Did You Know? Clean City Edition

Litter Attracts More Litter

Have you ever noticed how one piece of trash seems to turn into a whole collection? There's actually some science behind that.

Researchers at the University of Groningen discovered that visible signs of disorder can influence how people behave. In one experiment, 33% of people littered in a clean setting, compared with 69% when graffiti was present.

The lesson? Our surroundings send messages about what's acceptable.

When we remove litter from sidewalks, parks, and neighborhoods, we're doing more than making things look better. We're helping establish a community standard that says, "We care about this place."

That's why even a small cleanup can matter. A cleaner Alton starts with the example we set for one another.

The takeaway: Don't underestimate the power of picking up that first piece of trash. Someone else might follow your example.

Source:Keizer, Lindenberg & Steg, The Spreading of Disorder, Science (2008)