Q&A for How to Pick Up Litter

Keep an eye out for any sharp objects on the beach—it's a good idea to have a trash picker handy so you can stay safe if you're picking up the litter. You'll also want to consider the weather and the time of day you're going out—if you walk out too far, you could get trapped on a sandbar or island as the tide comes in.

Everyone. Picking up litter is part of being a good citizen. If you are walking through a street and you see a bag floating through the air, pick it up and fill it with other trash you find. If you see a full bottle of water on the side of the road, make sure you have gloves on unless the bottle is empty, then pick it up then put it in recycling.

That depends on how far you go and how much litter you're finding. A five-gallon bucket can be a good choice. You can often get empty paint buckets for free. A sturdy bag is another choice, you can fold them compactly and carry them with you when you go out. It may be easiest to dispose of one or two small items in a public litter bin, if one is available. Parks, shopping centers, and transit stops are good places to look. For larger quantities, contact your city or local government and ask whether they'll send someone to collect bags. Some cities offer litter cleanup tools to volunteers, too.

Relatively few cities have programs to employ people picking up litter, but it doesn't hurt to contact your local government and ask. Many more cities have programs to support volunteers by offering equipment (such as reflective vests, gloves, litter sticks, bags, and buckets). Some have "adopt-a-(bus stop/street/area)" programs where they'll put up a sign. Some may be able to send someone to collect bags of trash you've collected.

In the case of animal carcasses, I would recommend calling animal control, waste management, or the local roads department and asking for advice.

Usually animal waste from dogs or cats (the usual animal wastes in urban areas) are smaller than what humans produce. However, a very large dog can leave a lot of waste. In any case, animal waste of any sort should not be removed with bare hands. Some sort of scoop or "doggie doo doo bag" will also be useful.

You can put it out on the street with your home trash, or you can contact the city and ask them to pick it up. Recycling is also a good option, though you cannot recycle everything. Another option is to drive it to the tip.

Common places for litter to build up include small wooded areas, beaches, storm drains, public woods, trails, public parks and fields, and on busy roadways. Wherever people frequent, litter tends to follow. Also remember that, unfortunately litter can be found almost everywhere, so you don’t need to go very far at all.