Responsability+in+Public+Greenspace


 * Possible Directions for Project One**


 * A comparison between the use of public spaces in two different cultural neighbourhoods in the city
 * Newly built neighbourhood vs. an established one, focusing on the different ways public space is used in each
 * Looking at the ways in which interaction is promoted or inhibited within the public space of York University
 * Wayfinding around the city or whithin a space in the city eg. York University
 * Entertainment, such as street/subway musicians, in public spaces - for example are people in a happier mood when they are being serenaded off the subway?
 * Boundaries and barriers in public space.
 * Respect for public space - monitor people's attitudes towards a public space, for example a park, in regards to littering, graffiti etc.
 * Surveillance and its effect on human behaviour in public space.


 * Chosen Direction and Development of topic:**

=**Littering In Public Space:**=


 * Research Statement:**

People need to understand the effects that their negative actions, such as littering, can have on the local environment.


 * Background:**

(trail map from City of Toronto Parks and Recreation Map at [|http://www.toronto.ca/parks/maps.htm)]

The space I have chosen to investigate and monitor is an area of trails behind my apartment building that runs from the Black Creek Pioneer Village at Jane and Steeles down to Finch Avenue West. This is a lovely place to go if you need a break from the city scenery because for the majority of the time you are on the trail you can't see any buildings or hear any cars. Unfortunately the natural beauty of this area has been clouded somewhat by the debris, junk and scattered fragments of litter that are visible up and down the entire length of the trail.


 * Critical position:**

We've been given these parks and trails to use and enjoy at our leisure, but some people seem to use them as dumping grounds for their unwanted objects and garbage. Not only does this destroy the appearance of the area and cost taxpayers money to have it cleaned up, but it is also severely detrimental to the environment and the creatures who inhabit the space. What can be done to deter people from littering? Would people be less likely to litter if they knew they were being watched (CCTV)? Or are there other, more creative, ways to motivate people to clean up after themselves and understand their environment?

**Data Collection and Analysis:**
I have observed and taken photos of the space on several different occasions. I have also read a number of articles and books (shown below) relating to my focus of littering in public space that have inspired me to think of ways in which my chosen location could be improved.


 * Opportunities/Insights gathered:**

This is an image from an article that discusses how CCTV cameras and speakers have been implemented in the UK in the fight against littering. Basically, if someone is caught littering, via CCTV, the person on the other end of the camera can publicly humiliate them, via loud speakers, into picking it up. However, this method would be too costly for the trails and greenspaces and also I think it would destroy the natural serenity and privacy of the space. It's just a bit creepy.

Maybe there's a way to motivate people to pick up the litter themselves through school, volunteer and community building programs.

(photograph taken by Qendra Rinore on April 25, 2007 found at http://flickr.com/photos/7996842@N06/472485909/ on October 1, 2007)

While I was looking through all my photos, I realized that the majority of the litter along the trail were items that could be recycled - cans, plastic bottles, paper, etc. So even if people people were using the garbage bins, which they're not as all the bins I checked were empty, the waste would still go to landfill and, in the end, still hurt the environment. Maybe part of the solution is getting some recycling bins down there?

here's a fun way to recycle. this image is from a competition that asked entrants to rethink the idea of what garbage and recycling can could be in order to motivate more people to interact with and use them. (found in Spacing Magazine online at http://www.spacing.ca/eucan-rethink.htm on September 25 2007)

Also, not once on the trail did I see any sign to inform the public of litter enforcement laws or the cost of fines if they are caught littering. In fact, there is only one sign along the entire trail (shown above) and all it says is "No Dumping". Signs, such as this one (below) might make people think twice about discarding their litter on the ground.

(Photograph taken by Mohamed Salim on April 26, 2007 found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ez2axs/473389621/ on October 1, 2007)

I also believe that this trail, and other spaces like it, would benefit from the installation of other signs that inform the public of such things as natural wildlife that inhabit the area and the effect that litter can have on them. I think that if people were more aware of their surroundings it would encourage them to take more care of the space. For example, this poster tells of the harmful effects of littering on animals. (Photograph taken by Chris Carey on September 2, 2007 found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/iscavista/1305633016/ on October 1, 2007)

Still on the subject of signage, here are two photos. One is of the entrance to the trail as it is now, the other is of the same entrance but with my addition of a nice sign telling people about the trail, the wildlife and the effects their actions could have on it. This entranceway has the potential to catch many people on their way through the trail, but currently it is going to waste.




 * Photos**

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Pictures that I took of all the [|litter] along the Black Creek trail behind my apartment building.


 * Concept Map**

Here's my initial littering concept map. And here's my final map.


 * Litter-Related Links/Resources**

McAndrew, Francis T. //Environmental Psychology//. Wadsworth, Inc. Belmont California. 1993. This book gave some insight into the reasons for people littering, the demographics of people most likely to litter, and findings from studies on the effectiveness of signage and prompts when it comes to combating the problem.

Here's an article about a new method one town council in London, England are using to combat people who litter. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1684634.stm

Another article, also from England, about implementing CCTV in the fight against littering. http://www.idtrail.org/content/view/721/42/

This is an article from Spacing discussing Toronto's hidden gems of ravines and trails just like the one that I am observing. It talks about how nice it is to explore these spaces because it gives you an escape from the grit and grind of everyday city life. http://www.spacing.ca/ravines.htm

Here's a site concerning the city of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Adopt a Greenspace Program that has been implemented there to help combat littering in the city's parks and trails. http://www.regina.ca/content/parks_and_rec/greenspace/index.shtml

Another interesting article from Spacing about a competition that was held to encourage people to rethink the recycling process in regards to the public recycling bin. Entrants explored everything from bins that were also flowerpots, to regular watse bins with green "recycling aliens" perched on top. Lots of really fun and interesting ideas for how to motivate and inspire people to recycle. http://www.spacing.ca/eucan-rethink.htm

This site is all about what you can do to help combat the problem of littering. It also goes into detail about some of the effects of littering on wildlife. [|http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/trash.htm[[http://www.idtrail.org/content/view/721/42/]


 * SlideShare SlideShow**

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