sophisticated and seemed well educated. With a ciggy in one hand, he was engrossed in a phone conversation with someone. I must say, he had quite an impressive way of talking. I saw him ask the shop guy ' Bhaiyya, ek chewing gum '. I saw him tender the exact change. Then... He disposed off his cigarette, tore the chewing gum wrapper away and carelessly threw the wrapper on the road.

END OF STORY!


In spite of a dustbin being right there, that man did not bother to throw the wrapper inside the bin. Somepeople may not find anything unusual in what he did. But for me, my impression about him completely changed. 'I dont care' act of throwing away the chewing gum wrapper was a big NO NO to me. Pure irritation is what I felt when he did that. It might just be a small piece of wrapper that he threw, but it's still TRASH. Irrespective of whether it is an empty can of coke or a small piece of tissue, Trash is Trash.

Sometimes your very own friends who are as educated as you are, who talk about philosophies and ethics...Such sophisticated people are also among those who litter our roads and footpaths. It's not just the pan eating common man who spit and throw garbage on the road. Our so called 'High class' people dont mind rolling down their windows and disposing their empty bottle of aquafina right in the middle of a national high way ( Mind you! It does not happen only in ads, it happens in real).

I can bet that the very same people will never do such a thing in a foreign country. Just because there no punishment here, it does that give you the right to throw wherever and whatever? Is it really that hard to find a bin and dispose it appropriately? It definitely is not. If you cannot do something as simple as this, you have no right to complain about the roads and footpaths being dirty.