Need To know-Cigarette trash?
 

I don't really don't know how to approach this subject.One of my pet peeves
In the last 6 weeks that I have been back.As I'm driving around in my cart.
The amount of empty cigaret packs crumpled and thrown to the pavement is astounding. Perhaps a smoker can answer as to why the same pack that has cigarets in it can remain in ones pocket or purse .But the moment its empty it has to be crumpled discarded.

No, not an answer.

I am a smoker but the vast majority of times (no I would never say ALWAYS) I will "clip" my cigarette and put the butt in my pocket to be thrown out later.

As for the cigarette pack - personally I would NEVER throw it on the floor.

But as I end up saying - You can't fix stupid !!!!

karostay - do you only notice the cigarette packs and not the butts or the trash that seems to collect along the cart paths? my guess is that like any trash and like some folks, they just don't go together; and the folks just don't feel they should have to take their trash home with them.

Those and empty soda cans and also some beverage cups as well. Would they do that in their homes?? I think not! I've seen some garbage alot more lately...generally thrown in the shrubs as if noone will see it!

I'm no longer a smoker having quit 33 years ago, but when I was a kid I didn't want my mommy to find out I smoked, so I tossed the empty pack. Perhaps the tosser you're talking about didn't want his mommy to find out he was smoking either! :evil6:

Ignorant slobs are ignorant slobs no matter where they may go. (Why do you think we are termed 'Ugly Americans' in some countries?)

I carry a plastic bag in my golf car and usually my purse. When I see something tossed out on the path for example, I put my hand in the bag, grab whatever it is and toss it in the garbage when I am able. Should I HAVE to? Probably not, but I am happier focusing on the fix than driving past it and remaining disgusted.

Chances are, the ugly perpetrator travels the same route you usually do and repeats the offense on a regular basis. The multitudes here do not do this, or we'd be knee deep in crud everywhere and there would be a citizen's uprising.
We love it here too much.
I'd be the first one to holler LOUDLY if I caught someone in the act.
And as far as smoker's go, I am one. My butts go in my golf car ash cup filled with baking soda.... to be disposed of properly when I get home.

I agree that in the past month or so that there has been a big increase in the amount of roadside and golfcart trail trash. I attribute this to the snowbirds returning from the North. Yes, I realize there will be negative consequences for saying that but it seems to be a fact. In the May through September times, there is a whole lot less trash strewn around. Expect more trash strewn in the times of school vacations when grandkids visit and also when renters populate a portion of The Villages in January through March.

Could be workers in the area.Lots of them.

Could these trash items be blowing out of golf carts without the knowledge of the drivers? I have a hard time believing anyone would intentionally litter our community.

A percentage of the trash might be.... things CAN fall out of your pocket for example, but I have a harder time believing that's where it all comes from.
Loose papers or cans would surely be noticed as they flew up and out of your cart, no?

We all have had a piece of paper blown from our carts. I'll make every effort to retrieve it
safely.
I guess the point is the Villages where we all have decided to invest our retirement years.
Why spoil it with litter. Hopefully this post will make a few people think twice about their actions

Just where are you seeing these "astounding" amounts of trash?

I have never seen a single empty pack anywhere on the streets or paths.

One of my pet peeves is those who just make stuff up.

You have a good point. About 4 weeks ago I was riding my mobility scooter from La Plaza Grande to Spanish Springs Town Square when a small empty low-cal snack packet fell out of my pocket that I was holding until I could properly dispose of it. A woman behind me in a golf cart saw it fall, got out of her cart to retrieve and return it to me. I didn't know it fell out and I'm sure you know what some people would have thought when they saw it laying there.

Oh plaese there is quite a bit of thrash lying around. Go over the little bridge N/o 466 by the church, go to the family pools and look over the wall in the bushes. I bike ride early in the AM there are morning walkers who carry trash bags and collect the TRASH people throw out. Some of those walkers are coming back looking like Santa Claus carrying the present bag.If you ride thru the squares in the early morning hours there are paid people cleaning up the entire main street area from the previous nights visitors so everything looks nice a pretty for the new day..So trust me the garbage is there. TV IS NOT A DUMP IF PEOPLE CAN'T RESPECT IT NEXT TIME YOU GO OUT THE GATE DON"T COME BACK. JMO

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL.

Do not think its fair to put the blame on snowbirds. They also live here. Just more people out shopping I suppose. I am with TicoTexas, where is all this garbage you are seeing,I do not. Maybe they are not sending clean-up crews out as often to save money.Seems they have been doing a lot of that lately.

Another reason I'm glad I don't have a golf cart. I never see any trash from my car. Maybe golf cart drivers are slobbier than car drivers. Just saying.

