This is cross-posted from Misha’s blog.
Can anyone remember back in 2007 when the City of Montreal handed out 100,000 pocket ashtrays? Yeah… didn’t think so. The goal was to help solve the litter problem. But after the press conference, I never saw another pocket ashtray until… I moved to Japan.
People here actually use them sometimes. The little ashtrays are also at the heart of an anti-littering campaign lead by Japan Tobacco, with ads appearing on public transit and ashtrays all over the country. Complete with hilarious English translations, I just had to share a few of my favourites.
Read on for more litter haiku.
One comment
I miss those posters! So clever and so cute.
You know, if you go to their website and are able to navigate it in Japanese, you can have those posters sent to your home for free. Got me a couple as Xmas gifts one year.
But part of the reason it works in Japan is because SHAME plays such a huge role in society. And if society says something is shameful, the whole country stops doing it. Despite the lack of public trash bins on the streets, there is hardly any litter. Everyone just carries their garbage in their purses. And yes, everyone has a purse. Maybe Montreal should be giving out purses instead.