Discarding litter should be made socially unacceptable as drinking and getting behind the wheel
Discarding litter should be as socially and morally unacceptable as drink driving, a charity has said.
Keep Scotland Beautiful wants to emphaisise that the environmental, social and economic cost of litter should be as taboo as taking to the wheel while under the influence.
The charity is currently running a new campaign, Clean Up Scotland, to raise greater awareness of the country’s litter problem with the announcement that the Scottish Football Association is to endorse its message.
With 400,000 signed up for litter-picks and clean-ups all over the country, the campaign is one of the largest ever volunteer programmes run in the country.
Football fans can make Scotland the cleanest country in Europe - Derek Robertson
The SFA is just one of a number of other major sporting bodies and events, including the RFU, Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games, who are recognising sport and sporting events can have a significant impact on changing public attitudes.
Derek Robertson, chief executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said it was important to have major sporting bodies like the SFA playing their part in endorsing the campaign to get the message across to a wider audience.
With enough awareness, in time litter dropping will be regarded in the same way drink driving is.
He added: “All too often litter and dog fouling on public playing fields stops play.
"At a national level a small number of careless fans leave the streets surrounding stadiums looking less than desirable.
"We’re grateful for the SFA’s support in changing that behaviour and making sure that the beautiful game lives up to its name. Football fans can make Scotland the cleanest country in Europe.”
Campbell Ogilvie, president of the SFA, added: "We are delighted to help support Keep Scotland Beautiful and their Clean Up Scotland campaign.
"Even with small steps such as picking up litter and putting it in a bin, we can make sure that future generations can enjoy our surroundings and our country's unspoilt beauty."
