Student handout 6.3: Things are getting out of control!

As a group of local residents, we are very concerned about a number of problems which seem to arise because people are not prepared to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

Many dogs are running wild. Their owners either don’t know or don’t care about this. The dogs leave their mess on the streets, which is not only unpleasant but can also be a health hazard. Some dogs are roaming in packs and are vicious. They need to be kept under strict control, especially when there are children playing nearby.

We also think there is too much rubbish left lying around in the town and on the outskirts. This is because people are too lazy to dispose of it properly. It is ugly, and attracts rats and encourages the spread of disease. When people leave old tins of paint and chemicals around, these can get into streams and rivers and affect the supply of drinking water.

Why don’t people think about the effects of their actions more? And why don’t politicians do something about these problems?

Yours sincerely,