# litter, or not not to litter, that is the question **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 29, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905 "2000-04-29T23:17:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2000, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/1 "2000-04-29T23:17:46Z")
I have a habit of picking up litter, not to dispose of it, but to look for goodies. For example, pop bottles often have game pieces under the caps. I have found ones for free cd’s, won money, free sodas, and so on. If the item I pick up, is worthless, then I just put it back where I found it. My questions: If you pick up a piece of litter to examine it, then put it back, are you littering “again?” Are you somehow exempt from littering, since the item was already litter? I am just curious, in case some anal rententive police officer ever decides to fine me for littering someone else’s litter, I will know whether it is justifiable, on his behalf. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/2 "2000-04-29T23:33:58Z")
Key: > [@](#): > > My questions: If you pick up a piece of litter to examine it, then put it back, are you littering “again?” Are you somehow exempt from littering, since the item was already litter? These are the unanswerable questions that have troubled man through the ages. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/3 "2000-04-29T23:36:11Z")
If you had already picked it up, why wouldn’t you just go ahead and throw it in the trash instead of putting it back where you got it? I think it’s considered littering regardless of whether you are the original one or not since you picked it up and then threw it back down. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2000, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/4 "2000-04-29T23:41:10Z")
I think this makes you homeless. secondly… If your gonna go so far as to pick it up, throw it away so other homeless people wont get there hopes up about possible free CD’s! ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/5 "2000-04-30T03:21:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > If you had already picked it up, why wouldn’t you just go ahead and throw it in the trash instead of putting it back where you got it? I think it’s considered littering regardless of whether you are the original one or not since you picked it up and then threw it back down. > \*\* I don’t have a problem with throwing something away that I pick up. However, most often, in the places I am walking, there are no trash receptacles. This is probably why the original “owner” chose to litter in the first place. I don’t think many people here would desire to carry an article of refuse on their person for an indefinite distance and amount of time, until a proper place of disposal was found. That is not an excuse, simply an observation. ---
**Author:** ![your\_zer0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e47774/32.png) [@your\_zer0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/your_zer0)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/6 "2000-04-30T03:28:07Z")
I agree, it shouldn’t really be considered littering if there isn’t a trash can within sight of the point of littering. ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/7 "2000-04-30T03:34:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I think this makes you homeless. > > secondly… > > If your gonna go so far as to pick it up, throw it away so other homeless people wont get there hopes up about possible free CD’s! > \*\* (firstly) I am not homeless. I am observant. I only look for things that have a possibility of being worth something. I don’t know why anyone would want to pass up any kind of freebie or value. I even pick up pennies and other change I find lying on the ground. I believe even Cecil condones penny picking, as I read it in the archives. (secondly) Homeless people wouldnt have much use for cd’s. Even if they do have a cd player, chances are they get the ole five finger discount for their cd’s somewhere. They wouldn’t bother with bottlecaps, as they would have to pay postage, and be required to have a home address to mail the gift certificate to. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/8 "2000-04-30T03:35:42Z")
I am so glad you asked this question. Not because I have any special expertise, but it gives me a chance to expound. Yes, dear heart, it is littering if you pick it up and then discard it as useless. By picking it up to begin with, you cast yourself in the role of Unusually Useful Scavenger. By sorting at all, you adopted the role. Where do you put the “good bits” you pick up? Well, carry another for the rejects. The ubiquitious plastic bags pushed on you by grocery stores are great for this. I usually carry several (okay, _you’re_ calling ME anal?) because my dog metabolizes sometimes and…well. FWIW, I loathe litterbugs with a passion. I watched a braindead Young Thing weaving all over the road, merrily pitching out the burger wrappers from the depths of her car. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to pick up her trash, catch up a stoplight and thrust the garbage back into the passagener window. You’ve pre-sorted, dear. Now do the right thing and remove the rest. Veb ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/9 "2000-04-30T03:41:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I am so glad you asked this question. Not because I have any special expertise, but it gives me a chance to expound. > > Yes, dear heart, it is littering if you pick it up and then discard it as useless. By picking it up to begin with, you cast yourself in the role of Unusually Useful Scavenger. By sorting at all, you adopted the role. > > Where do you put the “good bits” you pick up? Well, carry another for the rejects. The ubiquitious plastic bags pushed on you by grocery stores are great for this. I usually carry several (okay, _you’re_ calling ME anal?) because my dog metabolizes sometimes and…well. > > FWIW, I loathe litterbugs with a passion. I watched a braindead Young Thing weaving all over the road, merrily pitching out the burger wrappers from the depths of her car. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to pick up her trash, catch up a stoplight and thrust the garbage back into the passagener window. > > You’ve pre-sorted, dear. Now do the right thing and remove the rest. > > Veb > \*\* I should add that 99% of the time, I do not litter MY OWN refuse. I only litter other people’s litter. Again, not an excuse. I just wanted to point this out. However, I commend your anti-littering attribute. ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/10 "2000-04-30T03:44:51Z")
I have a strong feeling this thread will end up in “Great Debates.” ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/11 "2000-04-30T04:01:57Z")
It’s nothing to do with litter, but since I mentioned penny-picking being condoned by Cecil, I figured I had better back up the claim. Here is the link [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_334.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_334.html) ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/12 "2000-04-30T04:12:18Z")
Ya know, to be honest, I never really think about these things. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/13 "2000-04-30T04:25:08Z")
Whoops, didn’t mean to bust your chops on the OP, guy. Anyone who sorts litter ain’t one of the bad 'uns. I just indulged in a rant there, which was thoroughly misplaced in our case. Anyhoo, for someone who’s house is completely littered with junk mail, etc. I’m an obsessive pissant about “public litter”. And I salute you for even _recognizing_ the blight. The grocery bag thing was probably the only cogent point of my whole rambling discourse. Continue… Veb ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/14 "2000-04-30T04:30:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Whoops, didn’t mean to bust your chops on the OP, guy. Anyone who sorts litter ain’t one of the bad 'uns. I just indulged in a rant there, which was thoroughly misplaced in our case. > > Anyhoo, for someone who’s house is completely littered with junk mail, etc. I’m an obsessive pissant about “public litter”. And I salute you for even _recognizing_ the blight. The grocery bag thing was probably the only cogent point of my whole rambling discourse. > > Continue… > > Veb > \*\* No hard feelings and no offense taken, Veb. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beakeroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Beakeroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beakeroni)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2000, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/litter-or-not-not-to-litter-that-is-the-question/16905/15 "2000-04-30T04:51:37Z")
IMO, if you remove anything from a littered area, you are contributing to making the your environment nicer. You don’t have to police the entire area in order to make some difference. _However,_ a bystander would not know that your discards were not yours originally. I figure that if I were actively sorting litter, I would just go ahead and keep what I picked up and looked at (to responsibly dispose of later), rather than pick up and discard. Also, litter is litter, whether you originally discarded the item, or not. So long as the item is out of place in the environment you find it, it is litter. If you pick it up and toss it again, it is still litter. If you pass by without picking it up and properly disposing of it, it remains litter. Personal responsibility is the issue here.