No Butts About It

Rebekah A. Hall

The next time you think about flicking away your cigarette butt in Guadalajara, Mexico — think again. The town is fighting litter with its “Together We Can Keep Guadalajara Beautiful” campaign.

Last fall, the city enlisted special policemen to help keep the historic downtown area clean. Armed with the right to ticket anyone who recklessly discards unwanted refuse, the patrol arrested 11 people on the program's first day. Litterbugs that are caught by the city's police force could pay a $220 fine, spend 36 hours in jail or don a street sweeper uniform to work off their societal debt.

The city's efforts are commendable because Mexico residents often throw items out of car windows and allow all types of garbage to rot on streets.

If all smells well in downtown, city officials plan to expand the antilitter program to include the entire city.
Source: Associated Press