Attention tidy Kiwis, don’t trash our slice of heaven

We are lucky, here in the north, to be living in one of New Zealand’s most unspoilt regions.

But for all that natural beauty, there is one ugly fact: too many of us are too fond of littering and rubbish dumping.

As we report today, the Transport Agency picks up an average 500 black bags of rubbish each month, at a cost of $78,000 to tax payers.

And litterbugs aren’t simply throwing their takeaway packaging out the car window — though that would be bad enough — they are also happily dumping their household waste, including old whiteware, broken furniture and clothes on the roadside.

Back in July, volunteers picked up some 700kg of rubbish in two hours in Whanga¯ rei as part of a series of monthly clean-ups that

Back in July, volunteers picked up some 700kg of rubbish in two hours in Whanga¯ rei as part of a series of monthly cleanups.

took place throughout 2018.

A television campaign running over summer features high-profile Kiwis, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, urging New Zealanders to stop littering.

Our littering ways suggest it could take more than a few public service announcements to get the message across in these parts.

US and Canadian research over decades has found “serial” litterbugs have a particular attitude toward having to dispose of their rubbish: they don’t like the inconvenience of having to put their trash in the bin and believe their personal freedom — to create all the mess they like — is the most important thing.

These are selfish and careless people who care little about the environment we all share.

Many of those disrespecting our environment are visitors to the region but, come on, we locals must try to take e more pride in our little slice of heaven.