12-29-2007, 02:33 AM
Many things to tackle there. I applaud those who are concerned about this and especially those indicated above, who actually do something about it. They deserve medals.
But I do that think that the only way it can be controlled is by preventing it from happening in the first place. That is even more difficult than clean up, and may never happen.
The first problem is cultural: If you go to Switzerland, just for example, you will be hard pressed to find any litter. The land is breathtaking there and the Swiss don't want to sully it and live in their own filth. They are a highly educated people with a strong cultural ethic against marring the beauty of their cities and surroundings by tossing trash in it. They also have strict LAWS against littering, and THOSE LAWS ARE ENFORCED. I understand that Singapore is the same way. Spit gum out? Go to jail.
No such ethic in Puna, and no law enforcement whatsoever. Instilling the ethic takes one of two things: 1) Years of education and positive reinforcement of the "No litter" message or 2) a massive influx of Swiss people. Not gonna happen.
As with so many things in Puna, the problem lies with the lack of law enforcement. This problem lies at the heart of all the major problems in Puna, and it must be fixed. I find it absolutely amazing that the cops drive their own cars (I always have to check to see if I have that right because I still can't believe it).
You get what you pay for. We need local control over the cops, we need to pay them more, get them cars, and make sure there are more of them. We need to set their priorities legislatively (domestic violence, larceny, burglary, assault, battery, meth labs, litter, illegal dumping --high priority; pakalolo, low or no priority). This will require a mechanism of local control (not sure if that is possible or how that would be done) and a form of "special assessment" on this District itself. We have the problem and Hawaii county is not gonna take care of it for us.
In the meantime, education (which include clean up field trips) and positive reinforcement for those wonderful groups who go out and clean this stuff up after the fact.
But I do that think that the only way it can be controlled is by preventing it from happening in the first place. That is even more difficult than clean up, and may never happen.
The first problem is cultural: If you go to Switzerland, just for example, you will be hard pressed to find any litter. The land is breathtaking there and the Swiss don't want to sully it and live in their own filth. They are a highly educated people with a strong cultural ethic against marring the beauty of their cities and surroundings by tossing trash in it. They also have strict LAWS against littering, and THOSE LAWS ARE ENFORCED. I understand that Singapore is the same way. Spit gum out? Go to jail.
No such ethic in Puna, and no law enforcement whatsoever. Instilling the ethic takes one of two things: 1) Years of education and positive reinforcement of the "No litter" message or 2) a massive influx of Swiss people. Not gonna happen.
As with so many things in Puna, the problem lies with the lack of law enforcement. This problem lies at the heart of all the major problems in Puna, and it must be fixed. I find it absolutely amazing that the cops drive their own cars (I always have to check to see if I have that right because I still can't believe it).
You get what you pay for. We need local control over the cops, we need to pay them more, get them cars, and make sure there are more of them. We need to set their priorities legislatively (domestic violence, larceny, burglary, assault, battery, meth labs, litter, illegal dumping --high priority; pakalolo, low or no priority). This will require a mechanism of local control (not sure if that is possible or how that would be done) and a form of "special assessment" on this District itself. We have the problem and Hawaii county is not gonna take care of it for us.
In the meantime, education (which include clean up field trips) and positive reinforcement for those wonderful groups who go out and clean this stuff up after the fact.