Nowadays, we are producing more and more rubbish. Why do you think this is happening? What can government do to help reduce the amount of rubbish produced? v.33

As urban populations soar, an increase in rubbish and littering tends to follow. To avoid the deterioration of city streets, some argue that local people they need to take responsibility, whereas others feel that it is the government that should be taking care of this. In my view, while I agree that the authorities do need to enforce certain rules and provide facilities, ultimately it is the residents who have to self-regulate and maintain their neighbourhoods. In order for streets to be kept tidy, the government must maintain a system of rubbish collection and cleaning. In my suburb of Mentone, for instance, the council collects rubbish every week, and there are also cleaners who tend to the parks and public spaces every two days. Without these regular activities, the streets would quickly descend into chaos with overflowing bins, blocked drains and dirty sidewalks. As taxpayers, it is reasonable to expect the authorities, to whom we pay our taxes, to play some role in the upkeep of neighbourhoods. It is also, however, vital that residents themselves participate in this. If they do not put their rubbish in the right place at the right time, then the council systems, regardless of how rigorous they are, would not be effective. Locals can also do simple things like clean up after their dogs, mow their sidewalk lawns, put their junk in bins when in public spaces, and maintain the area around their property. When everyone participates, the job of keeping the streets clean is manageable. In conclusion, keeping our streets in a reasonable condition is a matter of teamwork. Policies and systems need to be implemented by local and national authorities, and residents need to not only adhere to them but also be proactive in the upkeep of their area