I’m not sure what’s changed recently, the City of Surrey itself or its citizens, but I’ve found a huge increase in the amount of trash littering the streets lately. Cigarette butts and empty boxes, McDonald’s wrappings, and the ubiquitous Slurpee cups line the streets, more so now than ever.
Yes, the kids have just returned to school and are out walking about, but I’ve noticed this increase in trash over the last year.
Has the city cut back on its street cleaning budget, or is this not the city’s responsibility at all? Of course not. It’s our responsibility.
One woman in our neighbourhood walks up and down Hyland Road with her yellow Surrey garbage bag, doing her part. Another gentleman I met in Fraser Heights told me his responsibility is picking up cigarette butts, while his buddy takes care of the paper trash.
If we could all achieve just a portion of these people’s attitudes, Surrey could truly be a city to be proud of.
The kids who throw their cups, cans and trash on the ground will hopefully, sooner rather than later, realize that they can make a difference in how their city looks. What’s the excuse for the rest of us?
M. Cuthbert