The war on soggy newspapers: frontline report

Given that the problem of discarded newspapers outside Brockley Station is the subject that's generated most debate on this blog so far, I thought I'd better follow-up on the topic.

I carried out a simple survey over the last few days (walked past and had a look on my way to work) and each day, the bin was full to the point that the swing lid couldn't be opened and a growing pile of newspapers lay beside it. The people I saw chucking papers on to the pile didn't have the furtive demeanor of flytippers, they gave the impression that they were doing the right thing by contributing to the pile - the pile's proximity to the bin giving suggesting it was meant to be there as some sort of overflow facility.

This has strengthened my belief that the main weapon against this problem should be education. I believe that the council is doing its best to deal with an ever-growing tide of newsprint and I believe that the average commuter, throwing the paper is guilty of no more than ignorance. Emptying the bins is only half the battle.