HikeArizona.COM

This won't help the trails much but...

ADOT implemented a Hotline for reporting those that litter

If you see somebody littering from a car, jot down their license plate number and the location. Then call it in.
602-712-4683 or
1-877-354-8837

I'm sure most saw this on the news today. But figured some may not have had paper and pencil handy. Not a bad number for the cell phone memory.

Will they get a fined?

No, they get a letter from ADOT.

It's a start!

Does this include those mullet-heads who toss out burning cigarette butts?

I sure hope so.... I will keep a pad of paper in my car to write down numbers.

Oh boy, can't wait to use this one. I heard it on the radio this morning.
I wonder what a person will do or think when they get a letter. Hopefully it will change their ways.

GTG

They would probably laugh at it.

Or throw it out their car window!

This is like locks. It keeps the honest people honest.

Taking away the temptation solves a majority of the problem.

It's a good start, but I don't think it will help much.
I doubt that the bottom feeding scum sucking low lifes that think it's okay to throw there trash and butts where ever they please will care much about a letter in the mail (if they can even read it).

Hooli's got it right

I'm not saying it's a concrete solution.

Five years from now they can look back on the numbers.

If 50,000 incidents are reported the first year. Say less are reported each following year and the litter is reduced, it's working.

If not then you have concrete data that it's not working.

However, if only ten incidents are reported then the state will assume nobody cares and it won't go anywhere.

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I don't believe Arizona is pioneering this technique. It's been choosen off of statistics from other states.

I've heard lots of what everybody frowns upon and won't work. Let's hear your ideas on what will work!

I'd like to see the current laws enforced, with stiffer penalties. Has anyone ever even heard of someone getting a ticket for littering? I'd like to see home many littering tickets are actually handed out.

Isn't the maximum fine $500? Would people think twice about throwing trash out the window if the fine was $5,000 (and/or jail time) and there were a few news stories of people getting tickets?
How about community service? If you get busted for littering, you need to spend 40 hours of community service cleaning litter off the streets while wearing a pink t-shirt that says "I'm a litter bug" in big letters, front and back.

Inly time will tell the tale

As I said before. Colorado Springs is one of the cleanest cities I've ever seen. It is posted everywhere and enforced '$2000.00 fine for littering' Either the general population cares more about their environment or the threat of the fine makes an impact.

Cleaner than Scottsdale?

Not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the beautiful scenery. I don't think I've ever even seen a cig. butt on the ground.

Denver is the same $1000 fine strictly enforced - sign everywhere.

Not to make light of a serious subject but I always gotta go for the laugh, especially at CJG's expense.

If you get busted for littering, you need to spend 40 hours of community service cleaning litter off the streets while wearing a pink t-shirt that says "I'm a litter bug" in big letters, front and back.

Or worse yet, while wearing a pink t-shirt that says "I own a cute Jeep" 8O

....and CJG steps in for his turn at a dig on GTG.

GTG

The following bit of information was found at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/litter/fines.html :

Litter Fines

In 2001, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) conducted several focus groups to explore knowledge and attitudes towards littering among key audiences. Demographic research indicates that the key audience (litterers) tend to be young (16-35), single, and male. People who participated in the focus group research admitted to a variety of littering behaviors including tossing cigarette butts, tossing alcoholic beverage containers, tossing food wrappers or other beverage containers, not covering or securing loads, or simply not cleaning out the back of their pickup truck. When asked what would convince them to not litter, a clear theme emerged. "Knowing I will be caught and fined," was the number one deterrent to littering. Hearing what the fines are was new information for the research participants.

In the litter survey, both focus group and telephone survey participants endorsed the use of fines and community service to curb littering behavior. The Litter Task Force recommended that the Legislature and Ecology encourage Washington State Patrol and local governments to enforce litter laws and that local penalties "be set at levels sufficient to provide meaningful incentives for compliance." While many support the use of enforcement, studies show that few states are able to enforce littering laws effectively for two reasons: lack of personnel available for such a low priority issue and the fact that it is difficult to "catch" offenders in the act.

Also found this site to be informative:

http://www.kab.org/index.cfm