Return for refund

In my daily walks through a beautiful park nearby, I encounter a lot of litter. Some I pick up, most I leave. I'm walking two big dogs on leashes and trying to pick up after them. That's all I can manage.

Sunday mornings are bad because the teenagers leave their empty beer, liquor, and soft drink bottles along with empty cigarette packages.

Here's my proposal. Although I think teenagers have more money than sense, we could make it financially attractive for the litterers, or entrepreneurs, to clean up the mess. We do this by increasing the deposit on items that are usually discarded such as booze and water bottles, cigarette packages, plastic bags, and maybe even takeout food containers.

And I mean raise it to a whopping amount. Let's say $2 per glass bottle, $1 per plastic bottle, $2 per cigarette package, 50¢ per plastic grocery bag and $1 per large bag, and $1 per takeout container.

Your 24 bottles of beer now set you back an additional $48. I think you'll be seriously interested in returning those.

That bottle of water that you paid $1.50 for now costs you $2.50.

Cigarettes are already pretty expensive with all the taxes so we need to make it at least $2 deposit per package.

Many people take home 10, 20, or more plastic bags from the grocery store. Grocery shoppers like to save money, yet we see many plastic bags blowing around. Not when they're paying an extra $10 per trip.

But the one I like most is the takeout food containers. Go ahead. Buy your burger, fries, and drink. That'll cost you an additional $4 including the paper bag it's packaged in.

Of course, this one is also the most problematic because who wants to take back a smelly food container? Hmm, I guess people will be motivated to return it quickly. Also, if you buy from McDonalds, you should be able to return it to any McD's. Let Mickey D's corporate worry about how to balance the deposits and refunds.

Is this workable? Maybe, although the fast food container is a real stretch. But let's face it. Politicians don't have the political will and consumers would revolt saying they never litter and why should they be forced to pay for the inconsiderate pigs.

That's what I'd say. ;-)