Before we do, though, we should ask ourselves if litter really is as black and white as oiks despoiling our country because they can’t be bothered to walk five feet to a bin. Here, I did a little thought experiment comparing littering to a couple of other, similar blights – dog mess and graffiti. Not picking up after your dog is disgusting, horrible and selfish. But I can sort of understand why you might not do it: carrying a bag of warm poo can ruin a pleasant walk in the woods. Carrying an empty Coke bottle, by contrast, is an inconvenience that is trivial to the point of non-existence. And graffiti? Most graffiti does ruin the environment in a way that is similar to litter - and more permanent. But a small percentage of graffiti improves the environment – and the very best is art. Also, unlike littering, the decision to tag a motorway overpass involves considerable effort and even physical courage. Whereas littering is just the abrogation of effort and responsibility.