History Main / LitteringIsNoBigDeal

* The ocean is a popular spot for dramatic discards. In ''{{Film/Titanic 1997}}'', Rose drops in [[spoiler:an expensive diamond necklace (appropriately named the Heart of the Ocean)]], presumably for some sort of closure.

** [[spoiler:And where did the debris of all those destroyed suits go? Granted the place was burning wreckage by that point anyway, but more mangled metal and spent explosives certainly didn't help the cause.]]

* Played straight in ''Videogame/SleepingDogs'' where usually after eating Wei Shen just throws aside whatever package or can he's holding. Often in front of whoever sells it.

* Often parodied in comedy films, where throwing something away turns out to have consequences after all. In ''Film/{{Airplane}}'' Ted Stryker tosses his hat and then his coat, only for both to be thrown back to him. In ''Film/HotShots'', Kent throws his pool stick way, apparently impaling someone just off camera.

* ''Film/IronMan3''. Tony Stark has [[spoiler:the ARC Reactor removed from his chest, then decides to throw it into the ocean near the ruins of his destroyed house. Never mind the effect those exotic materials will have on the local ecosystem, it's a dramatic moment, dammit!]].

Note that life or death situations don't apply here (e.g. ThrowawayGuns), since in those cases it's really not sensible to worry about littering.

Presumably in the character's universe there aren't too many people doing this (or they have a [[EverythingFades fantastic street cleaning service]]) because you rarely see [[NoEndorHolocaust the inevitable result of widespread littering]]. Contrast JaywalkingWillRuinYourLife. See also MoneyToThrowAway.

* ''Film/ThreeAmigos''. While the title characters are traveling through the desert to reach El Guapo's hideout, Dusty Bottoms drinks the last of the water from his canteen and carelessly discards it. He apparently forgets that after the Amigos rescue Carmen they'll have to return, and if they don't have any water with them (or something to collect more in) they'll die of thirst. Luckily for them they acquire a plane so they can fly back instead.
* ''Film/MercuryRising''. After passing out and losing the child he was supposed to be protecting, Art decides that he must stop relying on his "pills" (presumably pain-killers). So... where to put them? A bin? Nah, it's much more dramatic to tip them out the window while driving, then throw the bottle after them.

** In ''Weapons of Mass Destruction'', Adrian tears up a letter from the bank, and throws the pieces from his window into the canal. His neighbour calls him out on it, and later a police officer brings the scraps to him in a bag, one of them bearing his name, as evidence.

* Averted in the opening credits of ''Series/{{The Odd Couple|1970}}''. Oscar throws his cigar on the ground and Felix spears it with the end of his umbrella, returning it to him. The credit sequence ends with Oscar and Felix in the park eating lunch; Oscar tosses his sandwich wrapper on the ground and Felix starts to complain about it.
* ''Series/MadMen'': In an early episode, the Draper family goes on a picnic, and just leaves their discarded wrappers, paper plates and food scraps littered all over the picnic site. This is meant to [[DeliberateValuesDissonance evoke the time period]], before many people got serious about the environment, and also their crass consumerism.

** In "Bad Luck Bears", Oprah haphazardly tosses her juice boxes away twice. The first time around, she angrily throws it on the ground and leaves it there, and when she leaves, one of her assistants runs onto the scene to pick it up. The second time, she does a BlindShoulderToss with another juice box, which lands onto the floor and isn't picked up by anyone.

* Exaggerated and parodied in ''WesternAnimation/CloneHigh'': In a VerySpecialEpisode "Litter Kills: Litterally", JFK's residential popular NiceGuy Ponce de Leon causes a trend where characters acquire littering as a CompressedVice, but there's so much litter around that [[KarmicDeath Ponce de Leon is the one who died from it]], InTheStyleOf ''Film/FinalDestination''.

[[folder: Comic Strips]]

Related to the RuleOfDrama. It's usually much more dramatic to [[ItsAllJunk physically cast off the hindering item]] than to conscientiously carry it over to the nearest waste disposal unit. Also related to the LawOfConservationOfDetail. Is it really worth screen time to include shots of the character traipsing to the bin?

* In ''Webcomic/BloodAndSmoke'', Detective Carson has no issue with discarding cigarettes wherever he pleases, whether it be in a [[http://bloodandsmokecomic.cf/comic/chapter-1-pg-2]] or [[http://bloodandsmokecomic.cf/comic/chapter-1-pg-8 outside somebody's home]].

* ''Series/MadMen'': In an early episode, a family goes on a picnic, and just leaves their discarded wrappers, paper plates and food scraps littered all over the picnic site. This is meant to [[DeliberateValuesDissonance evoke the time period]], before many people got serious about the environment, and also their crass consumerism.

* Exaggerated and parodied in ''WesternAnimation/CloneHigh'': In a VerySpecialEpisode, characters acquire littering as a CompressedVice, but there's so much litter around that one of them dies from it, InTheStyleOf ''Film/FinalDestination''.

** In "Moustache Confidential", there are numerous crumpled paper cups littering the interrogation room where Olive and Otto are interrogating potential thieves of Obfusco's mustache. No one acknowledges them or cleans them up, but the pair do perform {{BlindShoulderToss}}es of two cups at one point, where they land cleanly into the wastebasket.

* Many people do this in real life, presumably invoking the LawOfConservationOfDetail in relation to their life.

* In ''Webcomic/BloodandSmoke'', Detective Carson has no issue with discarding cigarettes wherever he pleases, whether it be in a [[http://bloodandsmokecomic.cf/comic/chapter-1-pg-2]] or [[http://bloodandsmokecomic.cf/comic/chapter-1-pg-8 outside somebody's home]].

[[folder: Comic Strips ]]

--> '''Calvin:''' Yep, Mars may be a little dull, but it's better than Earth. We've got a whole planet to ourselves. Brand new and unspoiled. No people. No pollution. Nothing but rugged, natural beauty as far as the eye can see.\\

[[folder: Films -- Animated ]]

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* The ocean is a popular spot for dramatic discards. In ''{{Film/Titanic 1997}}'', Rose drops in [[spoiler: an expensive diamond necklace (appropriately named the Heart of the Ocean)]], presumably for some sort of closure.

* ''Film/IronMan3''. Tony Stark has [[spoiler: the ARC Reactor removed from his chest, then decides to throw it into the ocean near the ruins of his destroyed house. Never mind the effect those exotic materials will have on the local ecosystem, it's a dramatic moment, dammit!]].

[[folder: Literature]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

-->'''Woman:''' Hey! Fifty is legal! ''[she throws ticket away and Nick hands her another]'' What's ''this'' for?
-->'''Nick:''' Littering.

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

-->'''Homer:''' Good old Evergreen Terrace: the swankiest street in the classiest part of Pressboard Estates.
-->'''Bart:''' Well, if you love it so much, why are you always littering?
-->'''Homer:''' ''[finishing a canned drink]'' It's easier, duh. ''[tosses can on ground]''

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Averted by Hull Technician Fireman Apprentice applied for conscientious objector status because the US Navy has this attitude.