One of the earliest lessons many of us learn in life is analogous to the golden rule when it comes to the environment – don’t litter.
Litter is visually annoying and, at times, downright disgusting. From cigarette butts, food wrappers and soda cans to articles of clothing, pieces of food, addicts’ needles and, at times, human waste, it degrades the area in which it is found.
On any given day, there is a lot of litter to be found in downtown Olympia.
Some of the problem seems to stem from the sheer arrogance of those individuals who apparently think the streets are trash cans. Some of the problem stems from the sheer malicious behavior of those who think they can dump their waste in an alley or under a bridge; and then there are many of the homeless who simply don’t care about where they leave a mess.
This attitude of the homeless wandering the streets of Olympia of not caring seemingly stems from varying degrees of drug addiction, mental health issues, the lack of affordable housing, and the trauma associated with all of the above.
Seemingly endless discussions, finger pointing and territorial disputes about this growing situation serves little to no purpose, to say nothing of wasting the taxpayers’ money.
The lesson here is that there needs to be a concerted effort by city and county public servants to clean up – and keep clean - downtown Olympia.
~ JM Simpson, Lacey
Editor's Note: Simpson writes and photographs news for The JOLT. This is his second opinion piece in our pages.
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cappers
My friend and I used to get mad about all the litter on the Chehalis Western trail behind our apt.
But instead of getting upset , we channel our energy in cleaning it up every day.
It makes us feel better that our stretch of trail is clean.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 Report this
FordPrefect
Collect it and dump it on the lawn of the State Capitol or in front of City Hall.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 Report this
FordPrefect
RCW 70A.200.060
Littering prohibited—Penalties—Litter cleanup restitution payment.
(1) It is a violation of this section to abandon a junk vehicle upon any property. In addition, no person shall throw, drop, deposit, discard, or otherwise dispose of litter upon any public property in the state or upon private property in this state not owned by him or her or in the waters of this state whether from a vehicle or otherwise including but not limited to any public highway, public park, beach, campground, forestland, recreational area, trailer park, highway, road, street, or alley except:
(a) When the property is designated by the state or its agencies or political subdivisions for the disposal of garbage and refuse, and the person is authorized to use such property for that purpose;
(b) Into a litter receptacle in a manner that will prevent litter from being carried away or deposited by the elements upon any part of the private or public property or waters.
(2)(a) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, it is a class 3 civil infraction as provided in RCW 7.80.120 for a person to litter in an amount less than or equal to one cubic foot.
(b) It is a misdemeanor for a person to litter in an amount greater than one cubic foot but less than one cubic yard. The person shall also pay a litter cleanup restitution payment equal to twice the actual cost of cleanup, or fifty dollars per cubic foot of litter, whichever is greater. The court shall distribute one-half of the restitution payment to the landowner and one-half of the restitution payment to the law enforcement agency investigating the incident. The court may, in addition to or in lieu of part or all of the cleanup restitution payment, order the person to pick up and remove litter from the property, with prior permission of the legal owner or, in the case of public property, of the agency managing the property. The court may suspend or modify the litter cleanup restitution payment for a first-time offender under this section, if the person cleans up and properly disposes of the litter.
(c) It is a gross misdemeanor for a person to litter in an amount of one cubic yard or more. The person shall also pay a litter cleanup restitution payment equal to twice the actual cost of cleanup, or one hundred dollars per cubic foot of litter, whichever is greater. The court shall distribute one-half of the restitution payment to the landowner and one-half of the restitution payment to the law enforcement agency investigating the incident. The court may, in addition to or in lieu of part or all of the cleanup restitution payment, order the person to pick up and remove litter from the property, with prior permission of the legal owner or, in the case of public property, of the agency managing the property. The court may suspend or modify the litter cleanup restitution payment for a first-time offender under this section, if the person cleans up and properly disposes of the litter.
(d) If a junk vehicle is abandoned in violation of this section, RCW 46.55.230 governs the vehicle's removal, disposal, and sale, and the penalties that may be imposed against the person who abandoned the vehicle.
(3) If the violation occurs in a state park, the court shall, in addition to any other penalties assessed, order the person to perform twenty-four hours of community restitution in the state park where the violation occurred if the state park has stated an intent to participate as provided in RCW 79A.05.050.
(4) It is a class 1 civil infraction as provided in RCW 7.80.120 for a person to discard, in violation of this section, potentially dangerous litter in any amount.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 Report this