Dry season, less rain and less wind to "clean" the ground so whatever goes down, stays down. And as the ground cover and bushes die back, whatever is under a plant becomes more visible. Yes, there may be some increase in trash with more residents, but I suspect there are other factors in your observation.

there are a lot of people here in the villages that are just 'temporary' residents; call them snow birds or renters....they do not have a vested interest in this community and will most likely not even re-rent in the same village the next time they come down here. this is our home, and that is why we respect it. these other people are just visitors/tourists and see no reason to clean up after themselves because they are just vacationers and think that once they pay their 'rent' it entitles them to have 'maid service' no matter where they are! i am so looking forward to summer.

I can't believe anyone would make such comment :mad:

Can this be true? I find it hard to believe. I just rented for two weeks while visiting the Villages for the first time. Why would I change who I am just because I am visiting? I try to leave wherever I am a better place. Why anyone would ever want to trash such a beautifully kept place is beyond me. Since we are considering a move to the Villages, I hope these are isolated incidents and I hope none of them become my neighbors! As my Mom always said, what matters is what you do when no one is watching.

Do not agree with these statements.Snowbirds are not "temporary residents",you do not call them renters or snowbirds. They do have a vested interest in the community. They are not just vacationers but possibly home buyers. Need to get your facts straight.

I feel that the nasty disgusting habit of discarding a cigarette butt filled with germs and bacteria from the smokers spit is NOT considered wrong by the offenders. When you do something like that for a long time, no matter how offensively horrible it is to others, is just as normal to the offender as saying hello. Hopefully those offenders that read this post will slow down on the disgusting practice. :posting:

this snowbird would very much like to meet with you as soon as i return in mid-january to discuss your post. thanx.

Uh-Oh....It's starting to get ugly.

There's no need to get nasty. All we ALL need to do is to be more careful and if we see someone being sloppy we need to correct them. I've said earlier that there are both paid people cleaning up and walkers who do cleanup on their morning walks. Is TV a dump site absolutely NOT, it's just an increase in trash being dropped on the roadside,parking lots,trails,pools and squares. We all need to police ourselves and others including the contractors. No one group is or should be blamed.

that's your interpretation - not mine. i simply do not need to discuss that post here.

I don't think that things are one iota different than the first day we set foot on this place five years ago. There was cigarettes thrown down then and cigarettes thrown down now. I would no more confront someone who did it as fly and would NEVER do it myself. When we have a holiday week like Thanksgiving when everyone has family here, then you see more debris and pop cans and stuff but it is NEVER, never a BIG problem. I am so proud of this wonderful place that I have stopped my cart many times if I am not being closely followed to pick up some obvious trash.

It is as close to perfect as it can get and it isn't awful now or in the time I have been here. We are all so proud of it and it is carefully taken care of.

We cannot change people's poor habits by making them mad. So why waste your breath confronting them. That is asking for trouble and it certainly is not the way I was brought up.

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

As my Mom always said, what matters is what you do when no one is watching.[/QUOTE]

I like that !

:BigApplause:

Each one of us can make a difference
 

I hated to see litter as I took my walk each morning in our beautiful community.
So, I bought some disposable gloves and each morning I carry a bag and pickup the litter that I see. It makes me feel a lot better and hopefully, it makes our community look a little cleaner.

Is it as bad as some say??
Thanks for your effort.

Betcha a nickle that the litter that people are seeing is in and enroute to the new construction areas and the culprits are the construction crews.

When they move on, and they do quickly, they move their litter to the places where houses are being built and newly built...unfortunately. But they do move on..Just not OUT...yet.

I have a friend who runs five miles a day aome of it along Buena Vista south of Seabreeze and he carries a bag to collect litter. But I see him climbing though planting beds to find it.

Hats off to him and to our new friend Wiserbud47. We can all lend a hand.

It's not just the workers and smokers, a few weeks ago I saw a couple sitting on one of the benches along the golf cart path eating McDonalds on the way back they were gone but they left the wrappers.

Slobs are slobs.

Patty. It is time you joined the girls posse. We have a squirt gun that will fit your hand. We are recruiting new members right now too. Any takers?

I'd prefer a super-soaker.

I don't think Patty will need a weapon........ :shocked:

:jester:

Bill :wave:

As far as I am concerned they can ban all smoking outdoors everywhere. In is most uncomfortable to even have someone smoking on the sidewalks in the town squares. At least have them relegated to across the street. The smell is becoming more and more unpleasant and I do not know why anyone should have to put up with it.

before 'they' do that i hope 'they' ban bad fragrances for men and women or the men and women who wear the bad fragrances.

Perhaps you should restrict yourself to the non-smoking area. Like it or not these people paid to live here-same as you.