Teenagers have a total disregard for countryside

Both correspondents ask the question as to why young people think nothing of desecrating an area of beauty and walking away from their rubbish with no thought as to the consequences.

During summer 2011 we were travelling back through the Trough of Bowland, another lovely unspoilt area, and just at the foot of the winding hill before Sykes Farm approaching Dunsop Bridge there is a small pull-in area. It was obvious some youngsters had been celebrating exam results with fast food, beer, etc. and everything had been dumped and left.

We stopped the car and gathered up all the recyclable items in one bag plus sandwich wrappers and food containers in another and left the area as they had found it. We do the same litter-picking when out walking our dog around the lanes neighbouring Waddington, and living adjacent to the B6478 we often find similar items tossed over our hedge into the field following the weekend.

It very much appears these young people have never been taught any respect for the environment by their parents, and with today’s caretaker society they just consider someone else will pick up their rubbish. As a school governor myself, I know our five to 11-year-olds are taught about the environment and recycling as part of the national curriculum, but it appears there is some education missing at senior school level.

The letters mention 14 to 16-year-olds, which is an age group that can be impressed upon if the end results of their actions are spelt out to them. Therefore would it be possible for representatives of the farming and wildlife communities to visit senior schools and show the youngsters how they should behave when out in the countryside and also illustrate the possible disastrous results of their actions where total disrespect is shown? Coming from those who their actions directly affect, perhaps they may take care in the future.

Peter Foley,

Clitheroe Road, Waddington