PP24: Softy Action Squads

Once again with the ‘broken glass theory of crime’ in mind this is simply a program of sustained litter picking.

I don’t know about you but I find the fact that every piece of greenery, hedge row and back street is infected with the discarded and hideous remains of our filthy species to be rather demoralising. Are we really that disgusting?

Edinburgh has a reputation for being a picturesque city and it is second only to London when it comes to attracting tourists. Yet it is really really dirty. Overflowing with bottles, paper, plastic wrapping, empty beer cans, trolleys, chewing gum and vomit. The main streets are cleaned during the wee hours by the sweepers – but the rest of the city is simply left to decay. The plastic and glass excrement of humanity has ingrained itself into the very fabric of the city and makes for a very unpleasant urban environment.

If people really are affected by their immediate surroundings (as I strongly believe they are) then this is bad news indeed. So we need to provide funding for ‘softy action squads’ of volunteers/convicts/ASBO kids. If numbers run low then the scheme should look to work with local business to provide vouchers to participants in exchange for giving up their time in the evenings or weekends. All litter collected would of course be sorted and recycled.

Aside from the cost pf the scheme (which I am confident could be kept very low) I can’t see anything but benefits from this scheme. It will increase civil pride; help the environment and boost tourism. It may even, if the theory is correct, have knock on effects and cut anti-social behaviour and crime.