An American expatriate, I moved to Inverness in October 2007. Since then, I have become increasingly alarmed at the sheer volume of litter in the streets and on the sidewalks.

It is mostly children and teens who do the dropping and they do it without a second thought.

But it is not just Invernessian youth I want to shout at: it's parents, too. Are parents teaching their children to put their rubbish where it belongs? I'd wager that, in too many instances, the answer is no.

Where is this garbage dump attitude coming from? Is it a continuation of the "give everything to me now and I'll throw it all away in two minutes but I'm not worried because there will be more tomorrow" attitude that many people have these days?

Keeping Inverness clean is everyone's responsibility.

It is up to individuals to not litter, of course, but parents and teachers can increase littering awareness among youngsters.

Fines for littering and strict enforcement of littering laws can be a deterrent to litterers, too, as can good old-fashioned peer pressure. If youngsters and adults alike would spread the message to their littering friends that littering is for losers, the city might just get a little greener.

I'm willing to put these words into action by organising litter clean-up days for volunteers, but I need the help of others.

If you want to lend a hand or if you're a parent or teacher who wants to educate your children or students about the importance of a clean environment by asking them to roll up their sleeves as well e-mail me at jblakley5@hotmail.com.

It's the least we can do for a city that continually gives us so much natural beauty.

Julie Blakley, Ness Terrace, Inverness

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