I have been living away from NZ since 1993 and returned last year to find the good old kiwi attitude has changed in many areas, especially to rubbish and keeping it in it's place.
I have visited many countries, including developing nations with appalling attitudes to waste and from what I have seen on NZ soil recently and certainly today, there is little difference. I was at the block of shops on Greville Rd, North Shore today and apart from the kiwi sheep filing into the limited parking area without putting their brains into gear, this is what I observed (If they did they would realizing they would not find a park of course and could easily park just a few meters down the road, walk and get some exercise). The area behind the shops which is designated as a garden, is awash with piles of plastic, cardboard, bottles, can and just about any other sort of human refuse possible. Honestly, it is difficult to see any ground at all! I have observed many areas round NZ since returning and have despaired firstly at the kiwis attitude change to litter. And secondly, the city council slackness in tackling the problem. Quite frankly, the place looks a dump! If unchecked, we will have succeeded in turning this wonderful place into a liter strewn garbage pile in a fraction of the time it took the UK!
I know people from European countries that have visited NZ on the promise of beautiful, clean, green landscapes and unspoilt nature. For sure, this is the image we transit round the world, encouraging many to travel the long, expensive distances to our shores. Without beating round the bush, I know plenty return home disappointed. You all know what word of mouth means. The people they talk to that have come to meet them to hear tails of their trip are told,'Well it was ok, but I wouldn't spend that sort of money again and it could have been cleaner and more friendly'. Many would say this is the price we and this land pay for heavy promotion as a top tourist destination.
So, come on New Zealanders. Be kiwi's, act like kiwi's.
PS. I know it's a bit of a rant. But someone has to spell it out so it seems. It is one of the things that made me wild as a returning Kiwi.
Submitted by kiwiclogs on 19 July 2008 19:41:49
Comments
Apologies, I should have spell checked first!
Submitted by kiwiclogs on 19 July 2008 19:45:30
kiwiclogs, I'm sad to say I agree with you. :( My sister was running a backpackers hostel for a while and she said the kiwis were the worst at just throwing their rubbish on the ground, or putting everything in the bin to go to landfill when she had clearly marked recycling bins for glass, plastic, paper, etc.
But is this a recent change or have we always been this way? Sometimes I wonder if we just used to get away with it because there were fewer of us and we lived more widely apart. Now that more and more people live in the cities, perhaps we litter just the same as we always did, only now it's more concentrated?
Also when I was a child there were incentives for returning things like soft drink bottles & even milk bottles - you would get a refund. Sports groups used to do fund-raising drives where they would collect everyone's beer bottles and take then back for a refund. Now most soft drink bottles are plastic, milk bottles are plastic or tetra-pack, and even with glass bottles there is no refund.
It's not just the Greville Rd shops that have the problem - I live near the Point Chev shops and the area out the back is absolutely disgusting. Also if you go anywhere by rail you get to see the backs of shops and commercial areas, covered in piles of rotting mattresses, carpet, cardboard boxes, overflowing skip bins, etc. It really makes me ashamed to think this is what visitors to New Zealand are seeing.
Submitted by Lindis on 20 July 2008 12:54:02
Happy you agree Lindis. Pity most have chosen to turn a blind eye and not commented. Even if this site really is something the GOVT take notice of, they are deafening in their silence!!
Do the public servants we employ really care anyway?
Submitted by kiwiclogs on 31 July 2008 20:04:55
Hmmm... is it really a government issue though? Or is it something ordinary New Zealanders need to take responsibility for. I think we need to develop a culture where it is not acceptable to leave rubbish lying around, and where people will mention it to the perpetrators and ask them to clean up their act.
Submitted by Lindis on 1 August 2008 10:34:40
As a keen fisherman I am disappointed at the rubbish and pollution I see in many of the streams and rivers I fish. Our rivers are becoming increasingly a place to dispose of waste, some very toxic. I hope that Kiwi attitudes change pretty quickly or we are going to reach a situation where many more of our rivers become unusable.
Submitted by Wayne Jacobsen on 27 August 2009 15:59:57